Dubai: Dubai welcomed at least two million Indian tourists between January to October 2023, making them the highest number of international guests in Dubai, according to Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).
If you plan to visit Dubai anytime soon, it is helpful to know about all your visa options.
There are different types of visas you can choose from, depending on the purpose of your visit and the duration of your stay. Dubai’s tourism website – visitdubai.ae, provides the following guidelines for Indians planning to visit Dubai and you can ask your local travel agent or airline in order to apply for them.
You can also directly apply for visas through the website of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFAD) – gdrfad.gov.ae
Dubai tourist visa for Indians
If you are travelling to Dubai for leisure, you can apply for a tourist visa. Here are the two types of visas
• 30-day single entry visa
• 60-day singe entry visa
You can also opt for a multiple-entry tourist visa for 30 or 60 days.
Usually, the visa takes between two to four working days to get processed.
If you want to travel urgently, you can opt for an express visa (processed within 24 hours) or an instant visa (processed within three hours) from travel agents.
Cost of Dubai express visa for Indians:
• 30-day single-entry visa for approximately INR8,000 (Dh354.54)
• 60-day single-entry visa for approximately INR13,000 (Dh576.12)
Cost of Dubai instant visa for Indians:
• 30-day single-entry visa for approximately INR10,000 (Dh443.17)
• 60-day single-entry visa for approximately INR15,500 (Dh 664.75)
Children go visa free to Dubai
Travellers under the age of 18 can apply for a free Dubai tourist visa for minors. This visa can be obtained for a visit at any time of the year, as long as the child is accompanied by an adult with a valid tourist visa, according to Visit Dubai.
To learn more about family tourist visas for the UAE, click here.
Dubai visa on arrival for Indians
Indian citizens with a valid six-month US visa, US Green Card, EU Residency, or UK Residency are eligible for a visa on arrival in the UAE. You can either obtain the visa at airport immigration or apply for a pre-approval through Emirates airlines .
Can I extend my Dubai tourist visa?
You can extend your Dubai tourist visa for an additional charge as well. However, the extension can only be granted based on the decision of the issuing authority. If you have booked through your travel agent in India, you would need to approach them for the extension as well.
Dubai transit visa for Indians
Indian passport holders transiting from Dubai must apply for a transit visa if they plan to stay at the airport for more than four hours. This can be done through the airline you are travelling with.
You can choose from a validity of 48 hours or 96 hours based on your transit duration.
Five-year multiple-entry tourist visa
You can also apply for a five-year entry permit that allows you to enter the UAE multiple times a year and stay in the country for up to 180 days without a sponsor.
The visa is issued for a stay of 30, 60 or 90 days once a year, at the time of application. This period may be extended for a similar amount of time, as long as the total number of days spent in the UAE - in a year - is at most 180. For more details, click here.
Dubai travel requirements
To apply for a Dubai visa, all Indian nationals need to submit the following documents with their visa application. You also need to ensure all documents are valid throughout your stay to avoid rejection.
• Passport with minimum validity of six months.
• Passport size photograph with a white background.
• Round trip flight tickets.
• Valid travel insurance.
How can I apply for travel insurance?
If you are applying for your ticket and visa through a travel agent, the travel insurance might be included in the package, and the total cost of the service would be inclusive of the travel insurance cost. The insurance cost is calculated based on the length of your stay and you can check with your agency to confirm.
In case the insurance is not provided by your travel agent, you can also apply for it separately, through a trusted insurance company.
