Dubai Visa Guide: Eligibility, Documents, Process for Indians

UAE Visa

If you plan to visit Dubai for a short period, you can obtain a Dubai visa in the form of ETA – Electronic Travel Authorization. You are eligible to get a Dubai visa only if your passport is valid for a minimum of six months. However, before you enter the country, you need to know the purpose of your visit, which will help you decide the visa type:

Eligibility Criteria for Dubai UAE Visa

In order to avail the UAE visa, you need to follow a systematic application process. Besides, every country has specifiedeligibility criteria to avail the visa. UAE, too, has eligibility criteria to be met, before it issues a visa to any visitor.

Criteria II – Financial Records

Applicants who have traveled atleast once in the last five years. Or those who have a valid visa for countries like USA, UK, Schengen countries, Russia, Canada, Switzerland,European Union, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan or have evidence of travel to UAE in the last five years.
Documents Required:

• Visa application form filled and signed along with applicants colored photograph
• Original passport for verification that is valid for 6 months from the date of travel pluscolored photocopy
• Onward and return confirmed ticket of Emirates or Fly Dubai in original
• Invitation letter if any, from the host company in the UAE
• For female applicants and students above 18 years and traveling alone will require NOC from parents/husband, Photo ID of parents/ husband. Colored copy of the host passport/residence visa
• Applicable visa fees in cash, DD or credit card.

Criteria II – Financial Records

All those who do not qualify as per criteria I – Travel Record need to submit either last two years’ Form 16 or last two years’ Income Tax Return with a minimum gross income from a profession, business, or employment, which should be more than Rs.2 lakh per year. Or the applicant should have an investment of Rs.5 lakhs or above in the form of fixed deposit in the banks or post office.
Documents required:

• Income Tax returns, salary slips of the last 6 months, pan card or fixed deposit receipt
• Visa application form filled and signed along with applicants colored photograph
• Original passport for verification valid for 6 months from the date of travel
• Onward and return confirmed ticket of Emirates or Fly Dubai in original
• Invitation letter if any, from the host company in the UAE
• For female applicants and students above 18 years and traveling alone will require NOC from parents/husband, Photo ID of parents/ husband. Copy of the host passport/residence visa
• Applicable visa fees in cash, DD or credit card

Criteria III – Invitation from immediate family members residing in UAE on family status

Spouse, children below 21 years of age and parents above 60 years of age can be invited to UAE.
Documents required:

• Invitation letter, passport copy and residence visa copy of the host in UAE
• Visa application form filled and signed along with applicants colored photograph
• Original passport for verification valid for 6 months from the date of travel
• Onward and return confirmed ticket of Emirates or Fly Dubai
• Invitation letter if any, from the host company in the UAE
• For female applicants and students above 18 years and traveling alone will require NOC from parents/husband, Photo ID of parents/ husband.
• Applicable visa fees in cash, DD or credit card

Newly Married Couple

If the spouse name is not endorsed on the passport, you will require to submit:

• Marriage Certificate/Notarised Affidavit on Rs.100 stamp paper
• If you are newly married and traveling immediately after marriage with your spouse, you will require to submit No Objection Certificate from parents with photo identity proof, wedding card and a wedding photo of a couple.

Dubai Visa Documentation Requirement

If you are looking forward to visiting Dubai, you need to be sure of the types of UAE visa available for being sure of the kind of visa you should apply for. The basic types of visa for UAE Visa are:

• Tourist Visa:

  As the name suggests, the tourist visa is for the visitors that are willing to visit any of the countries in the United Arab Emirates as a tourist. This visa is given for 30 days, and if the visa holder does not leave the country in that time period, there are penalties included.

• Visit Visa:

  Visit visa is for the people that are visiting someone in UAE like a friend or relatives. This visa is provided by GDRFA office. A copy of the permit is sent to the applicant once the application is approved. The applicant is supposed to have the permit before he/she leaves the origin country.

• Transit Visa:

  In case the applicant has connecting flights that have a waiting period of anywhere more than 8 hours then this visa is required. The applicant has to leave the country within 96 hours in case of a transit visa.

• Employment Visa:

  It is the work permit that can be given by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization. The time limit of this visa is two months from the date of issuance. This visa allows to work in UAE and is mandatory for foreign workers in UAE.

• Residence Visa:

  Once you have secured the employment visa the next step is a residence visa. This visa gives you access to Emirates ID and makes you a valid resident of UAE. The Emirates ID helps you bring your family members to the country.

Dubai Visa Requirements: Documentation and Eligibility

The documentation required for Dubai visa varies based on the nationalities. The US citizens have different documentation criteria as compared to the citizens from other countries all over the world. The procedure and documentation for US citizen are lenient when compared with the requirements for other citizens. There are different sets of countries for non-US citizens also, and the rules are different for all sets of countries. The specifications as per different countries are:

US Citizen Visa Requirements for Dubai

A US citizen that has a regular passport does not need a visa to visit UAE. The specific requirements for the same are listed below:

• The passport of the bearer should be signed, and its expiry date should be more than six months away from the visit
• A confirmed ticket for a round trip or to any other country
• US citizens are eligible for a visa at arrival on UAE airports
• These conditions are applicable only if the individual wishes to stay in UAE for one month
• If the stay of the US citizen is anywhere more than one month, he/she has to apply to the immigration officer at the airport to take permit for the same

Non-US Citizen Visa Requirements for Dubai

These requirements are valid for the citizens of Slovakia, Slovenia, Northern Ireland (Except the British overseas citizens), Liechtenstein, Lithuania Finland, France, Germany, Belgium, Bulgaria, Brunei, Vatican, Netherlands, United Kingdom, Austria, Bahrain, Andorra, Australia, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Canada, China, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Romania, Oman,San Marino, Saudi Arabia, New Zealand, Norway Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Hungary, Kuwait, Iceland, Ireland, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Seychelles, Singapore, South Korea and Monaco. The residents of these countries will get the visa upon arrival at UAE airports with a validity of 30 days. If the applicant wishes to stay any longer, then he/she has to apply to the immigration office at the airport. Other conditions for getting the visa are:

• A confirmed return ticket or a ticket to another country
• Another mandatory requirement is that the passport of the applicant should not have an expiry date within six months of arrival to UAE.

Based on all the above conditions, the visas are provided to the non-US citizens from the countries mentioned above.

Dubai visa requirements for GCC nationals

The GCC nationals are residents of the countries from the Gulf Cooperation Council, i.e., from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman, and Bahrain do not need a UAE visa to come to Dubai. The residents of the countries of GCC that are not the citizen of these countries but work at high positions are eligible for 30 days visa at UAE airports. These visas are not renewable and are provided to people with occupations like Doctors, engineers, public sector employees or managers.

Dubai visa requirements for rest of the nationalities

For all other nationalities, the applicants have to get the visa application approved. They can apply via their local embassies, UAE sponsors or hotels in UAE. All these are mediums for them to get the visa approved and pay a hassle-free visit to Dubai.

Who are the Sponsors?

The sponsors can make the application for visa easy, butfirst, it is important to understand who all can be sponsors. The following parties can be sponsors:

• Airline handlers and airlines can sponsor their staffs for a transit visa and make it easy for them to work on their behalf on connecting flights and in between their work shifts.
• The employers in UAE can apply on your behalf for the work visa or visit visa for their employees.
• The visit visa can also be sponsored by friends or family from UAE very easily.
• The travel visa for travelers is possible through the travel companies or hotels. But in this case, the reservations are to be made before applying for the visa. A copy of travel documents and passport is to be sent to the travel company or hotel as per their plan. The sponsor will email or fax the coy of visa after approval.

Eligibility for Dubai Visa

There are multiple criteria for visa approval for UAE, and the applicant has to qualify in only one of them, and they are:

• Travel Criterion: The travel records of the applicant are checked and if the applicant has paid a visit to UAE or other countries like European Union, Japan, USA, UK Canada, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, Switzerland, and Schengen Countries.
• Financial Records: The financial records of the applicant are checked as per the last two years income tax records or the investments in the form of Fixed Deposits.
• Family Invite: The immediate family of the individual can invite him or her. Child below 21 years, parents above 60 years and spouse can be invited to Dubai.

It is important to have all the required visa information handy before you apply for one. Not knowing where and when to apply for a visa is very annoying especially when you are planning the trip on short notice. The whole procedure becomes very easy if you know the required details.

Dubai Tourist Visa

Tourism in Dubai is rising with the increasing development of the country. Unique buildings and beautiful architecture are attracting more and more tourists every year. With the help of a Tourist visa, an individual can visit the country for a limited time period and enjoy the beautiful architecture it has to offer. This is a non-renewable visa, and in case the individual stays for more than the specified time period, he/she will have to pay the monetary penalty as per each day extra.
There is also an option of multiple entry visa option that can be availed by the tourists. This visa is mainly for frequent business visitors and also for the travelers who have multiple visits to Dubai in the same trip. In case the trip schedule of a traveler requires him to enter Dubai more than once, then there is a need for this type of visa. In the case of business visitors, they need to be connected with a local UAE company or a Multi-national to avail this visa. It is required first to qualify and take tourist visa to be eligible for multiple entry visa. A multi-visit visa to Dubai is nonrenewable.

Dubai Tourist Visa Duration

There are restrictions on the duration when it comes to the traveler visa of UAE. The Dubai travel visa can be availed from 30-90 days. This visa can be issued for one visit and multiple visits both. The validity of multiple visit visa is for six months, and the validity for each trip under this visa is 30 days.

Cost of Dubai Tourist Visa

There are certain charges for availing the visa for Dubai and UAE as a whole. These charges are explained in the table below:

Eligibility for Dubai Tourist Visa

This visa is applicable for the individuals that are not eligible for a visa-free entry or visa on arrival. If a female individual is traveling to UAE, she should be accompanied by her parents to get the visa. Between the time period of 15 July to 15 September every year, minors who wish to visit in the company of adults are eligible for a free visa as per Cabinet Resolution in July 2018.

How to Apply for Dubai Travel Visa?

The application process for the Dubai Tourist visa is very simple. Any of the two below-mentioned procedures can avail it:

Agencies and Hotels in Dubai

You can obtain a tourist visa to Dubai through travel agencies and hotels in Dubai. The hotels can help you with the tourist visas if you have made reservations with them. The travel agencies can also help you get the visa if you have made your reservations through them. The agents and hotels that are registered in UAE can get the visa for. The visa can also be obtained from the tour operators in your country but only if you are sure about the authenticity of the travel agency. The UAE embassy in your country can help you verify the authenticity.

Airlines for Dubai

The airlines can help you with the tourist visa if you meet their terms and conditions. The visa through airlines can only be availed if they are UAE based airlines and you are flying with them. The airlines that can help you get a visa are Air Arabia, Fly Dubai, Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways.

Required Documents for Dubai Travel Visa

The following documents are required to avail a tourist visa for Dubai:

• Filled Visa Application form
• Visa Fee
• Passport photographs
• Copy of flight ticket
• Travel Insurance
• Passport copy of the sponsor

Where to apply for Dubai Travel Visa?

You can apply for a Dubai travel visa simply through travel agents and UAE based hotels by making your bookings with them. You just need to submit the required documents, and the visa will be issued shortly.

How to track the visa status for Dubai Travel Visa?

Tracking the status of your tourist visa for Dubai is very simple. All you have to do is check it online on websites of Ministry of Interior, General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai, Amer channels and website, etc. You can also check on the websites of Etihad Airways and Emirates if you have booked through them. You can check the status of your visa, expiry of the visa, issuance of the visa along with the validity of these portals.

Dubai Visa Types

Entering the United Arab Emirates requires you to apply for a Visa. While a single Visa can be used for traveling in all of the Emirates, there are different types of Visa which you can avail. These types vary according to the duration of your stay. Hence, it is essential to know the right one so you can apply for one which suits the best for you. The different types of Visa are elaborated below:

30 Day Tourist Dubai Visa

This type of Visa is valid for a duration of 58 days since the date it has been issued to the user. However, you can access it only for 30 days from the date you have entered the country. The process charges amount to USD 272.5 in addition to the taxes which results in a total of USD 430.25. The processing time for this Visa usually takes up three to four days. However, it takes 48 hours to process the tourist Visa. The application for this Visa requires you to submit all the important documents right from Passport Bio Data Page, the End Page, Residential Proof, along with a photograph. The residential proof is only required is the residential country is different from the country in which you are residing currently. For High-Risk countries, there are some other documents which are needed to be submitted.

96 Hour Transit Dubai Visa

Such a type of Visa can be availed for a period of 30 days. However, you can access it only for 96 hours since the time you have arrived in the country. The security deposit of USD 272.5 is fully refundable in addition to other taxes. The total amount you would have to pay is USD 406.25. It is processed under three to four working days. While applying for an express tourist Visa, the total amount you would have to pay is USD 429.85,and the processing takes only up to 48 hours. The documents required to be submitted for a 96-hour transit Visa are same as the ones required for 30-day Tourist Visa.

90 Day Visit Dubai Visa

Such type of Visa holds the validity for 58 days to use it for visiting purposes. However, you can access it for the 90 days since you have entered the country with it. The security deposit for availing the Visa is USD 272.5 in addition to the taxes which rounds up to a total of USD 529.86. The processing takes up a duration of three to four days. When you avail an express tourist Visa, the total amount comes to USD 553.46,and it takes 48 hours for processing. The documents required for such type of Visa are same as all the above ones.

Eligibility Criteria for Dubai UAE Visa

Eligibility Criteria

If the applicant has traveled for at least once in the last five years,or you are the holder of Visa for other countries like USA, UK, Australia, Canada, Russia, Switzerland or hold the proofs of traveling to Dubai in the same duration of 5 years, these are the documents you need to provide:
A Visa application form which is duly filled and signed by the applicant along with his/her colored photograph.
Original Passport for verification purposes which is fully valid for the next six months since the date on which you have decided to travel.
Along with the original, you also have to submit a photocopy which is colored and must have the first two and last two pages along with all the travel records, if there are any.
For the application, you also have to submit the original copy and photocopy of the round trip which must be of Fly Dubai or Emirates.
Any invitation letter if there are any, from the host company address in UAE.
If a female traveler is applying who is above 18 years of age and alone, they need to provide a No Objection Certificate from their parents/ Husband. Apart from that they also need to submit photo ID of their both parents or husband. They must also submit a colored copy of host passport and residential Visa.
The Visa fee must be paid in either Cash / Demand Drafts / Credit Card.

Financial Records

If the applicants do not qualify for the above criteria, they are required to submit their financial records. They either have to submit last 2 years Form 16 or last 2 years Income Tax return. The minimum gross income from a profession or a business must be more than 2 Lakhs per year or if they have investments in the form of Fixed Deposits which amount up to 5 Lakhs.
The investments must be at least oneyear prior to the date when you have applied for a Visa and must be valid for at least 12 months. If the investments are in Co-operative banks or societies, are not acceptable.
The economic status of the applicant must be supported by the documents like both the original and photocopies of the last 6 months of Income Tax returns. PAN card must also be submitted in both the original and photocopy formats. Along with that, a receipt of Fixed Deposit must also be submitted with it.

Invitation from a Family in UAE

If there has been an invitation from the family residing in UAE, then there are some limitations on the age limits and status of them. Along with the spouse, children of below 21 years are only allowed. With their parents who are above the age of 60 years.
The supporting documents that must be submitted for such an application are invitation letter along with the copy of passport and valid copy of the residential visa of the host in the UAE.

Newly Married Couple

If a newly married couple wants to travel to UAE, and the spouse name is not on the passport,the applicant needs to submit a marriage certificate or a notarized affidavit of Rs. 100 stamp paper.
The newly married couple who are travelingimmediately after marriage are required to submit a No Objection Certificate from their parents, their Identity proofs, wedding card and the photograph of the married couple.