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Australian citizens do not need a visa for Dubai. You get a free multiple entry visit visa on arrival, valid for 6 months from the day it is issued, for a stay of 90 days in total. That covers a holiday, a long stopover or several trips. Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months from entry.
What is confirmed, and what is not
Two sources agree on Australia, and we rely on them:
- The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs visa checker shows the Commonwealth of Australia as Visa Free.
- The Emirates visa page, which u.ae links to, lists Australia among passports that get a multiple entry 90-day visit visa, valid 6 months from issue, for 90 days in total.
Some older lists still give Australians 30 days. Those lists are out of date.
Smartraveller, the Australian government's travel advice site, would not load when we checked on . We do not quote it here. Read its UAE page before you travel, because it covers safety and local law as well as entry.
Stopping over on the way to Europe
Dubai sits halfway between Australia and Europe, so many Australians break the flight there. You do not need a transit visa for that. u.ae says the 48 and 96-hour transit visas are for people who are not eligible for visa on arrival or visa-free entry and want to leave the airport. You walk out on the same free visit visa as any other trip.
Two things to know:
- Days on a stopover count toward your 90. Three nights on the way out and three on the way back use 6 days.
- The Emirates page says the visa is valid for 6 months from issue. If your return leg falls later than that, check how it applies to your dates before you book.
Fees
| Who pays what | Official fee |
|---|---|
| Australian passport, visit visa on arrival | Free |
| Transit visa for a companion on a visa required passport (GDRFA) | AED 50 plus the airline's fee |
| Same transit visa through Emirates | US$10 (48 hours), US$49 (96 hours) |
| Printed visa copy at the DXB eye screening, if you have none | AED 30 per copy |
| Overstay after 90 days | AED 50 a day |
Source: GDRFA transit visa page, Emirates visa page and ICP, read on . The Emirates figures are airline prices, not government fees.
What Dubai agencies charge
For a 96-hour transit visa, Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 227 to AED 349 (published prices of 4 Dubai agencies, checked ). These are other agencies' prices, not ours. u.ae says transit visas are issued through the airline you fly with, a travel agency or an airport hotel. Our Dubai transit visa page explains the conditions.
Australian permanent residents
If you live in Australia on PR and hold another passport, the Australian residence may help. Since ICP's announcement of , nationals of India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Africa can use a valid Australian residence permit for:
- a 14-day visa at AED 100, extendable once, or
- a 60-day visa at AED 250 plus AED 100 smart services, single entry and not extendable.
The Emirates version of this route asks for the residence permit to be valid for 6 months. Other PR holders need the visa their passport normally needs, for example a 60-day Dubai visa. See Dubai visa with a US, UK or EU visa for the full list of qualifying residence countries.
Taking a job in Dubai
The free visit visa is for visiting. If an employer in Dubai hires you, it applies for your work permit and residence. An entry permit for residence gives you 60 days from entry to finish the residence steps, per ICP, and if you are already in Dubai on your visit visa the move happens through a UAE visa status change.
Documents checklist
- Australian passport, valid 6 months from entry, machine readable
- Onward or return booking
- For companions with visa required passports: their transit or tourist visa, printed
- For PR holders using the ICP route: residence permit with 6 months left, photo on a white background
Steps for a family stopover on mixed passports
- List each traveller's passport. Australians need nothing.
- For anyone else, check the UAE visa on arrival lists first.
- Still need a visa? Ask the airline for a 48 or 96-hour transit visa, or arrange a tourist visa for a longer stop.
- Apply at least 4 working days ahead if you go through Emirates.
- Print every visa before you fly.
Processing time
The Australian visit visa takes no processing: it is stamped at the counter. GDRFA states 48 hours for transit and tourist visas. Emirates gives about 2 to 4 working days for visas it arranges. ICP states 2 days.
Why a stopover goes wrong
- Passport under 6 months, so the airline stops you at check-in in Sydney or Melbourne.
- A companion's Emirates visa used with a ticket on another airline. Emirates ties the visas it arranges to Emirates tickets.
- No printed visa copy at the eye screening.
- Staying past 90 days across several trips without counting.
How it works with us
An Australian on their own passport does not need our help. Where we come in is the rest of the group: a partner, a parent or a child on a passport that needs a visa, or a PR holder checking the ICP route. Send the passport copies and your flight dates on WhatsApp or through the form on this page. A visa adviser matches each traveller to the right visa and quotes one total price before you pay. The team files the applications and follows them through to the e-visas. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. GDRFA or ICP decides every application.
If a visa is refused, the authorities keep their fees. Your adviser tells you in writing, before payment, whether any part of the total comes back to you and how much.
Official sources
- MOFA visa exemptions: Australia shown as Visa Free.
- Emirates UAE visa information: 90-day multiple entry rule, transit prices, eye screening (airline page).
- u.ae transit visa: who needs a transit visa.
- GDRFA transit visa: fee and documents.
- ICP 60-day visa for nationals residing abroad: Australian residence route.
- Smartraveller, UAE: could not be read on our check date.
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