United Arab Emirates e-Visa
Everything you need to apply for your United Arab Emirates e-Visa: the requirements, the documents, and the steps from start to approval.
Official United Arab Emirates government portalOverview
The UAE e-Visa is the United Arab Emirates' online entry visa for visiting Dubai, Abu Dhabi and the wider Emirates for tourism, business meetings or a family visit. It is arranged before you fly and is issued electronically, linked to the passport you apply with, so there is no stamp to collect beforehand and no embassy appointment to attend. The tourist e-Visa is valid for up to 60 days and comes in 30-day and 60-day options, on a single-entry or multiple-entry basis; a multiple-entry visa lets you leave and re-enter within the validity window, which suits a regional trip with a side journey to a neighbouring country.
It covers visits only, not paid employment, study toward a qualification or long-term residence, which follow separate UAE procedures. Entry requirements vary by nationality: travellers from many countries can enter on a visa on arrival for short stays, while others need a pre-arranged e-Visa, and longer or specific-purpose trips may call for one as well. The route that applies to your nationality is confirmed first, then your application is prepared in your own language and every answer is checked before it is submitted to the UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, so you reach your destination with the right authorisation fully in order before you set off.
Requirements in detail
The e-Visa asks for less than an embassy visa, but every detail has to match your travel documents exactly. You need a passport valid for at least six months from your date of entry, with a clean, fully readable photo page. You also upload a recent digital passport photograph against a plain background, framed to the UAE specification, and a clear scan or photo of your passport page.
Some visa types ask for supporting documents, such as a confirmed return flight booking, your hotel reservation or a host's address in the Emirates, and for certain categories proof of funds or sponsorship; only what the chosen visa actually requires is requested. Have your passport number, issue and expiry dates and a valid email address to hand, since the decision is delivered electronically. The single most common avoidable error is a name or passport number that does not match the passport itself: one mistyped character can lead to a rejected application or a problem at the airport, so the entries are checked against the document before submission.
You pay one all-inclusive price, with the government portion itemised on your receipt.
What you'll need
Have these ready before you begin your application. Requirements can vary by nationality and trip purpose.
- Passport with at least six months validity
- Recent digital passport photograph
- Confirmed return flight booking
- UAE accommodation address (hotel reservation or host invitation)
- Email address for e-Visa delivery
- Payment method (one all-inclusive price)
How to apply
Three steps from start to approval.
Complete the form
Answer the official questions online. Your draft is saved for 30 days, so you can finish once your documents are to hand.
Pay securely
You see the one all-inclusive price before you pay. We check your application for completeness before it reaches the government portal.
Receive by email
Your approved travel authorisation arrives by email. Bring it, or a copy, together with the passport you applied with when you travel.
On arrival
Carry your approved e-Visa with you when you travel, either printed or saved on your phone, so you can show it at check-in and on arrival. Travel on the exact passport you applied with, because the visa is linked to that document electronically and the airline verifies it before boarding. Keep your hotel address or host details and a return or onward ticket within easy reach.
An approved e-Visa lets you board and request entry, but the final admission decision rests with the immigration officer at the UAE port of entry, who may ask brief questions about the purpose and length of your stay. Have clear answers ready and your supporting bookings available if requested.
Government processing time
What the issuing authority typically takes once the application is submitted.
Government processing: the UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security decides in 1 to 5 business days. VisitPass review: Standard 1-3 business days; Rush 1 business day; Super Rush less than 6 hours. The application is checked for completeness, submitted to the authority, and the confirmation issued.
When to apply: start once your travel dates are firm and your passport is valid for the whole trip. A week or two ahead is comfortable for the Standard tier, and the Rush and Super Rush tiers exist for short-notice trips, though no service can promise the exact hour a government grants entry.
At a glance
- Validity
- Up to 60 days
- Maximum stay
- 30 or 60 days
- Entry type
- Single or multiple
Who can apply
The UAE e-Visa is the online entry visa for visiting the United Arab Emirates for tourism, business or a family visit, valid up to 60 days with 30- or 60-day single- or multiple-entry options. Requirements vary by nationality; the application is prepared in the traveller's own language and reviewed for completeness before it is submitted to the authority.
United Arab Emirates help desk
Have questions about your e-Visa? Email the United Arab Emirates desk and we reply within 24 hours.
uae@visitpass-online.com