Do you need a visa for Dubai?

What is a Visa? Earlier for almost everyone, it was the alarm of a complex procedure to go out of the country. But thanks to the digitisation of visa, it is a matter of not more than 4 days to get a hassle-free visa. Different countries have varied different visa policy. Cities like Dubai has lenient Dubai tourist visa policies to enable more and more tourists to enter the city. Also with the availability of Dubai visa online, acquiring a visa is now extremely easy.

Do you need a visa to visit Dubai? The answer is both Yes and No. Because it totally depends on which nationality you belong to. Dubai has different policies for different countries. If you need legal advice you can contact a local lawyer who will help you obtain your visa and inform you about the requirements for longer stays in Dubai. 

The countries allowed for a free visa on arrival at the entry ports of UAE are: United Kingdom, United States, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Luxembourg, France, Belgium, Switzerland, Sweden, Austria, Portugal, Denmark, Norway, Greece, Ireland, Iceland, Monaco, Spain, Finland, Andorra, Vatican, Liechtenstein, Marino, New Zealand, Australia, Brunei, Japan, Singapore, San Marino, South Korea, Malaysia, and holders of Hong Kong SAR passports.

The members of Arab Gulf Co-operation Council(AGCC) member states including Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Oman also do not require a prior visa approval before entering UAE. These country nationals have to only carry their valid passports and a visa will be issued for them on their arrival. For countries that are not included in the list of visa, a prior approved visit Visa sponsored by any private sector, family, friends or relatives residing in UAE is a must. A copy of your immigration status and a valid passport not expiring for the next 6 months at least are the least documents you need to carry with you at the time of entering Dubai.

Documents required for application for travellers requiring Visa:

• Passport copies (applicant and companions).
• A letter specifying sponsor, either from the Foreign Affairs ministry or its diplomatic mission.
• Specifying the VISA permission required (tourist, business, etc.).
• VISA classification (short term, long term, multiple entries, complementary).
• The passport should be valid for at least 6 months.

A clear passport photo, preferably a scanned passport instead of scanning the copy.

Online Visa application processing has become extremely easy, thanks to the digitised online system. Simply send the required documents with the visa application form. At the time of process, a unique application ID is generated to allow the applicants check their visa status online. If all the documents are duly filled and are found to be genuine, Visa can be approved within 4-6 working days.