In Western Asia, there is a nation called the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Umm Al Quwain, and Abu Dhabi, the largest and capital Emirate, make up this sovereign constitutional monarchy.
UAE draws millions of tourists every year with its blend of modern architecture near historical and cultural attractions.
You might need to apply for a UAE visa if you're planning a trip to the UAE (or not, depending on your country). Citizens of several nations are permitted entry into the UAE without a visa for brief stays.
Is a Visa Required for Travel to Dubai or the Other Emirates?
You might or might not need a visa to enter the UAE depending on your nationality. While citizens of some nations are required to obtain a visa before travelling, others are permitted to enter the Emirates without one or can do so once they arrive.
A UAE entry permit: what is it?
If you require a visa to enter the country, you must obtain a UAE Entry Permit. Depending on the reason for your trip, the validity period varies.
Before you go, your sponsor must get an entry permit for you from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). The duration of your stay in the UAE with entry permission is determined by the reason for your trip:
· If you are in transit, you will be given a visa that allows you to enter the country for up to 48 or 96 hours.
· If you plan to come as a tourist, the duration of your entry permit is up to 30 days (ie. tourist visa).
· Your entry permit is valid for up to 60 days if you are entering for employment purposes, etc.
As a result, an entry permit and a tourist visa are essentially the same things.
If I have a UAE visa, do I also need a separate visa for Dubai?
You don't, though. Since Dubai is a component of the United Arab Emirates and not an independent nation, there is no unique "Dubai Visa." You can visit any of the UAE's emirates, including Dubai if you have a visa that allows you to enter the country.
If I have a visa for Dubai or the UAE, do I also need an Abu Dhabi visa?
The capital of the United Arab Emirates and one of the seven emirates are Abu Dhabi. As a result, you do not need to obtain a separate visa for each if you intend to travel to Dubai and Abu Dhabi. You can visit all seven of the UAE's emirates, including Abu Dhabi if you are a national of a country that requires a visa.
The procedure is significantly simpler if you are not required to obtain a UAE tourist visa because you can leave the country using only your passport.
What varieties of UAE visas are there?
The UAE offers four primary categories of visas:
· UAE Tourist Visas, which, as the name implies, are provided for travel or any other purpose that lasts less than 30 days and does not require you to settle down and work in the UAE for an extended period.
· For foreign nationals wishing to settle in the UAE, residence visas are available. This comprises:
· Student visa for the UAE
· UAE Work Permit
· The UAE Family Visa
· Retirement Visa in the UAE
· Visa for Digital Nomads in Dubai
• Long-Term Residence Visas (Investor Visas), which can be obtained without a sponsor for a duration of five to ten years.
To be eligible for this kind of visa, you must invest a sizable sum of money in the United Arab Emirates.
Transit visas for the UAE, are given to visitors who must travel through the country. These visas can be obtained for 48 or 96 hours.
A UAE residence visa: what is it?
A residence visa is required for foreign nationals who want to relocate to the UAE. They must first, however, acquire an entry permit. For the UAE, there is the following distinction between an admission permit and a residency visa:
When you currently have entry permission for the UAE and want to stay longer than the permitted number of days, you must get a UAE residence visa. Your sponsor must apply for your residence visa (and must meet all GDRFA conditions).
UAE Visa Conditions
You need several documents to back up your application for a tourist visa to the UAE, including:
· Copies of both your and your sponsor's passports. You need a passport that is at least six months old.
· A photocopy of the pertinent pages from the passport. You might not even need to send your original passport in some circumstances. You can submit copies of the pertinent passport pages (or all the pages on your passport).
· Photos the size of a passport, as required for UAE visas.
· A No Objection Certificate (NOC) from your parent or husband if you are a female travelling alone.
· A confirmed round-trip ticket or a ticket for a subsequent flight. The ticket must be from the airline through which you are applying.
· Evidence of lodging, such as your hotel.
· Evidence of UAE travel health insurance purchase
· A letter from you describing the reason for and length of your visit.
· Evidence of lawful residency in your nation (ie. your visa or residence permit). This only applies if you don't have citizenship in the nation in which you now reside.
· If there is a host:
· Evidence of your connection to the host
· Evidence of their residency is a replica of your host's UAE residency permit or Emirates ID
· Evidence of their financial standing certified copy of their employment contract or pay stub
· Documentation of prior travel:
· If you've visited the UAE recently, include copies of your passport's arrival and exit stamps.
· Copies of any visas you have received in the last five years for the USA, UK, Schengen Area, Canada, Russia, Australia, or New Zealand.
· The following may also be expected of you:
· Evidence of your financial situation
· Evidence of your present address
· Marriage licence
• Any further paperwork needed by the Dubai/UAE authorities responsible for issuing visas
How do I apply for a visa to the UAE?
The UAE does not grant visas through its embassies or consulates abroad, in contrast to the majority of nations. Furthermore, you cannot apply for a UAE visa on your own; you must have a sponsor in the UAE or work with an authorized agency to do so, such as:
· A host or sponsor who calls the UAE home.
· A legitimate travel agency where you can buy your ticket. A local tour operator in the UAE may be working with travel companies in your nation to offer tour packages. Before paying a travel agency, confirm that it is reliable and authorized.
· The hotel you are staying at in the United Arab Emirates.
· If you'll be travelling with one of the following airlines:
· Airline Etihad
· The airline Emirates
· Dubai Fly
· Arabian Air
Where Can I Get a UAE Visa?
· Applications for UAE visas can be made online or in person at one of the following organizations:
· Travel companies or other sponsors may apply for a UAE visa on your behalf using the Chanel portal of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA), which serves as the portal's host. (Only online)
· By visiting the GDRFA's (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs) website (online and in-person).
· The GDRFA's websites in each emirate:
· "Abu Dhabi"
· Dubai (see also Amer, a website that Dubai citizens and residents can use to apply for family reunions and visitors can use to extend their Visa on Arrival)
· Sharjah
· Ajman
· Ras Al Khaimah
· Fujairah
· Mobile software:
· The Chanel portal of ICA (for Apple and Android)
· Your sponsor or host may also apply for one of the Amer centres in Dubai or one of the GDRFA's authorized typing centres located in each Emirate.
Application for GCC Residents' UAE eVisa
While GCC nationals are free from the need for a visa, residents of any GCC nation are also entitled to a streamlined online application process if they are travelling with GCC nationals. Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates are members of the GCC, sometimes known as the Gulf Cooperation Council.
Your visa will be delivered to the address you supplied after you have applied. Your UAE visa is good for 30 days and can be renewed for another 30 days.
You cannot apply through the web portal if you are a resident of the GCC and you will be travelling alone (without a GCC national).
How much time can I spend in the UAE on a visa?
You typically have 60 days from the time you acquire your UAE visa to enter the nation. The duration of your stay in the UAE after the entry is determined by the reason for your trip.
You are permitted a 30-day stay as a tourist. You are only permitted to stay for up to 4 days while transiting. UAE job visas are only valid for a maximum of two months, after which you must either leave the country or convert them into a residence visa.
Can a UAE visa be extended?
You can, indeed. As of 2018, you can extend nearly any UAE visa or entry permit twice for a price of AED 600 and an additional 30 days each time. To avoid paying a charge for overstaying, you must request a visa extension before your existing visa expires.
If you fall under one of the following categories, you cannot apply for an extension of your UAE visa:
· You reside in a GCC nation but are a guest or tourist there.
· You are a GCC citizen who is travelling with another GCC citizen.
· Your special admission permit is valid.
· You have a 96-hour special mission permit.
Extension of the UAE residence visa for widowed or divorced women
For divorced women or widows, the UAE government gives a Residence Visa Extension that enables them to stay in the nation for an additional year beginning from the date of the divorce or the passing of their husbands without the need for a sponsor. Their kids are covered by the visa as well.
They must submit their applications through the websites or application centres for the applicable GDRFA in their Emirate of residence.
What Will Happen if I Overstay My Tourist Visa in Dubai?
For each day that you stay above the allotted time on your Dubai visa, you will be fined AED 100. You should get a visa extension if you are certain that you will need to stay longer.
Can a tourist with a work visa work in Dubai?
You can't, sorry. The holder of a tourist or visitor visa for the UAE is not permitted to work. You must apply for a UAE Work Visa and Work Permit if you wish to work there.
Even if you are not paid if you labour illegally in the UAE, you risk being deported as well as possible fines.
ORIGINAL CONTENT:- UAE Visa Handbook
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