Dubai Visa Info
Dubai Visa Information
Visiting Dubai? If you are not a passport holder from any of the first world nations, you will most probably need an entry visa. Dubai currently exempts all AGCC country citizens (Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman and Saudi Arabia) and passport holders from 33 nations from requiring an entry visa to Dubai.
These 33 countries are Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Holand, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtain, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom, United States of America and the Vatican. All travellers from the above mentioned countries can get their entry visas stamped at the Dubai International Airport’s point of entry.
Travellers from other countries must apply for a visa at least two weeks prior to their travel date. There are five basic Dubai visa types available for travellers and depending on the travel purpose, the traveller must apply for the relevant visa. These visa types are Entry Service Permit, Visit Visa, Tourist Visa, Multiple Entry Visa and 96-Hour Transit Visa.
First, the Entry Service Permit is available to anyone if they have a relationship to either a resident or company in Dubai. The visa is valid for 14 days from the date of issue and can’t be renewed under any circumstances. It’s generally issued only on an urgent basis, because there are other visa types for visitors to get if applied in advance.
Visit Visas are the most popular visa type issued in Dubai. These are issued to anyone if they have a sponsor in Dubai and wish to spend more than 14 days in the city. Valid for 60 days and renewable for another 30 days, this visa type is recommended for family and prolonged business visits. The Tourist Visa is only valid for 30 days and is issued only to those who are either sponsored by a travel agency or a hotel. These visas are only issued to those arriving in Dubai from East and West Europe, Turkey, Bulgaria, Poland, Ukraine, Albania, Russia, the Hellenic Republic, St Kitts-Navis, St Lucia, Mexico, Cuba, Bermuda, Belize, Guyana, French Guiana, Martinique, Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent, Kingston, Palao, other non-defined American nationalities, Thailand, South Africa, Singapore, China, Malta and Cyprus.
The Multiple Entry Visa is only available to business executives with a relationship with a reputable company in Dubai. Once the executive arrives in Dubai with either an Entry Service Permit or Visit Visa, the Multiple Entry Visa can be stamped with the sponsorship of the established company. The visa is only valid for 6 months, with 30 days granted for each visit.
Finally, the 96-Hour Transit Visa is issued to a traveller who arrives at the Dubai International Airport with a minimum of 8 hours between flights. The airlines are responsible for issuing these visas and prior arrangements might be necessary. A confirmed onward booking is compulsory to be considered for this special transit visa.
