UAE Visit Visa Types: Duration and Who Qualifies
The UAE issues several kinds of visit visa, and the right one depends on why you are travelling and how often. Dubai applications go through GDRFA Dubai. Applications for the other emirates go through ICP. This guide sets the main types side by side.
| Visa | Duration | Who it suits |
|---|---|---|
| Five-year multiple-entry tourist visa | Multiple entries, each visit 30, 60 or 90 days, with a yearly stay cap | Frequent visitors, remote workers, families |
| Jobseeker visa | 60, 90 or 120 days | Skilled workers, degree holders, top 500 university graduates |
| Business opportunities visa | Two, three or four months | Investors and entrepreneurs, no local sponsor needed |
| GCC resident eVisa | 30 days, extendable once for 30 days | Expatriates living in the GCC in eligible professions |
| Visa on arrival (Indian passport holders) | 14 or 60 days | Holders of a valid US, UK, EU, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand or Canada visa or residence permit |
Five-Year Multiple-Entry Visa Requirements
- A passport valid for at least six months.
- A confirmed return or onward ticket.
- UAE-valid health insurance.
- Proof of a US$4,000 bank balance held across the six months before applying.
Choosing the Right Visa
- Visiting often or working remotely: the five-year multiple-entry visa saves you reapplying, but you need the bank balance and insurance in place before you apply.
- Looking for a job: the jobseeker visa lets you stay without a sponsor for 60, 90 or 120 days. Check that your degree or university qualifies before paying.
- Exploring a business idea: the business opportunities visa runs two to four months and needs no local sponsor.
- Living elsewhere in the GCC: the GCC resident eVisa gives 30 days, extendable once, if your profession is on the eligible list.
- Indian passport holders with a Western or Asian visa: the visa on arrival covers 14 or 60 days if you hold a valid visa or residence permit from the listed countries.
Common Reasons Applications Fail
- A passport with less than six months of validity left.
- Bank statements that do not cover the full six months required for the five-year visa.
- Insurance that is not valid in the UAE.
- Applying under the wrong category for your travel purpose, such as a tourist visa for a job search.
Staying Within Your Dates
Visit visas have fixed end dates, and staying past them leads to daily fines. If you need more time, apply for an extension before the permit expires. Our guide to the UAE visit visa extension covers the rules, fees and overstay fine. For fees and the bank balance rule in detail, read the Dubai 5-year tourist visa guide, or see the wider UAE tourist visa guide.
Rules and conditions change, so confirm the current requirements with ICP or GDRFA Dubai before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
Which visit visa suits a remote worker?
The five-year multiple-entry visa suits frequent visitors and remote workers, but you need the six-month US$4,000 bank balance and UAE-valid health insurance before you apply.
Do I need a local sponsor for the business opportunities visa?
No. It runs two to four months for investors and entrepreneurs and needs no local sponsor.
Where to go next
- Dubai 5-year tourist visa fees and bank balance
- UAE visit visa extension rules
- Dubai job exploration visa
- UAE transit visa
