UAE Visit Visa for Indians: 2026 Guide to Types, Fees and Documents

Planning a UAE visit visa for Indians in 2026? Most Indian passport holders need a visa arranged before they fly. The right one depends on how long you will stay, how often you will enter, and whether you already hold a US, UK, EU or similar visa or residence permit. This guide explains each option with the fees and rules published by the UAE authorities themselves.

We checked every figure here against official sources in October 2026. They are the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA) and the UAE government portal. Rules and fees change, so each source is linked at the end.

Which UAE visa fits your trip?

Start with your travel plan, not the cheapest price. A visa works well only when its length and number of entries match your trip.

Your trip	Visa to check first	Stay allowed
A holiday or family visit of up to a month	30-day tourist visa, single entry	30 days
A longer family stay	60-day tourist visa, single entry	60 days
Dubai plus a side trip to Oman, then back	Multiple-entry tourist visa	30 or 60 days
You hold a valid US, UK or EU visa or residence permit	14-day or 60-day visa for Indian nationals	14 or 60 days
Several trips every year	5-year multiple-entry tourist visa	Up to 90 days per visit
A stopover between two flights	48-hour or 96-hour transit visa	48 or 96 hours

The 14-day and 60-day visa for Indians with a US, UK or EU visa

This is the closest thing to a visa on arrival for Indian travellers. ICP offers it to ordinary Indian passport holders and their family members who hold a valid visa, residence permit or US Green Card issued by the United States, a European Union country or the United Kingdom.

A valid residence permit from Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, Singapore or New Zealand also qualifies. ICP added those six countries on 25 June 2026. Some websites claim UK visa holders lost this option in 2026, but ICP's current service page still lists the United Kingdom.

• 14-day visa: AED 100 issuance fee. It can be extended once, for another 14 days, while you are in the UAE.
• 60-day visa: AED 250 issuance fee plus an AED 100 smart-services fee. It is single entry and cannot be extended. You must enter within 30 days of issue.
• Documents: your passport (valid for at least 6 months), a photo and a copy of the qualifying visa, residence permit or Green Card.

Keep the qualifying document valid and carry it with you. If it has expired, apply for a normal tourist visa instead.

The standard 30-day and 60-day UAE tourist visa

If you do not qualify for the visa above, a tourist visa is the usual route. GDRFA issues it only through licensed UAE tourism companies. That is why Indians apply through a travel agent, an airline or a hotel rather than directly.

Tourist visa	GDRFA government fee
30 days, single entry	AED 200 + 5% VAT
60 days, single entry	AED 300 + 5% VAT
30 days, multiple entry	AED 300 + 5% VAT
60 days, multiple entry	AED 500 + 5% VAT

These are government fees only. The price an agent quotes also covers their service, the required medical insurance and sometimes express processing. Always ask for the full total in rupees before you pay.

GDRFA's service target for a tourist visa is 48 hours. Even so, apply at least a week before you fly. That leaves time for document queries, public holidays and the Diwali, Onam and summer rush.

The 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa

This visa suits families who visit relatives often, or anyone who returns to the UAE several times a year. GDRFA issues it without a host or guarantor in the UAE.

• A passport valid for at least 6 months, a photo and a round-trip ticket.
• A bank statement for the last 6 months showing a balance of at least USD 4,000, or the same amount in another currency.
• Health insurance valid in the UAE.
• You can stay up to 90 days at a time. This can be extended once by a similar period, but your total stay must not exceed 180 days in a year.

GDRFA lists a total of about AED 3,713, which includes an AED 3,000 guarantee. The final amount can vary with each case.

Transit visas for a stopover

Changing planes in Dubai or Abu Dhabi and want to see the city? UAE-based airlines arrange 48-hour and 96-hour transit visas for their passengers. Ask your airline when you book. If you will stay airside, check with the airline whether you need a visa at all.

Documents for a UAE visit visa for Indians

GDRFA's official list is short. Agents and specific visa types often ask for more, so it helps to know which is which.

Required for every tourist visa

• A clear copy of your passport, valid for at least 6 months.
• A recent personal photo with a plain background.
• A return or onward ticket.
• Medical insurance valid in the UAE. See our travel insurance options.

Often requested, depending on the visa

• A hotel booking, or your host's address in the UAE.
• Six months of bank statements, which the 5-year visa requires.
• A copy of your US, UK or EU visa or residence permit, for the 14-day and 60-day route.
• For children, a birth certificate and both parents' passport copies.

How to apply from Kerala, step by step

1. Choose the visa from the table above. Check whether you qualify for the 14-day or 60-day route first.
2. Make sure your passport has at least 6 months' validity. Your name on the ticket must match your passport exactly.
3. Book your flights and insurance, keeping them refundable until the visa arrives.
4. Send your passport copy and photo to a licensed agent, who submits the application to the UAE authority.
5. When the e-visa PDF arrives, check the name, passport number, visa type and dates. Carry a printed copy.
6. At UAE immigration, show your passport, e-visa and return ticket.

Overstays, extensions and work

ICP charges a fine of AED 50 for every day you stay beyond your permitted stay. Do not count on a grace period. The fine starts the day after your stay ends.

The 14-day visa can be extended once, and ICP's 60-day visa cannot be extended. Tourist visas can be extended through ICP or GDRFA, but apply before your current visa expires.

A visit visa is not a work permit. Taking a job needs an employer-sponsored work permit and residence visa.

Common mistakes that delay a UAE visa

• A spelling mismatch between the passport, the application and the ticket.
• A blurred passport scan or a photo with a shadow or coloured background.
• A passport with less than 6 months of validity left.
• A single-entry visa when you plan to leave and return, for example to visit Oman.
• Trusting an old blog post about visa on arrival instead of the current ICP rules.

Official sources, checked October 2026

• ICP: wider eligibility for the 14-day and 60-day visa (25 June 2026)
• ICP: 60-day visa for nationals of certain countries residing abroad
• ICP: visa extension rules
• GDRFA Dubai: single-entry tourist visa
• GDRFA Dubai: multiple-entry tourist visa
• GDRFA Dubai: 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa
• UAE government portal: visas and Emirates ID

Need help with your UAE visa?

SkyBridge's visa desk can tell you which UAE visa fits your trip and check your documents before you apply. See our visa services or contact us with your travel dates. The final decision on every visa rests with the UAE authorities.

Cover photo: Robert Bock, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons.