If you plan to visit the UAE anytime soon, it would be best for you to have a thorough knowledge of the UAE tourist visa. Depending on the length of your stay, you can obtain a UAE tourist visa for 30 or 90 days and have a fulfilling stay in the country.
Similarly, you can apply for a single-entry or multiple-entry tourist visa in the UAE, which can be extended twice for 30 days without leaving the Emirates. These (and many more) developments have made sure that you can easily secure a UAE tourist visa and extensively explore the country without much hassle.
Keep reading below to find out more details regarding the types, eligibility criteria, application process, and other necessary details related to the UAE tourist visa.
Types of UAE Tourist Visas
To begin with, let’s go through the general categories of UAE tourist visas –
Short-term visit single entry (service): It is a type of non-extendable visa and permits the tourist to stay for a maximum period of two weeks.
Short-term visit single entry (Tourist): This visa is valid for 58 days and allows you to get an extension (twice) on it for 30 days each.
90-day visit visa: This visa also has a validity of 58 days, although you can get an extension (twice) on this visa for 30 days each.
Multi-entry short-term visa: As the name may suggest, this visa allows tourists to visit the Emirates multiple times in the specified tenure. Similar to the previous visas, this one is valid for 58 days and can be extended twice for 30 days each.
Multi-entry long-term visa: This visa is valid for 90 days and can be extended twice for 30 days each. With this visa, you can make multiple entries into the UAE.
Who Can Get a UAE Tourist Visa?
Here are the categories of individuals who can get a UAE tourist visa –
A UAE tourist visa is mandatory for people who cannot get a visa on arrival or a free-visa entry into the Emirates
Eligible tourists from all over the world can get a UAE tourist visa
Female tourists under 18 years old cannot apply for a UAE tourist visa unless they plan to travel with their parents
As per a Cabinet resolution passed in 2018, children below 18 years who are accompanied by adults can get a free UAE tourist visa between 15 July and 15 September every year
Eligibility Criteria for a UAE Tourist Visa
If you are applying for a UAE tourist visa, you would be required to fulfil certain eligibility criteria such as-
Your intention behind travelling to the UAE should be genuine
You should be financially capable of funding yourself and your dependents during your visit to the UAE
You must reassure that you will return to your country after the visit
You must meet the minimum health standards as specified by the authorities
Multiple Entry Tourist Visa UAE
To facilitate the entry of tourists and visitors in the Emirates from across the globe and make their stay a hassle-free experience, the UAE has introduced a multiple-entry tourist Visa UAE
The multiple-entry tourist visa is a 5-year visa that permits tourists and visitors coming to the UAE on self-sponsorship to enter and exit the UAE multiple times throughout the validity period
As a tourist, you can remain in the Emirates for 90 days on multiple-entry tourist visas and extend the visa for another 90 days if required.
UAE Visit Visa Validity Check for Tourists and Visitors
As mentioned earlier, you can get a UAE tourist visa for a period of 30 to 90 days, depending on your travel plan. You can apply for a single entry visa if you plan to visit the Emirates and stay there without leaving the country during your visit. If you plan to visit and leave the country more than once during your visit, apply for multiple-entry tourist visas in UAE.
Checking the validity of your UAE visa is a fairly simple process. You can connect with the agency from where you applied for the visa to know more about the validity. However, it is advisable to be aware of your UAE tourist visa validity right from the time of application to avoid further hassles.
How to Apply for a UAE Tourist Visa?
You can apply for a UAE tourist visa and update your UAE tourist visa status in the following ways –
UAE tourist visa through airlines: You can consider applying for a UAE tourist visa through airlines. However, each airline has certain conditions that you must meet before being considered for the UAE tourist visa. The primary condition to get a visa through an airline is to fly with them.
UAE tourist visa through hotels and agencies: In the UAE, licenced travel agents and hotels can provide you with a tourist visa if you purchase your air tickets through these travel agencies and make the reservations for your stay in the Emirates with the specific hotels. These travel agents allow you to contact a travel agent in your home country and book a tourist package available for the UAE in collaboration with the UAE travel agency. With that said, you should always be careful when making a booking with a travel agent in a foreign country. Don’t make payments or send copies of your official documents to the travel agent until you are completely sure of the authenticity of the agency.
Visa outsourcing companies: Several visa outsourcing organisations like VFS Global offer tourist visas. With these providers, you can easily apply online by visiting the visa application portal. Simply select the visa type, fill in the required details, make the payment, and track the status of your application. You can also apply offline via the respective application centres.
UAE Tourist Visa Price
Given below are the general UAE tourist visa prices –
Here’s what you must keep in mind while applying for a renewal or extension of your UAE tourist visa-
You can get your UAE tourist visa extended for a period of 30 days twice if the issuing authority approves of such an extension
You don’t have to leave the country to get an extension on your visa
You can apply for a second tourist visa renewal before the first one expires by paying a fee of AED 600 for every such renewal
If you fail to get your visa extended, you will have to pay a fine of AED 100 for every single day of your stay after your visa expires. The calculation will start 10 days after your tourist visa expires.
The new visa extension rules don’t apply to tourists who are residents of the GCC countries, residents visiting in the company of GCC nationals, tourists visiting on special entry permits, and people visiting on a special 96-hour permit for a specific mission.
Wrapping Up
Applying for a UAE tourist visa is fairly simple if you understand the available types of visa, requirements for each one, and the processes involved for the same. Whichever type of visa you apply for, make sure that you have all the required documents, fulfil the eligibility criteria, and make no mistake in filling up the application form.