Last updated
A Dubai transit visa lets you leave the airport on a stopover for 48 or 96 hours. You need one only if your passport does not get a visa on arrival or visa-free entry. It is single entry, cannot be extended and is arranged through the UAE airline you fly with. Fees start at AED 50 plus the airline's charge, and GDRFA states 48 hours to process.
Who needs a transit visa and who does not
The u.ae transit page is clear on the purpose: the visa is for people who are not eligible for a visa on arrival or visa-free entry and want to step out of the airport during a connection. If you hold a UK, US, Malaysian or other passport on the arrival lists, you simply walk through immigration and get stamped. Check your passport first on our UAE visa on arrival guide.
If you stay airside and never pass immigration, you need nothing at all. The visa only matters when you want a night in a hotel in the city, a desert trip or a meal at the Marina between flights.
GCC citizens need no visa. Residents of GCC states are a different case: they need a GCC resident entry visa before landing, not a transit visa.
Fees for the 48 and 96 hour transit visa
| Route | Visa | Fee as published |
|---|---|---|
| ICP, air and sea ports | 96 hours | AED 50 application + AED 50 issuance + AED 100 smart services |
| ICP, sea ports | 48 hours | AED 50 issuance + AED 100 smart services |
| GDRFA Dubai | 48 or 96 hours | AED 50 plus the airline or mediator fee |
| Emirates (airline price) | 48 hours | USD 10, VAT included |
| Emirates (airline price) | 96 hours | USD 49, VAT included |
Source: ICP and GDRFA service pages and the Emirates UAE visa page, checked .
Two things in that table need a plain word. The ICP page files the 48-hour visa under "Transit Visa through Sea Ports", so it is not obvious that the same fee line applies to an air passenger. And news reports from a few years ago called the 48-hour visa free of charge. The live ICP page lists fees and Emirates charges USD 10, so do not plan on free.
What Dubai agencies charge
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 132 to AED 275 for a 48-hour transit visa (published prices of 3 Dubai agencies, checked ) and about AED 227 to AED 349 for a 96-hour transit visa (published prices of 4 Dubai agencies, checked ). Those totals include the agency's service. If you fly Emirates, the airline's own price is lower than any of them, and we will tell you so.
The conditions you must meet
- A UAE airline on your ticket. u.ae says transit visas are sponsored by UAE-based airlines and must be approved before you enter.
- An onward ticket. ICP asks for a ticket for the next leg, except when you are joining a ship in a UAE port.
- A passport valid for the UAE and for your next country. GDRFA asks for 6 months of validity. An older news report mentioned 3 months; use 6.
- A photo on a white background.
- The right timing. The 48 or 96 hours run from entry. Pick the 96-hour visa if your connection is longer than two days.
The Emirates prearranged transit visa is for Emirates tickets travelling onward from Dubai. You enter within 30 days of issue. You request it in Manage your booking on the Emirates site or at the Emirates visa office in DXB Terminal 3.
Documents checklist
- Passport scan, data page in colour, at least 6 months valid
- Recent passport photo, white background, no glasses or hat
- Onward flight ticket or e-ticket receipt
- Your booking reference with the UAE airline
- Visa for your next country, if that country requires one
Processing time
GDRFA Dubai states 48 hours. ICP states 2 days for its port visas. Through Emirates, the airline handles the request inside the booking. Apply at least a few days before you fly. A transit visa approved after you land is no use to you.
The emergency transit visa
This one is free and you do not apply for it in advance. ICP issues it through the airline when a transit passenger has to stay more than 24 hours because a flight is cancelled, the weather closes in or the aircraft has a fault. It covers up to 96 hours. If you fall ill in transit, it can cover up to 7 days, and a longer stay is moved to a treatment visa. Speak to your airline's transfer desk, not to an agency.
Why transit visas get refused or fail at the airport
- The ticket's next leg is on a foreign airline only, so no UAE carrier sponsors you.
- The passport has less than 6 months left, or is not valid for your next country.
- The layover is longer than the visa. Overstaying costs AED 50 per day on ICP's port visas.
- The photo is dark, cropped or taken against a coloured wall.
- You used the visa once and try to re-enter on it. It is single entry.
How it works with us
Send us your e-ticket and passport copy on WhatsApp or through the form on this page. A visa adviser looks at your connection time, your airline and your nationality, then tells you if a transit visa fits or if the airline's own route is cheaper for you. When we file it, you get one total price before you pay, the team submits the application and watches the status, and the e-visa comes to you by message to print for immigration. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. The airline and the UAE authorities decide every transit visa.
If a transit visa is refused, the government fee is not refunded by the authorities. Before you pay, your adviser tells you in writing what part of our total, if any, comes back in that case.
Longer stays and other visas
If you want more than four days, a 30-day Dubai visit visa is the normal choice. You can compare totals on our Dubai visa price page. Steps for filing yourself are on apply for a Dubai visa online.
Official sources
- u.ae transit visa page: types, single entry, no extension, airline sponsorship.
- ICP port visas service: 48 and 96-hour fees, conditions, emergency visa, overstay fine.
- GDRFA Dubai transit visa service: AED 50 fee, documents, 48 hours.
- Emirates UAE visa information: airline prices and how to request.
Checked . Rules change, so check the official page before you pay.
