How to apply for an electronic visa in the UAE

The possibility of obtaining an electronic visa to the UAE is one of the many measures introduced by the country’s authorities to attract even more tourists. It is designed to simplify the design of a document authorizing border crossing. Now those wishing to visit the country on a short-term visit do not need to personally contact the embassy or look for intermediaries to process entry documents: everything can be done online on their own.

The registration procedure will take a few minutes. The applicant’s location does not matter. The only condition is access to the Internet.

What is E-Visa

This is a permit to cross the UAE state border, which can be obtained via the Internet. The service has been in effect since 2019. An approved e-visa can be used to travel to the Emirates for transit or tourism purposes. It is valid on the territory of:

• Abu Dhabi;
• Ajman;
• Dubai;
• Fujairah;
• Ras Al Khaimah;
• Sharjah;
• Umm El Quwaina.

Travelers can use an E-Visa to visit the Emirates in order to:

• rest;
• a study tour of the seven emirates;
• doing business, business meetings;
• visits to international conferences and exhibitions;
• visits to friends and relatives;
• transit.

It also gives the right to a one-time visit to Dubai or any other city. To apply for an E-Visa, a tourist must submit an application by e-mail in PDF format.

However, this type of permit does not give the right to work. Holders of UAE or Dubai online visas are not allowed to participate in any work activity during their stay in the principality. Violators will be fined or deported.

E-Visa types

Depending on the purpose of their stay in the principality, the tourist has the right to choose one of four visa permit options: for 4 days, 30 or 90 days. Any of them is valid for 60 days from the date of issue. This means that the traveler has the right to cross the state border within two months from the date of registration of an electronic visa.

A four-day permit (or 96-hour permit) is a transit permit. It is worth using it if you are not going to stay in the principality, going through it to another destination. It is also suitable for short-term visits for shopping, attending mass events, business meetings or exploring the main attractions of Dubai. 

For a longer stay, for example, a beach holiday or treatment, a 30-day visa is issued, which can be single-entry or multiple-entry. In the first case, the holder of the document has the right to stay permanently on the territory of the principality for all 30 days, in the second case, the tourist has the right to leave, but the total amount of days that can be spent in the country according to this document also equals 30 days.

You can stay in the Emirates the longest with a 90-day E-Visa: it is a single-entry visa.

What is included in the application package

The application must be accompanied by:

• photos (photos taken with a webcam, phone or computer are accepted);
• a photocopy of the passport page containing biometric data;
• confirmation code for the flight reservation;
• scan of the last page of the passport;
• air ticket;
• proof of residence or an identity card confirming the traveler’s address.

If you plan to arrive in the UAE by land, you will not need an air ticket and a flight confirmation code.

For minor travelers, you will need:

• a photo that can also be taken with a webcam;
• a photocopy of a valid passport;
• a photocopy of the child’s birth certificate, translated into English or Arabic and notarized.

According to the laws of the state, all travelers, including minor children, must have passports and separate permits to cross the border. It is prohibited to enter the Emirates with children who do not have passports, even if their photos are pasted into their parents’ passports.

General requirements for submitting an online application

1. Assemble a package of documents and make sure that they all meet the requirements.
2. Fill out the online application, specifying your passport details, e-mail (you will receive an entry permit).
3. Make sure that there are no errors or inaccuracies in the data provided. If any inaccuracy is found, the right of entry will be denied.
4. Attach a package of supporting documents to the application.
5. Pay the fees.
6. Check your email. After the payment is registered, a confirmation code will be sent to it.
7. Wait for approval.
8. The document received by mail must be printed on an A4 sheet, taken with you on a trip and presented at the airport.

An important condition for the successful issuance of a permit is the validity period of the passport. At least 6 months must remain from the date of the planned border crossing until its completion.

Transit information

The possibility of obtaining an electronic visa to the UAE is one of the many measures introduced by the country’s authorities to attract even more tourists.

Passengers on international flights traveling through the United Arab Emirates can stay in the Principality for 96 hours after receiving an online transit visa.

Requirements for transit E-Visa:

• the difference between the two flights must be more than 8 hours;
• the passenger must continue the journey to the selected third destination;
• all applicants must have confirmation of the booked hotel stay;
• the point of arrival should only be Dubai, other emirates are not allowed;
• it is necessary to attach a visa of the country to which the passenger is traveling from Dubai.

Travelers wishing to cross the UAE border for transit purposes have the right not to pay entry fees if their stay does not exceed 48 hours. Otherwise, the right to stay can be extended up to 96 hours by paying a fee of 50 dirhams.

Important Information

1. The online visa application is submitted no later than three business days before the visit to the UAE or Dubai.
2. The presence of an E-Visa does not provide a 100% guarantee for crossing the border of the principality. The decision is made by representatives of the migration service on the spot. They have the right to conduct a random check of passengers, to require the presentation of a printout of the entry permit. The retinal scanning method is also used.
3. Every traveler must have a valid international passport. After checking and confirming the authenticity of the border crossing permit, an oval stamp is placed in it.
4. Girls under the age of 18 can travel on an online tour visa only accompanied by their parents.
5. The tour visa can be extended twice for a period of 30 days. However, it is not necessary to leave the country. The extension does not apply to residents of the Persian Gulf countries, holders of special permits to cross the border.
6. A travel visa issued online can be changed to a working one while inside the country.
7. If you cross the border at 23.59, this minute will be counted as a day. If this is not taken into account, then in the future you can make a mistake with the calculation of the total number of days you spent in the country and exceed the period of stay. And for such a violation, there is a fine (100 AED + 200 AED for each day over the limit), deportation, and in the worst case, a ban on re–entry.

An electronic visa to the UAE allows its holders to stay in Dubai or any other city for 30 or 90 days and serves as a single or multiple entry permit (depending on the type of permit document chosen).