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An Abu Dhabi visa is the same UAE entry permit you would use for Dubai, but the file goes to ICP (the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship), not to GDRFA Dubai. Visa-free and arrival passports need nothing in advance. Everyone else needs a permit before boarding. ICP states 2 days for most entry services.
Who issues an Abu Dhabi visa
The UAE has two immigration systems. GDRFA runs Dubai. ICP runs Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain. The u.ae page that tells you whether you need a visa lists both routes, plus Etihad Airways, Emirates and flydubai, which sell visa services to passengers. Its page was updated on .
ICP's visa services sit behind its Smart Services login: issuing a visa, amending its data, and extending it. The permit works in every emirate once issued. A visa filed in Abu Dhabi lets you drive to Dubai, and the other way round.
Our team files with the right office for the host or hotel on the application. You do not need to pick GDRFA or ICP yourself.
The Abu Dhabi visa types
| Visa | What the sources say | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Visa on arrival | 30 days with a 10-day period for extension, for listed passports | Abu Dhabi regulator |
| Entry visa | Mostly 60 days | Abu Dhabi regulator |
| Visit visa | 30 to 90 days for most | ICP FAQ |
| 60-day visa for nationals living abroad | AED 250 plus AED 100 smart services, single entry, not extendable | ICP |
| Transit | 96 hours, AED 50 plus AED 100 smart services | ICP |
| 5-year tourist visa | AED 3,720 in all, of which AED 3,000 is a refundable guarantee | ICP |
| Status change inside the UAE | AED 500 | Abu Dhabi regulator |
Sources: adro.gov.ae visa page, ICP service pages and FAQ, read on . Fees can change, so confirm on the ICP service before you pay.
The regulator also lists AED 100 extra for urgent processing and three to four business days for ordinary processing. ICP states 2 days for its entry services. Allow the longer figure if your flight is close.
Visa on arrival or visa required
Your passport decides this before the emirate does.
- Visa-free with a free stamp. British and American passports get a free multiple entry visit visa on arrival, valid 6 months, up to 90 days in total, according to the UAE foreign ministry's exemptions page. See UAE visa on arrival for the full list.
- Visa required. The ministry shows India as visa required. Indians have routes covered on Abu Dhabi visa for Indians.
- Living abroad with US, UK or EU papers. Seven nationalities qualify for an ICP 14-day or 60-day visa. The conditions are on Dubai visa with a US, UK or EU visa.
What Dubai agencies charge
Dubai agencies publish about AED 340 to AED 800 for a 30-day single entry tourist visa (published prices of 8 Dubai agencies, checked ). These are other firms' prices and are not our quote. We found no separate price list for Abu Dhabi files.
Checking an Abu Dhabi visa
ICP has two public checks on its smart services site: a file validity check and an application tracking page. The first confirms the permit is valid. The second follows a file you submitted. A Dubai-issued visa is not on those pages. It is checked on the GDRFA tool, covered on Dubai visa status check. Step-by-step fields for the ICP side are on ICP visa status check.
Staying longer and overstaying
The arrival visa has a short extension window. The regulator says tourists and visitors get a 10-day grace period to obtain an extension, after which fines start. Extension fees and limits are on Abu Dhabi visa extension.
On fines, the sources disagree. ICP service pages list AED 50 for each day. The regulator's page says AED 100 a day. Do not guess: look at the amount ICP shows for your file. More on Abu Dhabi overstay fine.
Residence and work in Abu Dhabi
This page is about entering. If you plan to live or work there, the residence routes are on residence visa Abu Dhabi, work visa Abu Dhabi and freelance visa Abu Dhabi.
Documents checklist
- Passport valid at least 6 months from entry, as the u.ae page states
- Passport copy and a recent photo on a white background
- Return or onward ticket
- UAE-valid health insurance, where the visa type asks for it
- For the 60-day route: a copy of the qualifying US, UK, EU or other visa or residence
Why Abu Dhabi files get stopped
- Passport with less than 6 months left
- A file sent to the wrong authority for the host
- Name or passport number that does not match the ticket
- A qualifying visa that has less than 6 months of validity left
- Arriving after the entry window closes (30 days on the 60-day visa)
How it works with us
Send your passport copy and travel dates on WhatsApp, or use the form on this page. A visa adviser checks your passport against the visa-free and arrival lists, then tells you which Abu Dhabi visa suits the trip. You get one total price before you pay. The team files the application, follows it to approval and sends the permit to you. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. ICP or GDRFA makes the decision.
If the application is refused, the authorities keep their fees. Before you pay, your adviser tells you in writing what part of our total, if any, comes back.
Official sources
- Abu Dhabi visa page: visa types, arrival visa window, status change fee, grace period.
- u.ae: do you need a visa to enter the UAE: who issues what, passport validity.
- ICP 60-day visa for nationals living abroad: fees and conditions.
- ICP FAQ: visa validity periods.
- UAE foreign ministry visa exemptions: which passports are visa free.
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