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Dubai visa: who gets one on arrival, and who needs to apply

How a UAE tourist visa works in 2026: visa on arrival for 80+ nationalities, visa-free for GCC citizens, pre-arranged visas processed in about 48 hours, the 5-year multiple-entry visa, transit visas and GCC-resident eVisas — from the official pages.

By Abdelrahman Mohamed 3 min read Updated 26 September 2026
Aerial view of Palm Jumeirah in Dubai
Dubai visa: who gets one on arrival, and who needs to apply

Photo: Aheilner — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

Most visitors never apply for anything: citizens of many countries get a visa on arrival, and for most it is free. Which group you are in depends only on your passport, and the list changes, so this guide explains how the system works and sends you to the official checker for your own case.

The routes into the UAE

Who What happens
GCC citizens No visa
Visa-on-arrival nationalities Stamped at immigration; for most passport holders there is no cost
Residents of GCC countries Apply online for an eVisa before arriving: 30 days, extendable once for 30
Everyone else A tourist visa arranged before travel

Check your passport on Visit Dubai’s visa checker by selecting your nationality and the purpose of your visit.

The arrivals hall at Dubai International Terminal 3
Visa on arrival is issued at immigration — for most passport holders at no costPhoto: EditQ — CC0 · Wikimedia Commons

Getting a tourist visa before you travel

  • Online through ICP (the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security) or GDRFA Dubai.
  • Through a UAE airline — Emirates, Etihad and flydubai each arrange visas for their passengers, on their own conditions.
  • Through a licensed travel agent or your hotel in the UAE, usually when you book the trip or the room with them.

UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas. Visas for 30 and 60 days are available, as single or multiple entry. The fee for each is shown on the ICP and GDRFA service pages.

Documents

  • A passport valid for at least six months from the date you enter
  • A recent passport photo
  • Health insurance
  • A confirmed return or onward ticket, and proof of accommodation — a hotel booking or a residential address

Some nationalities are asked for more.

The 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa

Open to all nationalities. You enter as often as you like on self-sponsorship and stay up to 90 days each visit, extendable once by another 90. You need a bank balance of USD 4,000 or its equivalent over the last six months, health insurance valid in the UAE, and an onward or return ticket. It is issued by ICP and GDRFA Dubai.

Transit

If you stay inside the airport, you need no visa. To leave it on a layover, a transit visa of 48 or 96 hours can be arranged through the UAE airline you are flying with, a travel agency or an airport hotel. It is single-entry and cannot be extended.

Things that catch people out

  • Passport validity. Six months from your entry date. Airlines check before you board.
  • Overstaying. Every day past your visa is fined, and the fine is paid before you leave.
  • Fake agents. Check that an agent is genuine before paying or sending copies of your documents; the UAE embassy in your country can help you verify one.

Common questions

Is a visa on arrival free?

For most eligible passport holders, yes, according to Visit Dubai. Check your own nationality on the official checker.

Can I get a tourist visa from the UAE embassy in my country?

No. Embassies do not issue tourist visas; apply online, or through an airline, licensed agent or hotel.

How long does a pre-arranged visa take?

It depends on who arranges it; ask the airline, agent or hotel handling your application.

Do I need a visa for a few hours in Dubai airport?

Not if you stay airside. Leaving the airport needs a visa on arrival (if your passport qualifies) or a 48- or 96-hour transit visa.

The short version is in do I need a visa for Dubai. Living and working here is a different visa: see the UAE Golden Visa.

Rewritten on 24 September 2026 against the official pages listed below. Visa rules change; the official pages win over this one. See our editorial policy.

Sources we checked

The official bodies where these figures and rules are kept up to date. Where an official page disagrees with us, the official page is right.

Amounts are shown in dirhams. Prices and hours depend on the date, product and venue; planning examples are not live offers. Confirm your selected booking before travel. Our editorial policy

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