Dubai Tourist Visas
Dubai Tourist Visas
Dubai is a veritable paradise for tourists, offering everything from luxurious leisure to extreme adventure, all within just a few miles of land. Over the past few years, Dubai has grown in stature as a sought-after tourist destination, especially because of the emirate’s almost year-round sunshine. The tourist season in Dubai is between December and May, when the days are pleasant and the nights are cooler. Visiting Dubai requires a visa and for tourists, there are four different kinds of visas to check out. These are Visit Visa, Tourist Visa, Transit Visa and Entry Service Permit. Each of these visas serve a specific purpose and it’s very important to hold the right Dubai visa to enjoy your holiday and travelling experience.
A Dubai Visit Visa is issued for a 60-day period, with the option of extending it to another 30 days. Passport holders from 33 specified countries and GCC nationals are exempt from prior-obtained visa requirements. But, all other nationalities must apply for a visit visa in advanced and arrange it through a sponsor based in the UAE. A sponsor can be a relative, friend, company, travel agency or hotel. Sponsors must meet certain criteria to provide visit visas. Once issued, only a copy of the Dubai Visit Visa is sent to the applicant. The copy must be bought to the disembarkation airport (Dubai Airport) and the original has to be picked up from the Visa Services counter. Nominal fees are involved in this procedure.
The Dubai Tourist Visa is only issued by hotels and tour operators for individual tourists who are not eligible to get visa on arrival. A tourist visa holder can stay in Dubai for 30 days and the visa cannot be renewed. The Dubai Transit Visa is only issued by airlines. The special 96-hour visa is provided based on your onward flight destination and timings, which must be proven before the visa is approved. The traveller will have to request for the visa from the airline he/she plans to use. An Entry Service Permit is a 14-day visa, issued to tourists and businessmen by commercial establishments or licensed hotels.
