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 visa. This service covers travellers who hold a residence permit in a GCC state (Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar or Oman) and whose nationality needs a UAE entry permit; a guarantor in the country of residence is named on the application.
Requirements in detail
Before you start a UAE e-Visa, the Dubai visa most travellers apply for, gather everything so each detail matches 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; have its number and its issue and expiry dates in front of you, since the e-Visa is linked to that passport electronically and the decision is delivered to your email. You also upload a recent digital passport photograph against a plain light background, framed to the UAE specification, plus a clear scan or photo of the passport page.
Some visa types ask for supporting documents, such as a confirmed return flight, 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. A payment card covers the single all-inclusive price, with the government portion itemised on your receipt. Every traveller, including each child, needs their own e-Visa, so prepare one set of details for each person.
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
- Return or onward flight booking, kept to hand for the airline and the border
- UAE accommodation details (hotel reservation or host address), kept to hand for the border
- Email address for e-Visa delivery
- Payment method (one all-inclusive price)
- Valid GCC residence permit (Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar or Oman)
- Guarantor's details and identity document (name, nationality and passport number)
How to apply
Applying for a UAE e-Visa, including the Dubai visa most visitors need, is done entirely online. First, confirm this route applies to you: it covers GCC residents, travellers holding a residence permit in Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar or Oman whose nationality needs a UAE entry permit, while many other travellers enter on a visa on arrival for short stays. Second, choose the option that fits your trip, a 30-day or 60-day visa on a single-entry or multiple-entry basis, and have your passport and travel dates ready.
Third, complete the form, checking the spelling of your name and every digit of your passport number against the passport itself, and upload your photo and passport page. Fourth, review the single all-inclusive price and pay; your application is checked for completeness before it is submitted to the UAE Federal Authority. Finally, the approved e-Visa arrives by email, linked to your passport electronically; carry it printed or on your phone, since the airline checks it before boarding.
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 under 24h; Priority under 6h; Urgent under 30 min. 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 Priority and Urgent 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. This service covers travellers who hold a residence permit in a GCC state (Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar or Oman) and whose nationality needs a UAE entry permit; a guarantor in the country of residence is named on the application.
Is this the official application?
VisitPass is an independent travel-document service, not a government website and not affiliated with the UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security. Your application is submitted to the official UAE e-Visa system, the government fee is paid in full to the issuing authority and itemised on your receipt; the service fee covers preparing the application, reviewing it for completeness before submission, and email support. You can always apply directly on the official portal yourself; many travellers choose a guided form to complete the Dubai or wider UAE visa in their own language and have it checked before it is sent.
The decision rests solely with the UAE government.
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.comVisitPass is an independent visa-application service. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by any government. Government fees go directly to the issuing authority and are listed separately in your receipt.