Apply for your UAE visa online

We process every kind of UAE visa — tourist, transit, long-stay multi-entry, GCC resident e-visa, job seeker, green residence and family sponsorship — for travellers from India, the GCC, Africa, the UK and beyond. This page is the full reference: pick your visa type, see exactly what it costs, what documents you’ll need, and how to apply. If you prefer to talk to a person, WhatsApp our visa desk directly.

The United Arab Emirates is one of the world’s most-visited destinations, welcoming over 17 million visitors a year to Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah. Whether you’re visiting for a holiday, a layover, a long family stay, a job interview or to live and work, there is a UAE visa that fits — and getting it right the first time is what avoids fines, missed flights and rejected re-applications.

Do you actually need a UAE visa?

Your visa requirement depends on your passport, not your origin city. There are three broad groups:

• GCC nationals (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman) enter the UAE without any visa — just a passport or national ID at the border.
• Visa-on-arrival passports (over 80 countries including the EU, US, UK, Australia, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand) get a free 30-day visa stamped on entry. No paperwork in advance.
• Pre-arranged visa required — this includes India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, the Philippines and most African nations. You must apply before you travel; airlines won’t board you without a confirmed visa.

There is one important exception for Indian passport holders: if you hold a valid US visa, UK visa, EU Schengen visa or a US Green Card, you may be eligible for a UAE visa on arrival or a special 14-day e-visa with reduced documentation. We can verify your eligibility in 5 minutes — just send us a passport copy and the visa pages of the country you already hold.

The UAE Tourist Visa — 30 day and 60 day

This is the visa most travellers need. It covers leisure, family visits, short business meetings, conferences and shopping trips. It comes in two durations — 30 days and 60 days. Single-entry visas can be extended from inside the UAE (a 30-day visa up to two times, a 60-day visa once); multiple-entry visas can’t be extended.

30-day single-entry tourist visa

Best for a holiday of 1–4 weeks where you don’t plan to leave the UAE during the trip. Single entry means you can’t fly out to Oman or Saudi mid-trip and come back on the same visa. Validity is 60 days from issue to enter the UAE, and 30 days of stay starting from your entry date.

From AED 350  Processing 3–4 working days.

60-day multiple-entry tourist visa

Our most popular option for Indian families. 60 days of stay and multiple entries — so you can comfortably plan a Dubai trip with a side hop to Oman or Saudi Arabia, or a longer family visit. It also gives you breathing room if your return flight gets pushed.

From AED 850  Processing 3–4 working days.

UAE Transit Visa — 48 and 96 hour

If you have a layover at Dubai or Abu Dhabi airport long enough to leave the terminal, you can apply for a transit visa to step out and see the city instead of waiting at the gate. Two durations are available:

• 48-hour transit visa — free if applied for through your airline (Emirates, Etihad, flydubai, Air Arabia), or AED 200 if processed through us. Single entry, no extension.
• 96-hour transit visa — From AED 250. Single entry, valid for 14 days from issue, 96 hours of stay from entry.

Transit visas need an onward ticket out of the UAE within the validity window. Hotel booking is required for the 96-hour option but optional for the 48-hour. We process transit visas in 2–3 working days — if your layover is sooner than that, message us on WhatsApp and we’ll tell you immediately whether express processing is feasible.

5-Year Multi-Entry Visa — for frequent visitors

Introduced as part of the UAE’s long-term residency reforms, the 5-year multi-entry tourist visa lets you enter and exit as many times as you like over five years, with up to 90 consecutive days of stay per visit (extendable by another 90). It’s designed for business travellers, NRIs with family in the UAE, and frequent visitors who want to stop applying for individual visas every trip.

Eligibility is based on financial soundness rather than nationality. Typical requirements include a passport with at least 6 months validity, a bank statement showing a minimum balance of around USD 4,000 for the previous 6 months, and a clean travel record. We confirm exact requirements case by case — share your passport copy and we’ll come back with a precise quote.

GCC Resident E-Visa — 24 to 48 hour processing

If you live in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar or Oman on a valid residence permit (iqama), you can apply for the UAE e-visa regardless of your nationality — Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian, anyone. This is the fastest visa we process: typical turnaround is 24–48 hours, and the documentation is light (passport, residence permit, photo and ticket).

From AED 350  30-day stay, single entry.

UAE Job Seeker Visa — come and look for work

Launched as part of the UAE’s entry permit reforms, the job seeker visa is for highly skilled professionals who want to enter the UAE to attend interviews and explore employment, without needing an employer sponsor up front. You apply for it from your home country (typically India), enter the UAE on it, and accept a job offer once you find one.

The job seeker visa is available in three durations: 60, 90 or 120 days, single entry. Eligibility is restricted to applicants classified under the UAE Ministry of Human Resources’ skill levels 1–3 (broadly: managers, specialists, technicians and skilled graduates), and graduates from the world’s top 500 universities or UAE-recognised institutions in the past two years.

We help you assemble the supporting documentation (CV, attested degree certificates, financial proof) and file the application through the appropriate channel. Pricing varies by duration — ask for a personalised quote.

UAE Green Residence Visa — 5-year, no employer needed

The Green Visa is a 5-year UAE residence visa designed for people who don’t fit the traditional employer-sponsored model: skilled employees on the move, freelancers, self-employed professionals and investors. Three eligibility tracks exist:

• Skilled employees — valid employment contract, occupation classified at MoHRE skill level 1, 2 or 3, and a minimum monthly salary of AED 15,000.
• Freelancers / self-employed — a freelance permit from MoHRE or a relevant free zone, a bachelor’s degree or specialised diploma, and proof of average annual income of AED 360,000 over the past two years (or financial solvency for the duration of the visa).
• Investors / partners — commercial license, board approval if relevant, and proof of investment matching the qualifying threshold.

The Green Visa lets you sponsor your spouse, your children up to 25 years of age, and your parents — a meaningful upgrade for Indian families used to employer visas that limit dependents. We coordinate with our immigration partner to handle the medical, Emirates ID and EID typing for you.

UAE Golden Visa — 10-year residence

The Golden Visa is a 10-year renewable UAE residence visa for individuals who meet at least one of several distinguished criteria: investors and property owners (typically AED 2 million in real estate), entrepreneurs with an approved start-up, exceptional talents in science, art, sports, medicine or culture, top-ranking students, humanitarian pioneers, frontline heroes and certain skilled professionals.

Golden Visa applications are highly individual — eligibility, document sets, ICP nomination and Emirates ID processing differ for each track. We screen your case for free and connect you with the right specialist within our network. If you’ve been told to apply but don’t know which track fits you, message us with your background and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Family & dependent visa — sponsor your loved ones

If you live in the UAE on a residence visa (employment, Green or Golden), you can sponsor your immediate family. The most common categories we file:

• Spouse residence visa — valid attested marriage certificate, sponsor minimum salary AED 4,000 (or AED 3,000 plus accommodation), tenancy contract.
• Children residence visa — valid for sons up to 18 (extendable to 25 if studying), daughters until marriage. Birth certificate, passport, photo, sponsor’s salary certificate.
• Parents residence visa — available to UAE residents earning AED 20,000+ a month (or AED 19,000 plus accommodation). One year, renewable. Both parents must be sponsored together unless one has passed away.
• Visit visa for parents from India — if a residence visa isn’t practical, the 60-day visit visa is the most popular option. Many Indian families use it twice a year.

Extend your tourist visa without leaving the UAE

Already in the UAE and want to stay longer? A single-entry tourist visa can be extended from inside the country — no exit, no flight out. Each extension adds 30 days.

• 30-day single-entry visa: can be extended up to two times.
• 60-day single-entry visa: can be extended once.
• Multiple-entry visas (30 or 60 days): can’t be extended.
• Price: AED 1,000 per extension, all-in.
• Apply before your visa expires. Overstay fines of AED 50 a day start the day after it expires.
• To start: send us your passport copy and current visa. We’ll tell you if anything else is needed.

Ask us to extend your visa on WhatsApp

UAE A2A visa — one night out, new 60-day visa

If your visa can’t be extended, or you need more time than an extension gives, A2A is the government-approved way to stay on. You fly to Kish Island, stay one night, and come back the next day on a new 60-day visa. We plan the trip and arrange the visa.

• Price: From AED 1,500 — includes return flights, one night’s hotel and your new visa.
• Plan it before your current visa expires — overstay fines start the day after.
• Different from an extension: an inside-country extension needs no travel but only works for single-entry visas.

How A2A works

Countries eligible for UAE visa — full breakdown

Your nationality decides whether you need a visa at all, whether you can get one on arrival, or whether you must pre-apply. Quick lookup:

Visa-on-arrival passports (free, 30 days)

Over 80 nationalities get a free 30-day UAE visa stamped on arrival, no paperwork in advance:

Americas: USA, Canada, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Uruguay, Honduras, Paraguay.
Europe (all EU + non-EU): United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Netherlands, Belgium, Switzerland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Greece, Austria, Andorra, Vatican, San Marino, Monaco, all EU members.
Asia & Pacific: Japan, South Korea, China, Singapore, Malaysia, Brunei, Hong Kong, Macau, Australia, New Zealand, Maldives.
Russia & CIS: Russia, Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus.
Middle East: Israel, Lebanon, Jordan (varies).

GCC nationals (no visa needed at all)

Citizens of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and Oman enter the UAE on their passport or national ID alone — no visa, no application, no fee.

GCC residents (e-visa, 24–48 hours)

If you live in any GCC country on a valid residence permit (iqama) but hold an Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian or other passport, you qualify for the GCC Resident E-Visa regardless of your nationality. Processing 24–48 hours, validity 30 days. Cheapest and fastest route into the UAE for most Asian passport-holding GCC residents.

Passports that must pre-apply (visa in advance)

If you hold any of these passports, you must apply for a UAE visa before you travel — airlines won’t board you without a confirmed e-visa:

• South Asia: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Afghanistan, Bhutan.
• South-East Asia: Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Indonesia, Thailand (varies).
• Africa: Most African nations including Egypt, Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan.
• South America (partial): Bolivia, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Venezuela.
• Middle East: Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen.
• Other: Mongolia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan.

Indian passport holders — the visa-on-arrival exception

Indians who hold one of the following can also get UAE visa-on-arrival or a special 14-day e-visa with reduced documentation:

• A valid US visa
• A valid UK visa or UK residence
• A valid EU Schengen visa
• A US Green Card

Send us a passport scan and a copy of the qualifying visa — we confirm eligibility in 5 minutes.

Documents required — by passport

UAE visa applications all need a baseline of documents, plus extras based on your passport and the type of visa. Here’s the working baseline for a tourist visa:

• Clear colour scan of passport (front + back), valid at least 6 months from your travel date.
• Recent passport-size photograph, white background, JPEG, taken within 6 months.
• Confirmed return flight tickets in your name.
• Hotel booking confirmation (or host letter if staying with family in the UAE).

For Indian passport holders we usually also need a 3-month bank statement showing reasonable funds, a salary slip or NOC if employed, and a marriage certificate for women travelling alone (an old immigration convention that is still asked for in some cases). For Pakistani passport holders the bar is higher: 6-month bank statement, property/asset proof, and previous US/UK/ Schengen visa copies if held. For GCC residents the documentation is light — passport, residence permit, photo and ticket.

We send you a personalised checklist when you message us, so you don’t scramble for documents at the last minute or attach the wrong photo size.

How to apply — the four steps

1. Send your documents — passport copy, photo, ticket and any extras — on WhatsApp or email. We confirm receipt within an hour.
2. Free document review — our visa team checks every page against the latest ICA/GDRFA rules and tells you whether anything is missing before you pay.
3. Pay and we file — we submit through the appropriate channel (ICA for non-Dubai entry, GDRFA for Dubai). You get a reference number.
4. Visa delivered to your inbox — usually 3–4 working days for tourist visas, 24–48 hours for GCC e-visas. Print and carry alongside your passport.

UAE visa rules to know before you fly

A few rules trip up first-time applicants more than anything else:

• Validity vs stay. Your visa has a validity (the window within which you must enter the UAE, typically 60 days from issue) and a stay duration (30 or 60 days, counted from the day you actually land). They are not the same.
• Overstay fine. AED 50 per day, with no grace period for tourist visas. Persistent overstay can lead to detention, deportation and a re-entry ban.
• Only single-entry visas can be extended. A 30-day visa up to two times, a 60-day visa once, 30 days each time, from inside the UAE. Multiple-entry visas can’t be extended. Apply before your current visa expires.
• Visa runs are risky. Exiting and re-entering on a fresh tourist visa is technically possible but UAE immigration may refuse entry if they suspect visa abuse. Apply for the right duration up front.
• Health insurance. Not strictly mandatory for visa issuance, but increasingly recommended at the border. Carry a printed travel-insurance certificate with at least USD 50,000 medical cover.
• Visa fees are non-refundable on rejection per UAE government policy. That’s exactly why we pre-check — rejections are rare when documents are in order, and our pre-check is free.

Why apply with Arihant Travels

We’re a UAE-licensed travel agency physically based in Sharjah — not a remote agent in India. That matters when something needs escalating with ICA or GDRFA, or when an application needs documents re-uploaded under time pressure. Our visa desk processes applications every working day and keeps the running checklist of which document patterns are getting accepted right now.

On top of that:

• Free document review before you pay anything.
• Real-time WhatsApp updates at every stage — not an email a week later.
• One transparent quote — visa government fee + service fee, no surprises.
• 98%+ first-time approval on Indian passports because we don’t submit when documents are weak.
• Founded in 2022 by Shweta & Neeraj Jain. 2,000+ families served, 4.9★ on Google.