United Arab Emirates Visa Types

Before going to the United Arab Emirates, a traveler should check entry requirements, and, if necessary, obtain a relevant entry permit.

Depending on the purpose of the travel, there are the following UAE visa types available: tourist, transit, business, student, patient, GCC residents, retirement, and residence ones.

You can get more information on visas to the UAE by following this article.

Tourist visa

The UAE tourist visa type is an entry permit for eligible foreigners from all over the world to visit the United Arab Emirates for leisure purposes.

Tourist UAE visas can be issued as single- and multiple-entry ones for 30 or 90 days. Also, the UAE five-year visa has been introduced for traveling to the Emirates numerous times, with each visit not exceeding 90 days.

All categories of a tourist visa can be extended for 30 days twice.

Note that UAE embassies don't issue tourist visas. You can apply through approved airlines, hotels, and travel agencies. For example, you can apply for a UAE e-Visa on our website.

Transit visa

The transit visa allows travelers to pass through the United Arab Emirates to their final/next destination country.

It comes in two categories: for 48 hours and for 96 hours. They cannot be extended.

For a transit type of visa, an applicant must provide:

• a valid passport
• a face photo with a white background
• an onward ticket to the next country

Business visa

The business visa can be obtained by a person who has had his own business at some point and wants to do it in the United Arab Emirates. It is a multiple-entry visa for a 6-month period.

This type of visa is a part of the Golden Visa system. Under this system, foreign citizens can obtain a long-term visa both for themselves and their dependents.

The applicant must meet the following requirements:

• prove their entrepreneurial experience
• have been a start-up majority shareholder or its senior leadership member
• have a business idea to implement in the UAE
• plan to legally establish a business in the UAE.

Student visa

The student visa is an entry visa that allows students over 18 to study in a UAE university or college.

The requirements for a student UAE visa include:

• having a visa sponsor and an official admission letter from a respective educational institution
• taking a health fitness test
• having the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs approval

This UAE visa is initially issued for one year at a time, but can then be extended for the same period if an applicant presents proof from an authorized educational institution of continuing their study in the UAE.

Outstanding students can get a visa for 5 years.

Patient and their companion entry permits

The patient entry permits are designed to enable foreign patients to come to the UAE for treatment under medical establishments and government/private hospital sponsorship.

The medical institution, as a sponsor, is responsible for processing the application for the patient.

Patient entry permits can be of two categories: for a single entry and for numerous entries. Both categories allow travelers to cross the UAE borders within a 2-month period from the visa issuance date. Each stay under the patient entry permit cannot exceed 90 days from the day of entry.

The proper documentation for a patient entry permit involves having the following:

• applicant's effective passport
• applicant's health insurance
• sufficient bank balance
• a letter from the medical institution on the reasons of the visit.

eVisa for GCC residents

The e-Visa for GCC residents can be obtained by GCC nationals and their companions. It is not necessary to attend the UAE embassy in person as this visa is issued online.

The entry visas for GCC residents allow a stay for 30 days from the entry date and are valid for 30 days from the day of issue. For companions, it's not 30 days, but 60 days.

The e-Visa can be extended once for 30 days for GCC residents and for 60 days for their companions.

The application for companions can only be approved if a sponsor, a GCC resident, is traveling with them.

GCC residence permit and passport must stay valid for a minimum of 3 months from the date of arrival.

Retirement visa for UAE residents

The UAE retirement visa permit retired people over 55 years with residence permits to get a 5-year long-term visa.

The applicants must retire Abu Dhabi, Dubai, or the wider UAE and possess relevant health insurance in the UAE. It is also important to meet financial requirements.

The retirement visa can be renewed in five years if the applicant is still eligible for his type.

Residence visa

The UAE residence visa (also known as a work visa) is required for individuals willing to live in the UAE.

Usually, the application process and costs are on the company that employed the applicant.

It can also be received by investing in a business setup, buying property, or getting a student visa.

Applicants need to take a health test. Individuals positive for tuberculosis and/or HIV are not given the UAE residence visa.

Green visa

The green visa is a category of the UAE residence visa that enables its holder to sponsor themselves for a period of 5 years without the necessity for a UAE citizen or employer to sponsor their visa.

The green visa is designed for self-employed persons, skilled employees, and investors or partners.