UAE Visa on Arrival
Who can walk into Dubai without a visa, who gets one stamped at the airport for free, and who must arrange a tourist visa beforehand — the three groups every traveller falls into.
The UAE sorts arriving visitors into three groups. Citizens of GCC countries need no visa at all. Around 80 nationalities — including the EU and UK, the US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Korea, China, Russia, Brazil and most of Latin America — get a free visa on arrival at passport control for 30 or 90 days. Everyone else obtains a tourist visa in advance, which in practice takes two to four working days.
The groups in detail
- No visa: Saudi, Kuwaiti, Bahraini, Qatari and Omani citizens, with a national ID or passport.
- 90 days on arrival: EU citizens and a handful of others, within any 180-day period.
- 30 days on arrival: UK, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, Korea, China, Russia, Türkiye and many more; extendable once for 30 days at a fee.
- Indian passport holders with a valid US visa, US green card, or UK/EU residence get a 14-day visa on arrival.
- Everyone else (including Pakistan, Egypt, most of Africa, Iran and much of South Asia): a pre-arranged 30- or 60-day tourist visa sponsored by an airline (Emirates, flydubai), a hotel or a licensed agency such as ours.
Rules that apply to all
Passports must be valid for six months beyond arrival. Visas are single-entry unless you buy multiple-entry; the 30-day count starts the day you land. Overstaying costs AED 50 per day plus an exit fee, so extend in time. Transit passengers under 48 hours can use a free transit visa arranged by the airline.
Frequently asked questions
No — Turkish passport holders receive a visa on arrival; see our dedicated guide for the current duration and conditions.
