Visit visa criteria

The UAE is a great place to come on holiday, with the mix of sun, sand, sea, shopping and even skiing! However, there are some visa restrictions depending on either your country of origin or country of residence. To be gauranteed of the most up-to-date knowledge, you should check with your airline or travel agent before flying, but here is the most recent information on getting visit visas to enter the UAE.

If you are a national of a GCC (Gulf Co-operation Council) country, you do not need a visa to enter the UAE. You need to produce your passport on arrival at any border crossing in the UAE.

The following categories of visitors may obtain a visa at the airport on arrival:

GCC residents who are not nationals, but who have valid residency visas can get a non-renewable 30-day visa (this changes from time to time, so it's best to check with the UAE embassy in your country of residence or with the airline).

National citizens of the following countries:
UK(with the right of abode in UK), France, Italy, Germany, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Finland, Spain, Monaco, Vatican, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and holders of Hong Kong SAR passports will be granted a free of charge visa for a single visit upon arrival in the UAE.

It should be noted that this list may vary slightly from time to time and it is therefore best to check with your local UAE embassy or the airline that you are using to fly to the UAE.

If you do not belong to one of the above catagories, you will need to apply for a visit visa prior to your arrival. In order to secure the visa, you must have a valid sponsor.

The following are considered valid sponsors:
Hotels & Tourist Companies can apply on your behalf for a Tourist Visa (valid for 30 days); or a Service Visa (valid for 14 days); or a Visit Visa (valid for 30 days and can be extended for another 30 days)

Airlines & Airlines Handlers apply on behalf of their crew members for a 96-hour Transit Visa.

Other Organizations based in the UAE may only apply for Visit Visas and Service Visas.

Individuals (Relatives or Friends) already resident in the UAE may, subject to guidlines, also apply on your behalf for a Visit Visa.

Prior to your arrival in the UAE, you should also ensure that your passport has at least 6 months validity remaining as you may be refused entry if it does not.