A Step-By-Step Guide To Obtaining Your Dubai Tourist Visa In 2023

If you want to visit Dubai, this post is for you! First, let's look at some of the most important questions you might have:

Do US nationals need a Dubai Visa?: No. A Dubai Visa On Arrival for 30 days can be obtained at the airport.

Do US Green Card holders Need A Visa?: Yes, depending on your nationality, you might need a visa before the trip.

Required Visa: Dubai Tourist Visa

Quickest way to Apply: Atlys

Keep reading to find out if you need a visa before traveling to Dubai or whether you can get a VOA. Also, learn about different ways to apply, the required documents for the visa, processing time, and visa costs.

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Visas are notoriously known for being tedious and time-consuming tasks. However, when applying through Atlys, you can eliminate the frustration and uncertainty that comes with every visa application.

Luckily with Atlys, the process is simplified, and you can expect a hassle-free experience.

What you can expect from Atlys:

• Straightforward application process - this can be done in minutes!
• Support with gathering your documents - Atlys helps you gather all the required documents.
• Saves the information - Atlys saves the information on the app for faster visa application the next time.
• Step-by-step instructions - Atlys will be there every step of the way!

Atlys removes all the confusion and hassle of applying for a visa by guiding you step-by-step through the application process. In return, you can get your visa in under 10 minutes. That's exciting, right?

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All foreign nationals, except GCC nationals, need a visa to enter Dubai. A Dubai tourist visa is for foreign nationals who are not eligible for a visa on arrival for Dubai or visa-free entry to the United Arab Emirates.

Some Important Information Before Applying

A female under 18 years who wishes to apply for a tourist visa can only do so if she is traveling with her parents.

Another rule passed in July 2018 says if you're under 18 years old and you're with adults, you can get a free visa to visit Dubai between 15 July and 15 September each year.

Also, remember it is a short-term visa, meaning the visa is only valid for a short period. If you stay longer than the date of issue (your visa's expiry date), you will get a fine.

I recommend contacting your nearest UAE Embassy if you're unsure about the visa.

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Knowing the requirements for each nationality is crucial to avoid any complications when arriving in Dubai. So, let's look at some essential information on Dubai visa requirements.

What Are The Dubai Visa Requirements For US Citizens?

American citizens who are valid passport holders don't need to get a visa beforehand to visit Dubai. They can get a visa on arrival at the airport if they meet the requirements.

The Dubai visit visa requirements for US citizens are as follows:

• Valid passport: it should be valid for at least 6 months from the expected arrival time in the UAE.
• Flight tickets: confirmed round-trip flight ticket or a flight ticket to another destination.

The visa on arrival is available at the immigration counters upon landing at the UAE airports. With a VOA, you can stay for 30 days in the UAE.

However, if you stay longer, you have to contact the immigration officer at the airport or the local immigration office in the UAE.

What Are The Dubai Tourist Visa Requirements For Non-US Citizens?

Nationals from the below-mentioned counties only need a valid passport with 6 months validity from the expected date of travel to the UAE and a return flight ticket.

The following countries can get a Dubai visa on arrival for 30 days:

Andorra, Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, Hong Kong - China, Japan, Kazakhstan, Macau, Malaysia, Mauritius, Monaco, New Zealand, Republic of Ireland, San Marino, Singapore, Ukraine, United Kingdom, United States of America, and Vatican City

The following countries can get a Dubai visa on arrival for 90 days:

Argentina, Austria, Bahamas Islands, Barbados, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, El Salvador, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Honduras, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Kiribati, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Maldives, Malta, Montenegro, Nauru, Netherlands, Norway, Paraguay, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, San Marino, Serbia, Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Solomon Islands, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, and Uruguay

The immigration authorities will grant your visa to Dubai when you arrive at UAE airports, depending on your nationality.

However, if you stay longer, you have to contact the immigration officer at the airport or the local immigration office in the UAE and apply for the same.

Indian nationals can also apply for a Dubai visa on arrival if they hold a valid US visa, green card, or resident permit for UK or EU countries.

Tourists from other nationalities who are not eligible for a Visa On Arrival must apply for a Dubai visa before entering the country. They can do so through their respective embassy, a local UAE sponsor, or even a local hotel in the UAE, as explained later in the blog.

What Are The Visa Requirements For GCC Nationals?

The citizens of GCC countries (the Gulf Cooperation Council), which includes Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, do not require a visa to visit the UAE.

The GCC residents who are not national citizens but work as high-level officials such as doctors, managers, engineers, public sector employees, and their families can have a 30-day non-renewable visa at all the airports in the UAE upon arrival.

What Are The Required Documents For A Dubai Tourist Visa?

If you are a foreign national that cannot get a VOA, you need to get your tourist visa before your trip. I recommend gathering all the following documents before applying:

• Clear passport copy of the sponsor.
• Clear passport copy of the sponsored person.
• Travel insurance.
• Copy of confirmed flight booking.
• Bank approval letter.
• Proof of sufficient funds.
• Passport-sized color photographs.
• Proof that you paid the Visa fee (payslip)
• Completed Visa Application form.

Depending on where you apply, you may need additional documents. However, if you apply through Atlys, your documents will be gathered and submitted for you.

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Let's first brush up on the essential information about visa fees, validity, and processing times to make the most of your travel experience.

What Is The Validity of A Dubai Tourist Visa?

Depending on your plan, tourist visas to the UAE are valid for 30 days or 90 days from the date of arrival for a single entry or multiple entries.

Recently, the UAE facilitated a five-year visa that enables tourists to enter numerous times on self-sponsorship and remain in the country for 90 days on each visit, which you can extend for another 90 days.

What Is The Dubai Tourist Visa Price?

The Dubai Tourist Visa costs depend on the visa type and where you apply. For example, according to the GDRFAD, the tourist visa fees are as follows:

• AED 250 for a 30-day single entry visa, approximately USD 70.
• AED 690 for a 30-day multiple entry visa, approximately USD 190.
• AED 600 for a 90-day single entry visa, approximately USD 165.
• AED 1740 for a 90-day multiple entry visa, approximately USD 480.

Remember, each airline, hotel, and visa agency has its own pricing structure. So depending on where you apply, you might end up paying more.

How Long Does It Take To Process A Dubai Tourist Visa?

Generally, it takes approximately 3 to 5 working days for the government authorities to process your visa. However, the time may differ depending on where you apply for your visa. For example, applying through Atlys is quicker than applying through a visa agent.

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What makes the Dubai visiting visa unique is that you can get your visit visa for Dubai through several methods. For example, you can get a tourist visa valid for 30 days, a service visa for 14 days, or even a visit visa from:

• Atlys: If you want to apply for your Dubai visa without stressing too much about the requirements, Atlys is the way to go.
• Airlines: If you are wondering how to apply for a tourist visa from Dubai from the USA, you can apply for Dubai Tourist Visa through Airlines. Each airline has some conditions which you must meet for them to arrange your visa. One of the conditions is flying with them.
• Hotels: Some hotels can apply for the visa on your behalf if you have a hotel booking with them.
• Visa agents: This is quite straightforward; you can contact a registered travel agency if you wish to travel to Dubai and need a visa.
• Government Portals: You can request your family in the UAE to apply on the government portals such as ICP or GDRFAD for your tourist visa for Dubai.

Apply Through Atlys

Just follow these easy steps to apply for your Dubai visa through Atlys:

1. Visit the website or simply download the Atlys app.

2. Look for the UAE, select the Dubai tourist visa option, and the travel dates.

3. Get onboarded and follow the easy steps provided to you before starting the application.

4. Complete the online application form with your personal details and travel information.

5. Upload or scan the passport copy and passport-sized photograph.

6. Pay the visa fee online using a credit card, debit card, or your preferred mobile wallet.

7. Wait for the visa processing time, during which you can track and follow up on your application online or on your phone.

Once the visa is approved, you will receive an email with the visa attached as a PDF file. Print out the visa and carry it when you travel to Dubai. Upon arrival at Dubai airport, present your visa along with your passport to the immigration officer for entry into the country.

Atlys ensures a hassle-free visa experience that allows you to focus on your trip instead of your visa. Try it now, and get your UAE visa in 30 minutes!

Apply For Dubai Tourist Visa Through Airlines

You can apply for your tourist visa through airlines such as:

• Etihad Airways

Simply visit the website and click on "Apply for UAE visa." This will redirect you to another website where you need to choose the type of visa you want to apply for. Then, fill out the application form, attach the required documents, and pay the application fees.

• Emirates Airline

This service is only available to passengers with a confirmed Emirates booking where an Emirates ticket has already been issued. The flight itinerary includes the desired time in Dubai. The itinerary into and out of Dubai should be on one ticket (PNR), which must be an Emirates flight.

• Fly Dubai

This can be a bit tricky. You can't necessarily apply for the visa online through their website like with the other airlines. Instead, you need to contact a nearby travel shop to see if they can help you with your Dubai Tourist Visa application. Unfortunately, only a few travel shops can help with your visa application for Dubai, so be sure you call to get all the relevant information.

• Air Arabia

Just like with FlyDubai, you can't apply online through the website. Instead, you need to contact the Air Arabia sales center near you. When you contact them, they'll tell you everything you need to know about applying for the Dubai Visiting Visa through Air Arabia.

Apply Through Agencies And Hotels

Licensed travel agents and hotels in the UAE can arrange a tourist visa if you purchase the ticket through them and maintain a hotel reservation with the specific hotel.

When contacting the hotel or travel agency, ask them if they can make the visa application on your behalf.

If they can apply on your behalf, you'll need to send them all the required documents for a Dubai tourist visa. Additionally, you might have to send information they might need during the application process.

You can also contact travel agencies in your country for any tourist packages available to the UAE in collaboration with a local tour operator.

It is essential to check the authenticity of the travel agents you're dealing with. For example, don't pay or send copies of your official documents required for a Dubai tourist visa until you are 100 percent sure the tour operator is genuine.

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There are several different types of Dubai visas that you can utilize. Each different type of Dubai visa can be applied for a specific purpose of visit or duration of stay. Some of the different visiting visas to Dubai for a stay are:

• 48-Hours Dubai Visa: Travelers with a 48 hours stopover or layover in Dubai can apply for this visiting visa to Dubai.
• 96-Hours Dubai Visa: Travelers with a 96 hours stopover or layover in Dubai can apply for this visiting visa to Dubai.
• 14-Day Single Entry Visa: Travelers wishing to visit Dubai for a short trip can use this visa and stay in the country for a maximum of 14 days.
• Short-Term Single Entry Visa: This tourist visa allows the holder to enter and exit Dubai once and stay for the duration of the visa's validity period, which is 30 days.
• Short-Term Multiple Entry Visa: This tourist visa allows the holder to enter and exit Dubai multiple times during the validity of the visa, which is 30 days.
• Long-Term Single Entry Visa: This tourist visa allows the holder to enter and exit Dubai once and stay for the duration of the visa's validity period, which is 90 days.
• Long-Term Multiple Entry Visa: This tourist visa allows the holder to enter and exit Dubai multiple times during the validity of the visa, which is 90 days.

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You can extend all types of visit and tourist visas for 30 days without leaving the country.

You can apply for the second renewal before the expiry of the first one against AED 600 for each time of renewal.

As mentioned above, visa overstayers who do not renew will have to pay AED 100 fine for each day of their overstay, to be calculated 10 days after the visa expiry.

However, recently, the news is that government officials have started rejecting visa renewal requests. Meaning you must leave the country and apply for another visa to stay in the UAE.

How Can I Extend My Dubai Tourist Visa?

You can apply for a visa extension online through the Federal Authority For Identity & Citizenship, Customs & Port Security website.

When accessing the website, click on the "Public Visa Service" option. This will take you straight to the page where you can apply for your Dubai Tourist Visa extension.

First, you must provide your passport number, passport type, date of birth, and nationality. Then, at the bottom of the page, you'll see the types of Dubai Tourist Visas you can extend.

The visa extension process is very straightforward; you must provide personal information, attach the documents required for Dubai Tourist Visa, and then pay the service fee.

Alternatively, you can extend your visa in Dubai from Monday to Friday from 07:00 am to 02:30 pm and Saturday between 09:00 am to 04:00 pm. In addition, you can extend your visa by visiting:

Emirates Commercial Visa Services, Dubai International Airport, Terminal 3- Arrival Area, Next to Boots Pharmacy.

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Now you are a Dubai Tourist Visa pro! All you need to do is follow the instructions, and you'll be all set for your sunny vacation in Dubai.

So why not choose a hassle-free visa application through Atlys? Try it! Download the Atlys app and start your application now.

Happy Traveling!

Government Sources:

All the information in this blog was gathered and fact-checked from government websites, such as:

• The United Arab Emirates' Government portal
• Federal Authority For Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security
• General Directorate Of Residency And Foreigners Affairs - Dubai