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A Dubai business visa is a visit visa to explore business opportunities. GDRFA issues it for 60, 90 or 120 days at AED 200, AED 300 or AED 400 plus 5% VAT, single or multiple entry, with no UAE sponsor. You need a passport valid for 6 months, a photo and proof of investment. If you live in Dubai and travel for business to Saudi Arabia or China, the rules are different.
Two meanings of "business visa"
People search the phrase for two jobs. One is a visa to come to the UAE to look at business. The other is a visa from Dubai to another country for a work trip. Pick the half that fits you.
| Need | Route | Page section |
|---|---|---|
| Visit the UAE to explore a business | GDRFA business exploration visa | Below |
| Fly out from Dubai to Saudi Arabia | Saudi business visit visa | Saudi section |
| Fly out from Dubai to China | China M visa, or visa free if your passport allows | China section |
The UAE business exploration visa
GDRFA describes the service as a visit visa to research and explore business prospects, single or multiple entry, with no UAE sponsor or host.
| Item | Official fact |
|---|---|
| 60 days | AED 200 plus 5% VAT |
| 90 days | AED 300 plus 5% VAT |
| 120 days | AED 400 plus 5% VAT |
| Financial security deposit | AED 1000 |
| Extra fees if you are already in the UAE | AED 520 in total |
| Processing time | 48 hours |
Source: GDRFA service page, checked .
The UAE government portal lists this visa next to the job seeker visit visa. Neither one is a work permit. If you plan to start a company, the visa gets you in. A licence and residence come later. See investor visa UAE for the residence side, and work visa Dubai if you will be employed.
Documents
- A colour personal photograph.
- A copy of your passport, valid for at least 6 months.
- Proof of investment.
GDRFA does not say on its page which investment proof it accepts. Send what you have and we check it before filing.
Extending it
GDRFA lists a separate extension service for this visa. ICP states that business exploration visas can be extended up to 180 days in total. Check which authority issued your visa before you apply.
Saudi business visa from Dubai
A Saudi business visit visa starts with the host. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs describes a service where a company or institution inside Saudi Arabia requests a visit by one or more people in managerial positions with a business relationship to it. The company fills in the online form on the visa services platform and has it stamped by the chamber of commerce, in Arabic. The MOFA page gives 3 business days to process it.
For you as a UAE resident, that means you cannot start alone. Ask your Saudi partner for the invitation. After that, the next step depends on your passport, and we check it with you. A tourist e-visa is a different product. Our Saudi visa for UAE residents page covers it, including Umrah.
We could not confirm the Saudi business visa fee on an official page we read, so we do not quote one.
China business visa from Dubai
China has two cases. Some ordinary passports are visa free for up to 30 days, including for business, under a temporary policy. It depends on your passport, not on UAE residence. See China visa for UAE residents for the current list.
If you need a business visa, the M visa is filed at the Chinese Visa Application Service Center in WAFI Mall, Dubai. The centre describes these steps:
- Fill in the Chinese visa application form online.
- Make an appointment. Applications without one are normally not accepted.
- Take a queue number and hand in the documents for pre-check.
- The consular officer decides whether to issue the visa, its validity, stay and entries.
For an M visa you need papers on a commercial activity from a trade partner in China, or a trade fair invitation. The centre says people who got M visas more than twice in the last two years, or who hold investment certificates and business licences, may ask for a multiple-entry M visa of half a year or one year. It also warns that a valid visa does not stop China Customs from refusing entry.
What Dubai agencies charge
We found no business visa price that at least two Dubai agencies publish for the UAE explore visa, Saudi or China, so we show no range. Agency ranges for tourist visas are on Dubai visa price.
How it works with us
Send your passport copy and the reason for the trip on WhatsApp or through the form on this page. A visa adviser checks which route fits your passport and your host. For the UAE explore visa we check the investment proof first. You get one total price before you pay, and the team files and follows it up. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. GDRFA, Saudi Arabia and China decide every application.
If a visa is refused, the fees paid to the authorities are not returned. Before you pay, your adviser tells you in writing which part of our total, if any, comes back.
Official sources
- GDRFA business exploration visa: documents, fees, deposit and channels.
- UAE government portal: visit visas: explore and job seeker visas.
- Saudi MOFA business visa request: steps and 3 business days.
- Chinese Visa Application Service Center, Dubai: M visa process: steps and documents.
- Chinese Consulate General in Dubai: visa centre: the centre in WAFI Mall.
