UAE Visit Visa Types and Fees: 30, 60 and 90 Days

A UAE visit visa lets a foreign visitor stay for a set period, usually 30, 60 or 90 days. Official GDRFA Dubai fees for a single-entry visit visa to see a relative or friend are AED 200 for 30 days, AED 300 for 60 days and AED 400 for 90 days, plus 5% VAT, a refundable AED 1,000 deposit and medical insurance. Tourist visas sponsored by tourism companies cost AED 200 for 30 days or AED 300 for 60 days, with no deposit.

Do this next to get a UAE visit visa

• Check if you need a visa at all: GCC citizens do not, and some nationalities get a visa on arrival.
• Pick the right type: tourist, relative or friend, job seeker or the 5-year multiple-entry visa.
• Prepare the basics: a passport valid for at least six months, a photo and medical insurance.
• Apply through the right authority: GDRFA for a Dubai sponsor, ICP for the other emirates, or an accredited travel agent or airline.

UAE visit visa types at a glance

Visa type	Stay	Who sponsors	Official fee (plus 5% VAT)	Deposit
Relative or friend visit visa, single entry	30, 60 or 90 days	Relative or friend in the UAE	AED 200, 300 or 400	AED 1,000 refundable
Relative or friend visit visa, multiple entry	30, 60 or 90 days	Relative or friend in the UAE	AED 300, 500 or 700	AED 2,000 refundable
Tourist visa, single entry	30 or 60 days	Accredited tourism company	AED 200 or 300	None
Tourist visa, multiple entry	30 or 60 days	Accredited tourism company	AED 300 or 500	None
Job seeker (explore job opportunities)	60, 90 or 120 days	No sponsor needed	AED 200, 300 or 400	AED 1,000 refundable
5-year multiple-entry tourist visa	Up to 90 days per visit	Self-sponsored	AED 500 issuance plus service charges	None listed

The fees above are from GDRFA Dubai’s service pages, except the 5-year visa, which is from ICP. GDRFA notes the total can vary with circumstances, and service centres and travel agents add their own charges, so the final price you pay is usually higher than the government fee alone.

Visit visa for a relative or friend (30, 60 or 90 days)

This is the visa most UAE residents use to bring parents, siblings or friends on holiday. The sponsor is a resident foreigner, a relative or a UAE citizen’s friend, and you must show proof of the relationship and the purpose of the visit.

Item	Single entry	Multiple entry
30 days	AED 200	AED 300
60 days	AED 300	AED 500
90 days	AED 400	AED 700
VAT	5%	5%
Refundable deposit	AED 1,000	AED 2,000
Deposit service fee	AED 20	AED 20
Deposit collection and refund fee	AED 40	AED 40
Medical insurance	AED 40, 60 or 90 by period	AED 40, 60 or 90 by period

The deposit is returned after the visitor leaves the UAE on time and the visa is closed. GDRFA allows a relative or friend visit visa to be extended for an AED 600 fee plus VAT, one or more times, as long as the total stay does not exceed 180 days.

UAE tourist visa (30 or 60 days)

Tourist visas are issued through an accredited tourism establishment, such as a licensed travel agency or tour operator, which acts as the sponsor. Airlines and hotels often arrange them for their passengers and guests through such partners.

• Single entry: AED 200 for 30 days or AED 300 for 60 days, plus 5% VAT.
• Multiple entry: AED 300 for 30 days or AED 500 for 60 days, plus 5% VAT.
• Deposit: none.
• Medical insurance: valid UAE health insurance is required.
• Processing: GDRFA’s expected time is 48 hours.
• Conditions: a passport valid for at least six months and a ticket to continue your journey or leave the UAE.

If the visitor is already inside the UAE when the visa is issued, for example when changing status, GDRFA adds an in-country fee of AED 500 plus AED 10 each for the Knowledge Dirham and Innovation Dirham.

Job seeker visit visa (60, 90 or 120 days)

The job seeker visa, which GDRFA calls a visit visa to explore job opportunities, needs no host or sponsor in the UAE. It is aimed at skilled professionals:

• You must be a skilled worker at the first, second or third professional level of the approved occupational classification.
• You need at least a bachelor’s degree, and GDRFA’s page refers to graduates of universities ranked among the world’s top 500.
• Fees: AED 200 for 60 days, AED 300 for 90 days and AED 400 for 120 days, plus 5% VAT.
• Deposit: AED 1,000, plus AED 20 and AED 40 handling fees.
• Documents: a photo, a passport copy valid for at least six months and your university degree.

5-year multiple-entry tourist visa

ICP’s long-term multiple-entry tourist visa lets frequent visitors of all nationalities enter repeatedly for five years on self-sponsorship. ICP lists an issuance fee of AED 500 plus application and service charges, and these requirements:

• A bank balance of at least USD 4,000 (or the equivalent) over the previous six months.
• Health insurance valid in the UAE.
• A return ticket and a passport valid for at least six months.

Each stay can be up to 90 days and can be extended once for the same period, but ICP limits the total to 180 days in a year. Government pages describe the stay rules slightly differently, so confirm with ICP before planning long trips.

Do you need a visit visa at all?

• GCC citizens do not need a visa to enter the UAE.
• Visa on arrival: citizens of many countries receive a free visa on arrival for 30 or 90 days, depending on nationality. The list changes from time to time, so check the UAE government’s “Do you need a visa” tool or the UAE embassy in your country before you fly.
• Everyone else needs a visit visa arranged before travel by a sponsor, travel agent or airline.

How to apply for a UAE visit visa

1. Decide who will sponsor: a relative or friend in the UAE, a tourism company, or yourself for job seeker and 5-year visas.
2. Apply online with GDRFA Dubai (website or app, with UAE PASS) for a Dubai sponsor, or ICP Smart Services for the other emirates. You can also apply at an Amer centre, typing centre or through a travel agent.
3. Upload a personal photo and a passport copy. Some nationalities, such as Iraqi, Pakistani, Iranian and Afghan citizens, must also add a national ID card copy for tourist visas.
4. Pay the fee, VAT and any deposit.
5. Receive the e-visa by email, usually within 48 hours for straightforward cases, and travel within its entry validity.

Overstaying and extending a visit visa

If a visitor stays beyond the visa’s validity, ICP charges an overstay fine of AED 50 for each day. To avoid it, extend the visa before it expires (for relative or friend visas, GDRFA lists AED 600 plus VAT per extension) or leave the country in time. You can check any fines with our UAE overstay fine check guide.

Tips for visitors arriving in the UAE

• Get a local SIM on arrival; see how to activate a du tourist SIM.
• Learn the metro before your first trip with our first-time Dubai Metro guide and keep track of your card with the nol card balance check.
• Carry your passport and visa copy when you travel between emirates.

Official sources: GDRFA Dubai’s relative or friend visit visa and single-entry tourist visa pages, and the UAE government’s tourist visa page. Fees can change, and the amount shown when you apply is the one that applies.

This guide is part of our UAE Visa and Emirates ID Guide.