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Dubai Online > Essential Tourist Information > Dubai Visas and Immigration

Dubai Visas and Immigration

  • Read 25 Comments

Please note that this website is a tourism guide and only provides visa and immigration information for tourists visiting Dubai for a short vacation.

We do not offer any information about visas for residence, work, business, or family visits. Please do not request ask information about these types of visas in the comments section. They will not be approved or answered.

We update this page as frequently as possible and believe it to be correct at the time of writing (June 2017). We advise you to double check with reliable sources before making any travel plans (please see the section about reliable websites and inaccurate immigration information on official Dubai websites).

If any information on this page is incorrect, please leave a comment so that we can correct it.

Dubai UAE visa and immigration stamps in a passport

Visas for Dubai

All tourists, with the exception of GCC nationals (except Qatar), require a visa to visit Dubai. However, the nationals of many countries can obtain a free visa on arrival in Dubai.

Israeli nationals are not permitted to enter Dubai or the United Arab Emirates.

At the time of writing (June 2017) the UAE has suspended diplomatic relations with Qatar (a GCC country). Holders of Qatari passports are not allowed to enter Dubai or the United Arab Emirates.

The rules can be summarised as follows:

GCC Countries

Citizens of GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates) do not need a visa to travel to Dubai.

Visa on Arrival

Nationals of many countries can obtain a visa on arrival in Dubai. See the table at the end of this page for a complete list.

In May 2017 the EU and the United Arab Emirates signed a short-stay visa waiver agreement in Brussels. The agreement allows for visa-free travel for citizens of Schengen countries to the United Arab Emirates. They can stay for 90 days in a 180 day period.

Citizens of many other countries are entitled to a 30-day visa on arrival. These countries include Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Russia, Singapore, and the US.

Effective June 2017, Indians with a valid US visa or Green Card, can obtain a 14-day visa on arrival.

Pre-entry Visa Required

Tourists not falling into one of the categories need above to get a local sponsor to apply for their visa on their behalf. Valid sponsors include hotels in Dubai and UAE-based airlines such as Emirates, Air Arabia, Etihad, and flydubai.

The online visa application systems offered by Emirates and Etihad are both easy to use:

  • Emirates
  • Etihad – links to their visa processing partner TT Services

Reliable Websites and Official Immigration Websites

Official Dubai websites are notoriously unreliable. Many official government sites contain out of date visa information.

For example new visa rules were introduced in March 2017 allowing citizens of India with a valid US visa or green card to be issued with a visa on arrival in the UAE. At the time of writing (June 2017) this was not included on many official websites Visit Dubai, the official Dubai tourism website.

The most reliable website we have found for Dubai visa information is Emirates. This is almost certainly because they are a UAE-based airline and visa sponsor. Consequently they are processing a large number of visas for their passengers and need the correct information on their website.

Emirates have the following information on their site:

  • Overview of the UAE visa rules
  • Visa requirements tool

Summary of Dubai Immigration and Visa Rules for Tourists

The table below summarises the Dubai/UAE tourist visa requirements for citizens of each of the 193 nations that are members of the United Nations.

Additional visa rules are given for citizens of the Vatican (a UN observer state) and Hong Kong (a special administrative region of China).

We only provide information regarding tourist visas.

We believe the visa rules to be correct at the time of writing (June 2017).

Please note that visa rules change frequently. We bear no responsibility for the accuracy of this information.

Please check using a reliable source (see previous section) before making any travel plans.

If you notice any information on this page is incorrect, please leave a message in the comments section below.

CountrySchengen Area Country (June 2017)No Visa Required30-Day Visa On Arrival90-Day Visa On ArrivalPre-entry Visa RequiredNotes
AfghanistanYes
AlbaniaYes
AlgeriaYes
AndorraYes
AngolaYes
Antigua and BarbudaYes
ArgentinaYes
ArmeniaPress articles dated March 2017 stating UAE and Armenia agreed on visa on arrival. However, no information about this at June 2017 on Emirates website, GDRFA website, or Timatic. Agreement possibly not ratified at June 2017.
AustraliaYes
AustriaYesYes
AzerbaijanYes
BahamasYesMutual visa agreement effective December 2016.
BahrainYesGCC country.
BangladeshYes
BarbadosYes
BelarusYes
BelgiumYesYes
BelizeYes
BeninYes
BhutanYes
BoliviaYes
Bosnia and HerzegovinaYes
BotswanaYes
BrazilPress articles dated March 2017 stating UAE and Brazil agreed on visa on arrival. However, no information about this at June 2017 on Emirates website, GDRFA website, or Timatic. Agreement possibly not ratified at June 2017.
Brunei DarussalamYes
BulgariaYes
Burkina FasoYes
BurundiYes
Cabo VerdeYes
CambodiaYes
CameroonYes
CanadaYes
Central African RepublicYes
ChadYes
ChileYes
ChinaYesAgreement announced September 2016.
ColombiaYes
ComorosYes
CongoYes
Costa RicaPress articles dated January 2017 stating UAE and Costa Rica agreed on visa on arrival. However, no information about this at June 2017 on Emirates website, GDRFA website, or Timatic. Agreement possibly not ratified at June 2017.
Côte d'IvoireYes
CroatiaYes
CubaYes
CyprusYes
Czech RepublicYesYes
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea)Yes
Democratic Republic of the CongoYes
DenmarkYesYes
DjiboutiYes
DominicaYes
Dominican RepublicYes
EcuadorYes
EgyptYes
El SalvadorYes
Equatorial GuineaYes
EritreaYes
EstoniaYesYes
EthiopiaYes
FijiYes
FinlandYesYes
FranceYesYes
GabonYes
GambiaYes
GeorgiaYes
GermanyYesYes
GhanaYes
GreeceYesYes
GrenadaYes
GuatemalaYes
GuineaYes
Guinea-BissauYes
GuyanaYes
HaitiYes
HondurasYes
Hong KongYes
HungaryYesYes
IcelandYesYes
IndiaYesEffective March 2017 Indian passport holders with an American visa or Green Card can obtain at 14-Day visa on arrival.
IndonesiaYes
IranYes
IraqYes
IrelandYes
IsraelN/AN/AN/AN/AIsraeli passport holders not permitted to enter to Dubai.
ItalyYesYes
JamaicaYes
JapanYes
JordanYes
KazakhstanPress articles dated May 2017 stating UAE and Kazakhstan agreed on visa on arrival. However, no information about this at June 2017 on Emirates website, GDRFA website, or Timatic. Agreement possibly not ratified at June 2017.
KenyaYes
KiribatiYes
KuwaitYesGCC country.
KyrgyzstanYes
Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos)Yes
LatviaYesYes
LebanonYes
LesothoYes
LiberiaYes
LibyaYes
LiechtensteinYesYes
LithuaniaYesYes
LuxembourgYesYes
MacedoniaYes
MadagascarYes
MalawiYes
MalaysiaYes
MaldivesYes
MaliYes
MaltaYesYes
Marshall IslandsYes
MauritaniaYes
MauritiusYes
MexicoYes
Micronesia (Federated States of)Yes
MonacoYes
MongoliaYes
MontenegroYes
MoroccoYes
MozambiqueYes
MyanmarYes
NamibiaYes
NauruYes
NepalYes
NetherlandsYesYes
New ZealandYes
NicaraguaYes
NigerYes
NigeriaYes
NorwayYesYes
OmanYesGCC country.
PakistanYes
PalauYes
PanamaYes
Papua New GuineaYes
ParaguayYes
PeruYes
PhilippinesYes
PolandYesYes
PortugalYesYes
QatarN/AN/AN/AN/AGCC country. However as at June 2017 the UAE has banned those holding Qatari passports from travelling to or transiting through the UAE.
Republic of Korea (South Korea)Yes
Republic of MoldovaYes
RomaniaYes
Russian FederationYesRussians granted 30-day visa on arrival effective January 2017.
RwandaYes
Saint Kitts and NevisYes
Saint LuciaYes
Saint Vincent and the GrenadinesYes
SamoaYes
San MarinoYes
Sao Tome and PrincipeYes
Saudi ArabiaYesGCC country.
SenegalYes
SerbiaYes
SeychellesYesVisa agreement effective from July 2015.
Sierra LeoneYes
SingaporeYes
SlovakiaYesYes
SloveniaYesYes
Solomon IslandsYes
SomaliaYes
South AfricaYes
South SudanYes
SpainYesYes
Sri LankaYes
SudanYes
SurinameYes
SwazilandYes
SwedenYesYes
SwitzerlandYesYes
Syrian Arab RepublicYes
TajikistanYes
ThailandYes
Timor-LesteYes
TogoYes
TongaYes
Trinidad and TobagoYes
TunisiaYes
TurkeyYes
TurkmenistanYes
TuvaluYes
UgandaYes
UkraineYes
United Arab EmiratesYesGCC country.
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandYes
United Republic of TanzaniaYes
United States of AmericaYes
UruguayYes
UzbekistanYes
VanuatuYes
VaticanYes
VenezuelaYes
VietnamYes
YemenYes
ZambiaYes
ZimbabweYes

Reader Interactions

Comments and Additional Information

  1. Vipul Haria says

    July 21, 2018

    22/07/2018
    I am a Kenya passport holder, with a long term 10 years UK business visas.
    They are expiring in 2022.
    I am going to UK for business in August 2018, and wish to visit Dubai on my return to Kenya from UK.
    Do I get a free tourist visa on arrival to visit Dubai for a week ?

    Reply
  2. Nsubuga k says

    July 20, 2018

    I am Ugandan. My brother is working in Abu Dhabi. I want to visit him but they asking 1300 aed. Is it true I have to pay that amount for a 90 day visa?

    Reply
  3. NAIN RAJ DAHAL says

    July 12, 2018

    I am from Nepal, currently working in UN in South Sudan. I am a Nepal government employee. Can I get on arrival visa to visit Dubai?

    Reply
  4. Beenish says

    July 10, 2018

    I hold a valid residence permit card of Norway but I have Pakistani passport and am planning to visit Dubai with my family. But both my husband and daughter hold Norwegian passport. Do I get visa on arrival or I have to apply before travel?

    Reply
  5. Dr. Faisal Afzal says

    June 28, 2018

    My son is 17 years and he has a visa for Dubai. He wants to visit Dubai from 5th July to 11th July. Are there any age restrictions for entry in Dubai? If yes then is it possible that he can enter with the authority letter from parents.

    Reply
  6. KR says

    June 18, 2018

    I understand that Indian passport holders with a Schengen residence (permanent residence) should be able to have visa on arrival as of September 2017. Is this correct?

    Reply
  7. FEDErica says

    May 3, 2018

    Can a friend from Cuba come to visit me in Dubai?! I am an expat resident in Dubai. If so, what is the procedure for the visa? And how many days can he stay?

    Reply
  8. Dara says

    April 11, 2018

    I am a Nigerian citizen and apparently an age limit was imposed on Nigerian citizens restricting single females under the age of 40 from travelling to Dubai if they’re unaccompanied by a person over the age of 40 with the same last name. Is this true?

    Reply
  9. John says

    April 7, 2018

    I am German national. my wife is Thai national with German residency. Does she needs a visa for a short, 2-night trip to Dubai?

    Reply
  10. Asja says

    April 4, 2018

    I am an Afghan citizen with green card and married to a US citizen. My husband and I both are traveling and we have a 16 hour layover at the airport. Can I have an arrival visa to Dubai so we can get out of the airport?

    Reply
  11. Ali Ahmad says

    July 3, 2017

    UAE has a new ban on issuance of visa for Afghan citizens effective June 2017? Is there any update when this will be lifted?

    Reply
  12. Dr.Thomas Mathew says

    June 21, 2017

    I am an Indian national professional doctor working in Bahrain with a valid residence permit for 2 years. I also hold a valid American visa for 10 years. Do I need a visa to come to Dubai for 3 days. Only I was told that if I have a valid American visa automatically Dubai visa will be granted on arrival. Can you clarify this as I need to travel on Saturday?

    Reply
    • Editor says

      June 25, 2017

      Sorry, for the late reply. But for anybody else reading this, Indians with a US visa or green card now get a 14-day visa on arrival in Dubai.

      Reply
  13. Pinto says

    February 20, 2017

    My mother was working in Israel, now she is in India. The Israel visa on the passport is cancelled. she can visit Dubai without any problems?

    Reply
    • ALI says

      July 31, 2017

      IF HER NATIONALITY IS INDIAN. THEN SHE CAN TRAVEL NO PROBLEM

      Reply
  14. neil wong says

    September 5, 2016

    Please advise regarding today’s news in Australia that Chinese citizens get a 30 day visa on arrival.

    Reply
    • Editor says

      June 25, 2017

      Yes. Chinese passport holders now get a 30-day visa on arrival in Dubai. We’ve updated the text.

      Reply
  15. Abdul Husein Sophie says

    July 13, 2016

    I heard a few months ago that EU citizens will now get 3 months visa upon arrival instead of one month. Is this true?

    Reply
    • Editor says

      June 25, 2017

      Yes. Schengen country citizens now get 90 days.

      Reply
  16. Paul says

    June 12, 2016

    The tourist visa on arrival for French nationals is 90 days, to be used within 180 days.

    Reply
  17. Jesus Alejo says

    March 20, 2016

    I am mexican citizen I live in USA. I will like to visit Dubai and work. What do I need to do??

    Reply
    • ASHIF CK says

      September 21, 2017

      Mexican citizen should take visa before arrival.

      Reply
  18. Nilima Kawser says

    December 1, 2015

    I just wanted to know if there is any visa restriction on Dubai for Palestine passport holder ?

    Reply
    • ALI says

      July 31, 2017

      YES. PALESTINE PASSPORT HOLDER CANNOT APPLY FOR UAE VISIT VISA.

      Reply
  19. S.K. Alam says

    May 21, 2015

    It is written above that tourist visa is provided ‘free’ on arrival for all eligible passengers or tourists . Actually a fee of UAE Dirhams 180 or 200 is charged from the expatriates having Saudi Iqama form many years. Please correct this info. Thanks.

    Reply

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