4 Easy-Peasy Ways to Get UAE/Dubai Tourist Visa from India

Dheeraj Asnani, a friend and colleague was the one to visit Dubai with an UAE visa and this article has been written with direct inputs from him.

Ok, just so that there is no confusion, I want to make a confession: there is no such thing as a Dubai tourist visa from India. It doesn’t exist. Dubai is a city in the country named UAE, and you get a visa for UAE, not Dubai.

However, since probably 99% of the people who visit UAE, would no doubt visit Dubai or at least make a stop there, it makes sense to call this Dubai tourist visa, rather than the right way to call it: Visit visa for UAE. And people who frequent Abu Dhabi, also refer it to as Abu Dhabi tourist visa.

 Dubai tourist visa = UAE visit visa = Abu Dhabi visa for tourism.

So now that we have that out of the way, let’s talk about my trip to Dubai.

Going to Dubai has been a dream for a long time. So now when my sister wanted to indulge in some wedding shopping in Dubai, this was the perfect opportunity. We had a great time in Dubai for more than a week or so, and I would definitely recommend you to visit it once.

We all got the UAE tourist visa from India and the whole thing was super easy. The UAE tourist visa is an electronic authorization visa and it will not be stamped to your passport as a sticker. You will receive the UAE e visa as a PDF in your email. Here is how I got it and all the options you have.

Where to Get Dubai Tourist Visa from India

Now, that’s the million-dollar question. Why? Coz’ the UAE embassy in India doesn’t issue tourist visas to Indians. Here is the screenshot from the official website.

They quote a few different ways to get the visa :

A tourist visa for an Indian National, holding an ordinary passport, is arranged by a sponsor in UAE. It can also be obtained on booking a hotel in UAE or through the Emirates Airlines Office or the Air Arabia Office or through a Travel Agent in India.

Dubai Visa Requirements for Tourism

UAE Visa Application Form

A UAE visa application form can vary a little depending on who you are applying with. But apart from your personal details, you always would need to fill in:

• The Particulars of Sponsor / Host in the UAE 
• Residence Address in UAE (e.g., hotel, family or friend’s house, etc.)

Hotel Reservations in UAE

You don’t always have to have a hotel reservation in UAE before you go there. This will depend on your agent. Bit if you apply UAE visa through a hotel which will be your sponsor, then of course, you need to make a reservation.

Round-trip Flights to UAE

Roundtrip flight tickets to Dubai from India is a requirement for UAE visa for Indians. It doesn’t have to be a confirmed flight ticket. There are many ways to rent a flight itinerary for visa.

Financial Proof

You need to submit

• Either last 2 Years Form 16 or last 2 Years Income Tax return
• Bank statements to demonstrate a minimum gross income of INR 2 lakhs per annum from a business, profession or employment.
• investments of at least INR 5 Lakhs or above, in form of fixed deposits in Banks or Post Office.

Visa Cover Letter

A visa cover letter is needed especially for 90 day visas. You need to write a letter mentioning the reason of travel, stay & host details and guarantee that you will leave Dubai within the visa validity period.

This letter also should contain two local contact details, staying in different address, as well as their Photo id cum Address proof.

Additional Requirements for Newly Married Couple:

In case of the spouse name is not there on the passport, a newly married couple would need to provide:

• Marriage Certificate / Notarized Affidavit on an INR 100/- stamp paper
• NOC from parents with photo id proof, Wedding card and Marriage photograph of the couple, if they are travelling immediately after marriage.

UAE Visa Requirements for Females

Females above 18 and below 25 years without accompanied application of either parents/relatives older than her will likely be rejected or in some instances will experience deferred visa approval.

They might require NOC from parents / husband, Photo ID of parents/ husband.

COVID Requirements for Dubai Visa

As part of the COVID-19 measures, you need to complete this health declaration form and give it to the staff at check-in. This form will also be available at check-in.

You will also need to complete the quarantine undertaking form given to you onboard if Dubai is your final destination. Hand this form to the Dubai Health Authority staff on arrival.

Different Ways to Apply for UAE Visa

So as I said before, there are many ways to apply for a visit visa for UAE. Here are those. The Dubai visa application process is different from that for other countries. In some cases, you can apply for UAE visa online and in some cases, you can’t. Although you receive the Dubai e Visa in electronic format only.

1. Apply for Dubai Visa via Sponsor/Agent

So I think the question here is where should you get it. And I believe the most cost-effective option is to get it through a travel agent. This is the option that I took, in order to get the cheapest Dubai tourist visa.

There are many travel agents who deal with this. Seriously so many.
To do this, you can fill in the Dubai visa application form and then call them to ask about the payment. The Dubai visit visa price often changes. I paid 5000 INR for a 30 days UAE visa when I got it.

Some of the Dubai visa agents do need you to make hotel reservations with them in order to get a visa. Although many agents that it wouldn’t process the visa without any hotel reservations, that isn’t really the case.

2. Apply for Emirates Dubai Visa

If you have booked your flight with Emirates, you can get a visa through Emirates online after your ticket is confirmed. It’s one of the fastest and sure-shot ways of getting a UAE tourist visa.

The flight itinerary should include the desired time in Dubai. The itinerary into and out of Dubai should be on one ticket, and these flights must be Emirates flights. 

Using Emirates, you can get a point to point visa for 96 hours or tourist visas for 30/ 90 days. Once approved, the visa cannot be extended beyond the original period of stay.

You do need to pay the VFS global processing fees for this.

3. Air Arabia UAE Visa

Same goes for Fly Dubai. After you buy your flight tickets, you can contact the travel shops of Fly Dubai and get your visa processed through them. The advantage with Fly Dubai is that you can extend the visas you get through them, while with Emirates you can’t.

4. VFS Dubai Visa

You can apply for the UAE tourist visa from India through VFS Global as well. You can visit the nearest VFS Global application center and submit the documents there.

They do require you to have your round-trip tickets from Emirates or Fly Dubai. Along with that, you would need to submit the bank statements, IT return, etc.

Types of UAE Visit Visa

A UAE visit visa can be any of the following.

Dubai Single Entry Visa

A single entry UAE visa can be issued for

• 14 days
• 30 days
• 90 days

Dubai Multiple Entry Visa

A UAE multiple entry visa can be issued for

• 30 days
• 90 days

Dubai Transit Visa

A UAE transit visa, while not technically a tourist visa allows you to be in UAE for point-to-point visits. This is not a Dubai airport transit visa per se.

Indians can transit in Dubai or Abu Dhabi airport without needing a visa if they have a confirmed onward ticket for a flight to a third country within 24 hours. They must stay in the international transit area of the airport and have documents required for the next destination.

A Dubai transit visa( not Dubai airport transit visa) can be issued for

• 48 hours
• 96 hours

UAE Visa Fees for Tourism

The 30-day or 90-day UAE visas are really popular. The fees often vary as per the travel season & as per government directives. Different travel agents charge different prices as well.

As I mentioned above, the UAE 3 months visit visa and the one for 30 days come with multiple entry options as well. However, the Dubai visa cost almost double for multiple entries.

Dubai Visa on Arrival for Indian Passport with US Visa or UK Visa

Indian citizens with U.S. visas or green cards can get Dubai visa on arrival. UAE visa on arrival is also available to Indians with U.K. or EU resident permits.

They can receive UAE entry visa or permit upon arrival to UAE valid for 14 days and can be extended it only once for a similar period.

The U.S. visa or green card or U.K Resident Permit or EU resident permit must be valid for at least six months, as well as your passport.

UAE Entry Permit/Dubai Entry Visa

The UAE entry permit is the Dubai visa on arrival that Indians can obtain with valid visas/residence permits from U.S, U.K. or EU.

Dubai entry permit cost

It will cost AED100, renewable for only one time at a cost of AED250.

Dubai Immigration

I booked round-trip flight tickets. In the Indian immigration, they asked me to show my return ticket and I promptly showed them. Although, I had confirmed tickets as my plans were all set, in case yours are not, you can always buy a refundable ticket from Orbitz.com or Expedia etc.

In Dubai, they simply asked for my passport and a copy of the Dubai e visa.

What Happens if I Overstay in Dubai on a Tourist Visa?

Overstaying your Dubai visa is a very serious matter. You will be fined AED 100 for every day you have overstayed. So in case you need to stay longer, simply apply for a Dubai visa extension.

Can You Work in Dubai With Tourist Visa?

No, you can’t. Dubai is not different from any other country in the world. As a rule of thumb, you can never work legally with a tourist visa anywhere in the world. Maybe some countries are a little lax about it, but trust me Dubai is not.

So if you want to work in UAE, you need to apply for a UAE Work Visa and Work Permit. Note that if you work in Dubai without authorization, you may end up paying a fine and get deported, even if they don’t pay you.