UAE Visa Types Explained

Broadly, there are short-term visit visas and long-term residence visas. Visit visas include the 30-day and 60-day tourist eVisa (single or multiple entry), a 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa, and 48-hour and 96-hour transit visas. Residence visas include the Golden, Green and Blue visas, plus employment, student and family sponsorship.

For a normal holiday or family visit, the 30-day or 60-day tourist eVisa is what you need. Choose 30-day for a short trip and 60-day for longer, and single or multiple entry depending on whether you plan to leave and return. Prices start at $229 all in.

The 30-day eVisa allows a stay of up to 30 days per visit, and the 60-day eVisa allows up to 60 days. Both are valid for 60 days from issue for you to enter the UAE. Pick the one that matches how long you want to stay.

A single-entry visa lets you enter the UAE once during the visa period. A multiple-entry visa lets you enter more than once, which suits travellers who plan to leave and return, for example a regional business trip. Both come in 30-day and 60-day options.

It is a longer-validity tourist visa that lets you enter the UAE as often as you like over five years, with each stay up to 90 days. It suits frequent visitors. Contact us and we will advise on the current requirements.

A transit visa is for short stopovers between flights, valid for either 48 hours (often free) or 96 hours. If your layover is longer and you want to leave the airport, a transit or short tourist visa may be needed. Ask us and we will point you to the right option.

We specialise in the UAE tourist eVisa, the 30-day and 60-day visit visas most travellers need. Work, residence, Golden, Green and student visas are sponsored inside the UAE by an employer, institution or through investment, and are arranged separately. We are happy to point you in the right direction.

An extension may be possible depending on the visa type, arranged from inside the UAE before your stay ends. Contact us before your visa expires and we will explain the options and any fees.

All prices are all-inclusive in US dollars with the government fee included. The 30-day tourist eVisa starts at $229 and the 60-day at $359, with Priority and Express speeds a little more, and multiple-entry options a bit higher than single entry. You see the final price before you pay, with no hidden charges.

For most first-time visitors, the 30-day single-entry tourist eVisa is the simplest and most affordable choice. Pick the 60-day option if you want to stay longer, and choose multiple entry if you plan to leave the UAE and return during your trip.

You choose the speed: Standard within 12 working days, Priority within 9, and Express within 6. Times exclude weekends and UAE public holidays and start once your complete application and payment are received. We advise applying at least 15 days before travel.

A passport valid for at least 6 months, a recent colour photo with a plain white background, a confirmed onward or return ticket, and your accommodation details such as a hotel booking or host address. No bank statement or embassy visit is needed for standard tourism.

In some cases a status change is possible without leaving the country, for example when a UAE employer sponsors you for a work visa or you qualify for a residence route. It is arranged separately from the tourist eVisa, so contact us or the sponsoring party to understand the current process.