Check Visa Policy of the United Arab Emirates

Visa Policy for UAE

The visa policy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is made up of regulations, laws, and restrictions placed by the UAE government on all foreign travelers that wish to enter the country.

The visa policy establishes the visa requirements for different countries to travel to the UAE, which can differ depending on the traveler’s nationality, the purpose of the visit and the expected amount of time spent inside the United Arab Emirates.

Currently, the visa law of the UAE grants almost all citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries free-movement across their borders, with the exception of Qatari passport holders.

Several other foreign citizens are also listed as visa-free to travel to the UAE, with the period of stay permitted differing according to their nationality.

Citizens of countries not listed as visa-exempt are required to obtain an approved visa before their intended arrival in the UAE. This may differ between an electronic visa (eVisa), a visa on arrival, or an embassy visa depending on nationality and the purpose of the stay,

An eVisa for tourism in Bahrain can be easily obtained by completing a quick online application form with personal and passport information.

Around 20 nationalities are required to obtain a visa on arrival to enter the UAE. This can be applied for once the visitor arrives at any airport in the UAE, although it often involves waiting in long lines at an immigration checkpoint.

There are also 40 additional nationalities that are required to obtain a traditional embassy visa for the UAE, no matter the purpose or duration of travel. This must be applied for in person at the nearest diplomatic office of the UAE to the traveler.

Nationals of Israel are currently banned from entry to the UAE and cannot obtain a visa for the Emirates.

Below you can learn more about the United Arab Emirates visa regulations for citizens of every country.

Tourist Visa Policy for the UAE

In the boxes below, tourists from every country around the world can check visa requirements according to the tourist visa policy of the UAE.

UAE tourist visa law states that there are around 40 countries whose citizens do not need to obtain a visa to travel to the United Arab Emirates for tourism purposes for varying periods of stay.

However, there are over 140 nationalities who need to apply for and receive an approved tourist eVisa to be able to gain entry to the UAE for leisure purposes.

A UAE eVisa application must be submitted before the intended arrival date and grants a single entry stay of up to 30 days for tourism inside the country.

Other tourists from around 20 additional nationalities must obtain a travel document upon arrival in the UAE, by queuing at a border checkpoint to submit a visa on arrival application.

Nationals of countries that are not eligible for the tourist eVisa or visa on arrival are requested to apply for a traditional consular visa well in advance of traveling to the Emirates. Applying for a tourist visa at the nearest UAE embassy is a mandatory requirement for around 40 nationalities.

Find out if you need a visa to travel to the United Arab Emirates by browsing the information below.

UAE Tourist Visa Online

The Emirati online tourist visa is an electronic visa implemented by the government of the UAE that allows eligible citizens to travel to the country for short visits for tourism.

The UAE online tourist visa is available for over 140 nationalities. Citizens of these countries need to complete a simple online application form with passport and personal information, as well as some travel-related questions

An approved UAE tourist eVisa is a single entry online visa which grants the holder a maximum stay of 30 consecutive days in the Emirates and is valid for 60 days from the date of issue.

In order to apply for the eVisa, it is necessary to have a passport valid for at least 6 months from the expected arrival date in the country, provide an image of the biographical page of the passport, and upload a passport style photograph of the applicant.

Depending on the applicant’s nationality some additional supporting documents may be requested. Furthermore, dependents of the main applicant, such as spouses, children under 18 years old, or parents above 60 years old, are required to submit supporting documentation that proves the status of the relationship.

Once approved, the tourist visa is sent by email to the traveler, who is recommended to print a paper copy to present upon arrival.

Holders can use the printout of the tourist visa to enter the UAE at any airport in the country. Entrance by land or sea is not permitted with the online visa.

Visitors who need to stay in the UAE for longer periods of time or for other purposes, such as to study or work, need to apply for an embassy visa.

See a complete list of the nationalities that are required to apply for a tourist visa to travel to the UAE.

Afghanistan
Albania
Algeria
Angola
Antigua and Barbuda
Armenia
Azerbaijan
Bahamas
Bangladesh
Barbados
Belarus
Belize
Benin
Bermuda
Bhutan
Bolivia
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Burundi
Cambodia
Cameroon
Cape Verde
Cayman Islands
Central African Republic
Chad
Colombia
Comoros
Congo
Costa Rica
Cuba
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Djibouti
Dominica
Dominican Republic
Ecuador
Egypt
El Salvador
Equatorial Guinea
Eritrea
Ethiopia
Federated States of Micronesia
Fiji
French Guiana
Gabon
Georgia
Ghana
Greenland
Grenada
Guatemala
Guinea
Guinea Bissau
Guyana
Haiti
Honduras
India
Indonesia
Iran
Iraq
Ivory Coast
Jamaica
Jordan
Kenya
Kiribati
Kyrgyzstan
Laos
Latvia
Lebanon
Lesotho
Liberia
Libya
Macedonia
Madagascar
Malawi
Maldives
Mali
Marshall Islands
Martinique
Mauritania
Moldova
Mongolia
Morocco
Mozambique
Myanmar
Namibia
Nauru
Nepal
New Caledonia
Nicaragua
Niger
Nigeria
North Korea
Northern Mariana Islands
Pakistan
Palau
Palestinian Territory
Panama
Papua New Guinea
Paraguay
Peru
Philippines
Puerto Rico
Rwanda
Saint Helena
Saint Kitts and Nevis
Saint Lucia
Samoa
Sao Tome and Principe
Senegal
Sierra Leone
Solomon Islands
Somalia
South Africa
South Sudan
Sri Lanka
Sudan
Suriname
Swaziland
Syrian Arab Republic
Taiwan
Tajikistan
Tanzania
Thailand
Timor Leste
Togo
Tonga
Trinidad and Tobago
Tunisia
Turkey
Turkmenistan
Tuvalu
Uganda
Uruguay
Uzbekistan
Vanuatu
Venezuela
Vietnam
Yemen
Zambia
Zimbabwe

UAE Online Visa Info

Apply Online

Visa on Arrival

The United Arab Emirates visa on arrival (VOA) is a document that allows holders to stay a short period of time in the country and which eligible travelers can obtain at select UAE airport upon arrival.

The visa policy of the UAE currently states that there are roughly 20 nationalities who need to obtain this type of visa upon arrival if they are visiting the country for short stays.

Once visitors arrive at UAE airports, they need to go directly to an immigration checkpoint, there they will usually need to wait in an immigration queue formed by other applicants.

An immigration officer will then give them a visa on arrival application form to complete with personal and passport information. It is also necessary most for nationalities to pay a visa on arrival fee for the travel document to be approved.

An approved Emirates visa on arrival is a single entry permit which allows most nationalities a maximum stay of up to 30 days in the UAE. However, citizens of a select few countries may be granted a visa on arrival for a 90-day day stay.

A 14-day UAE visa on arrival is also available for Indian passport holders who are residents of the United States or who also hold a valid US visa, or who are residents of a European Union country.

VOA eligible travelers who wish to spend more time in the Emirates than that permitted for their nationality are required to obtain a consular visa.

Check the list below to find out if your nationality requires a visa on arrival to travel to the UAE.

Andorra
Australia
Brunei Darussalam
Canada
China
Hong Kong
Ireland
Japan
Kazakhstan
Malaysia
Mauritius
Monaco
New Zealand
Russian Federation
San Marino
Singapore
South Korea
Ukraine
United States
Vatican City

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Embassy or Consular Visa Required

Travelers from around 40 countries, mainly located in Africa and Asia, are required to obtain a UAE embassy visa in advance no matter the purpose of the visit or the amount of time they wish to spend in the United Arab Emirates.

The protocol of submitting an embassy visa application involves making a visa appointment at the nearest government diplomatic office of the UAE to the applicant, well in advance of the expected arrival date in the Emirates.

All Emirati embassy visa applicants are required to fill in a consular application form with personal and passport information. It is also necessary to select the purpose of the trip, whether the applicant is traveling for work, study, transit, tourism, or other motives.

Varying supporting documents will also need to be provided depending on the purpose of the intended stay. Any dependent applicants (whether a spouse, child under 18 years, or parent over 60) will need to submit documentation that proves the relationship with a legal guardian or sponsor.

When making an appointment, applicants should take into consideration that it may take several weeks or more for an embassy visa to be correctly processed and approved.

Below you will find a comprehensive list of all countries which citizens need to obtain an embassy visa to gain entry to the UAE state.

Aland Islands
American Samoa
Anguilla
Antarctica
Aruba
Bonaire
British Indian Ocean Territory
British Virgin Islands
Christmas Island
Cocos Islands
Cook Islands
Curacao
Falkland Islands
Faroe Islands
French Polynesia
Gambia
Gibraltar
Guadeloupe
Guam
Guernsey
Isle of Man
Jersey
Macau
Mayotte
Montserrat
Niue
Norfolk Island
Pitcairn Islands
Qatar
Reunion
Saint Barthelemy
Saint Martin
Saint Pierre and Miquelon
Sint Maarten
South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Svalbard and Jan Mayen
Tokelau
Turks and Caicos Islands
United States Virgin Islands
Wallis and Futuna

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Visa Not Required

At the moment citizens of around 40 countries across the globe do not need an approved visa for the UAE for varying periods of permitted stay, according to Emirati visa law.

Of these visa-exempt countries, 4 are GCC countries like the UAE itself. All nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia are currently permitted freedom of movement in the UAE, if they simply present a valid National ID Card or driving license upon entry.

However, although Qatar is part of the GCC, only Qatari citizens are not currently permitted to enter the UAE without a visa. An exception applies to nationals of Qatari who are a family member of a UAE resident.

Other UAE visa not required travelers are required to present a valid passport to gain entry to the United Arab Emirates. Depending on nationality, they may be allowed to spend between 30 to 90 days inside the Emirates visa-free.

UAE visa-exempt citizens who need to spend more time in the country, or visit for purposes such as to study or work, are required to obtain an embassy visa to do so.

See below for a list of nationalities who enjoy visa exemption for the United Arab Emirates.

Argentina
Austria
Bahrain
Belgium
Brazil
Bulgaria
Chile
Croatia
Czech Republic
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Greece
Hungary
Iceland
Italy
Kuwait
Liechtenstein
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Mexico
Montenegro
Netherlands
Norway
Oman
Poland
Portugal
Republic of Cyprus
Romania
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
Saudi Arabia
Serbia
Seychelles
Slovakia
Slovenia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
United Kingdom

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Admission Refused

At present, the United Arab Emirates does not have official diplomatic relations with Israel.

Consequently, Emirates visa policy currently prohibits Israeli passport holders from obtaining a visa or entering the country.

However, the UAE visa ban for Israeli citizens may be waived in certain special cases.

Occasionally, special visas are issued for certain international events such as sporting competitions. Additionally, Israeli nationals can transit via UAE airports as long as they remain within the airport transit area.