Am I eligible for visa-free entry to the UAE? Here’s how to find out.

Dubai: Citizens of over 80 countries can now enter the UAE visa free. The UAE’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) has a dedicated visa information page that offers clear and up-to-date information on entry visa requirements for people from across the world.

The service provides information for people holding ordinary passports from countries worldwide, and you can use the service to find out whether or not you would need to apply for a visa in advance before visiting the UAE. Here’s how.

How to find visa requirements by country

1. Visit https://www.mofa.gov.ae/en/visa-exemptions-for-non-citizen
2. Scroll down and enter your country’s name in the search box or click on the interactive map to select your country.
3. The page will then provide you with one of two possible results for the country:
- Visa free
- Visa required

Visa-free entry – what is the duration of the visa on arrival?

According to the official UAE government website – u.ae, you may be able to get a 30-day or 90-day visa on arrival, depending on your country of citizenship.

A 14-day visa on arrival is also available to Indian citizens holding a normal passport and either:
- a visit visa issued by the USA or,
- a green card issued by the USA or,
- a residence visa issued by the UK or,
- a residence visa issued by the EU,

… provided that the visa or the green card is valid for at least six months from the date of arrival into the UAE.

I am not eligible for visa-free entry – what are my options?

In case you are not eligible for a visa on arrival, you can apply for a tourist visa through a travel agency or the airline with which you are travelling to the UAE. You can also have a UAE resident sponsor your tourist visa.

The duration of the visa can be anywhere between two days (the 48-hour visa, ideal for stopovers) to five years (long-term multiple entry visit visa).

How can I find out my visa options?

Whether you are eligible for a 14-, 30- or 90-day visa on arrival, or whether you need to apply for a tourist visa in advance, an easy way to find out what your visa options are is to visit the websites of UAE’s immigration authority, official tourism board websites or of UAE-based airlines.

Here is a list of websites that may be helpful in finding out your visa options, based on your nationality and country of residence:

- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) – icp.gov.ae
- General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) – gdrfad.gov.ae
- Visit Dubai - https://www.visitdubai.com/en/plan-your-trip/visa-information
- Visit Abu Dhabi - https://visitabudhabi.ae/en/plan-your-trip/essential-info/getting-a-visa