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.
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:
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:
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.
| Country | Schengen Area Country (June 2017) | No Visa Required | 30-Day Visa On Arrival | 90-Day Visa On Arrival | Pre-entry Visa Required | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Afghanistan | Yes | |||||
| Albania | Yes | |||||
| Algeria | Yes | |||||
| Andorra | Yes | |||||
| Angola | Yes | |||||
| Antigua and Barbuda | Yes | |||||
| Argentina | Yes | |||||
| Armenia | Press 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. | |||||
| Australia | Yes | |||||
| Austria | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Azerbaijan | Yes | |||||
| Bahamas | Yes | Mutual visa agreement effective December 2016. | ||||
| Bahrain | Yes | GCC country. | ||||
| Bangladesh | Yes | |||||
| Barbados | Yes | |||||
| Belarus | Yes | |||||
| Belgium | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Belize | Yes | |||||
| Benin | Yes | |||||
| Bhutan | Yes | |||||
| Bolivia | Yes | |||||
| Bosnia and Herzegovina | Yes | |||||
| Botswana | Yes | |||||
| Brazil | Press 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 Darussalam | Yes | |||||
| Bulgaria | Yes | |||||
| Burkina Faso | Yes | |||||
| Burundi | Yes | |||||
| Cabo Verde | Yes | |||||
| Cambodia | Yes | |||||
| Cameroon | Yes | |||||
| Canada | Yes | |||||
| Central African Republic | Yes | |||||
| Chad | Yes | |||||
| Chile | Yes | |||||
| China | Yes | Agreement announced September 2016. | ||||
| Colombia | Yes | |||||
| Comoros | Yes | |||||
| Congo | Yes | |||||
| Costa Rica | Press 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'Ivoire | Yes | |||||
| Croatia | Yes | |||||
| Cuba | Yes | |||||
| Cyprus | Yes | |||||
| Czech Republic | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) | Yes | |||||
| Democratic Republic of the Congo | Yes | |||||
| Denmark | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Djibouti | Yes | |||||
| Dominica | Yes | |||||
| Dominican Republic | Yes | |||||
| Ecuador | Yes | |||||
| Egypt | Yes | |||||
| El Salvador | Yes | |||||
| Equatorial Guinea | Yes | |||||
| Eritrea | Yes | |||||
| Estonia | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Ethiopia | Yes | |||||
| Fiji | Yes | |||||
| Finland | Yes | Yes | ||||
| France | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Gabon | Yes | |||||
| Gambia | Yes | |||||
| Georgia | Yes | |||||
| Germany | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Ghana | Yes | |||||
| Greece | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Grenada | Yes | |||||
| Guatemala | Yes | |||||
| Guinea | Yes | |||||
| Guinea-Bissau | Yes | |||||
| Guyana | Yes | |||||
| Haiti | Yes | |||||
| Honduras | Yes | |||||
| Hong Kong | Yes | |||||
| Hungary | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Iceland | Yes | Yes | ||||
| India | Yes | Effective March 2017 Indian passport holders with an American visa or Green Card can obtain at 14-Day visa on arrival. | ||||
| Indonesia | Yes | |||||
| Iran | Yes | |||||
| Iraq | Yes | |||||
| Ireland | Yes | |||||
| Israel | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | Israeli passport holders not permitted to enter to Dubai. | |
| Italy | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Jamaica | Yes | |||||
| Japan | Yes | |||||
| Jordan | Yes | |||||
| Kazakhstan | Press 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. | |||||
| Kenya | Yes | |||||
| Kiribati | Yes | |||||
| Kuwait | Yes | GCC country. | ||||
| Kyrgyzstan | Yes | |||||
| Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos) | Yes | |||||
| Latvia | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Lebanon | Yes | |||||
| Lesotho | Yes | |||||
| Liberia | Yes | |||||
| Libya | Yes | |||||
| Liechtenstein | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Lithuania | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Luxembourg | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Macedonia | Yes | |||||
| Madagascar | Yes | |||||
| Malawi | Yes | |||||
| Malaysia | Yes | |||||
| Maldives | Yes | |||||
| Mali | Yes | |||||
| Malta | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Marshall Islands | Yes | |||||
| Mauritania | Yes | |||||
| Mauritius | Yes | |||||
| Mexico | Yes | |||||
| Micronesia (Federated States of) | Yes | |||||
| Monaco | Yes | |||||
| Mongolia | Yes | |||||
| Montenegro | Yes | |||||
| Morocco | Yes | |||||
| Mozambique | Yes | |||||
| Myanmar | Yes | |||||
| Namibia | Yes | |||||
| Nauru | Yes | |||||
| Nepal | Yes | |||||
| Netherlands | Yes | Yes | ||||
| New Zealand | Yes | |||||
| Nicaragua | Yes | |||||
| Niger | Yes | |||||
| Nigeria | Yes | |||||
| Norway | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Oman | Yes | GCC country. | ||||
| Pakistan | Yes | |||||
| Palau | Yes | |||||
| Panama | Yes | |||||
| Papua New Guinea | Yes | |||||
| Paraguay | Yes | |||||
| Peru | Yes | |||||
| Philippines | Yes | |||||
| Poland | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Portugal | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Qatar | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | GCC 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 Moldova | Yes | |||||
| Romania | Yes | |||||
| Russian Federation | Yes | Russians granted 30-day visa on arrival effective January 2017. | ||||
| Rwanda | Yes | |||||
| Saint Kitts and Nevis | Yes | |||||
| Saint Lucia | Yes | |||||
| Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | Yes | |||||
| Samoa | Yes | |||||
| San Marino | Yes | |||||
| Sao Tome and Principe | Yes | |||||
| Saudi Arabia | Yes | GCC country. | ||||
| Senegal | Yes | |||||
| Serbia | Yes | |||||
| Seychelles | Yes | Visa agreement effective from July 2015. | ||||
| Sierra Leone | Yes | |||||
| Singapore | Yes | |||||
| Slovakia | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Slovenia | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Solomon Islands | Yes | |||||
| Somalia | Yes | |||||
| South Africa | Yes | |||||
| South Sudan | Yes | |||||
| Spain | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Sri Lanka | Yes | |||||
| Sudan | Yes | |||||
| Suriname | Yes | |||||
| Swaziland | Yes | |||||
| Sweden | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Switzerland | Yes | Yes | ||||
| Syrian Arab Republic | Yes | |||||
| Tajikistan | Yes | |||||
| Thailand | Yes | |||||
| Timor-Leste | Yes | |||||
| Togo | Yes | |||||
| Tonga | Yes | |||||
| Trinidad and Tobago | Yes | |||||
| Tunisia | Yes | |||||
| Turkey | Yes | |||||
| Turkmenistan | Yes | |||||
| Tuvalu | Yes | |||||
| Uganda | Yes | |||||
| Ukraine | Yes | |||||
| United Arab Emirates | Yes | GCC country. | ||||
| United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland | Yes | |||||
| United Republic of Tanzania | Yes | |||||
| United States of America | Yes | |||||
| Uruguay | Yes | |||||
| Uzbekistan | Yes | |||||
| Vanuatu | Yes | |||||
| Vatican | Yes | |||||
| Venezuela | Yes | |||||
| Vietnam | Yes | |||||
| Yemen | Yes | |||||
| Zambia | Yes | |||||
| Zimbabwe | Yes |
Dr.Thomas Mathew says
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?
Editor says
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.
Pinto says
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?
neil wong says
Please advise regarding today’s news in Australia that Chinese citizens get a 30 day visa on arrival.
Editor says
Yes. Chinese passport holders now get a 30-day visa on arrival in Dubai. We’ve updated the text.
Abdul Husein Sophie says
I heard a few months ago that EU citizens will now get 3 months visa upon arrival instead of one month. Is this true?
Editor says
Yes. Schengen country citizens now get 90 days.
Paul says
The tourist visa on arrival for French nationals is 90 days, to be used within 180 days.
Jesus Alejo says
I am mexican citizen I live in USA. I will like to visit Dubai and work. What do I need to do??
Nilima Kawser says
I just wanted to know if there is any visa restriction on Dubai for Palestine passport holder ?
S.K. Alam says
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.