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Cameroonians need a UAE visa issued before they travel: MOFA lists Cameroon as visa required. A licensed Dubai tourism company or airline can file a tourist visa, AED 210 in GDRFA fees for 30 days, usually issued within 48 hours. Reports of a UAE ban on Cameroon have circulated, but no UAE or Cameroonian authority ever confirmed one. Work visas come only through a UAE employer.
What the ban reports say, and what they do not
You will find two sets of claims online.
- An agent list from . It said 30-day visas had stopped for about 20 African nationalities. Cameroon was named.
- Media reports in . Business Today and others wrote about a suspension of tourist and work visas for nine countries, Cameroon among them, based on a reported internal circular.
Here is the problem with both. Neither came with a UAE government statement. For two of the other countries on the nine-country list, the claims were publicly denied: the Bangladesh embassy denied it, and the UAE ambassador to Uganda called the reports false. We found no statement for Cameroon in either direction. So the honest answer is that a restriction was reported, not confirmed, and the MOFA page today lists Cameroon as visa required, like most African passports.
In practice, a sponsor or tourism company sees quickly whether a Cameroonian file goes through. Ask them before you pay the full amount.
The routes you can apply for
| Route | Who files | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa, 30 or 60 days | Licensed Dubai tourism company, hotel or airline | Most common choice for a first visit |
| Family visit visa | Your relative with UAE residence | Sponsor's salary and guarantee needed |
| Transit visa, 48 or 96 hours | The UAE airline you fly with | Only for a stopover with an onward ticket |
| Employment entry permit | Your UAE employer | Leads to residence and an Emirates ID |
Government fees
- Tourist visa, 30 days single entry: AED 210
- Tourist visa, 60 days single entry: AED 315
- Tourist visa, 30 days multiple entry: AED 315
- Transit visa through GDRFA: AED 50 plus the airline's fee
- Relative visit through ICP: AED 100 application, AED 100 per month, AED 100 smart services, and an AED 1,000 refundable guarantee
Source: GDRFA tourist and transit visa pages and the ICP visit visa page, checked . GDRFA amounts include VAT.
What Dubai agencies charge
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 340 to AED 800 for a 30-day single entry visa (published prices of 8 Dubai agencies, checked ). Treat a quote that is much higher, or a demand for full payment before the agent even sees your passport, with care.
Employment visa in the UAE for Cameroonians
The search "Cameroon employment visa in UAE" usually means one thing: someone has offered you a job. Check it like this.
- The employer is a licensed UAE company and names itself in writing.
- The company applies for your work permit and an entry permit for employment. You do not buy this from a travel agent.
- After arrival you do the medical test and Emirates ID biometrics, and the employer issues your residence.
If you are a graduate with a bachelor's degree and a MOHRE skill level of 1, 2 or 3, the job seeker visa lets you come to look for work for 60, 90 or 120 days without a sponsor. Fees are AED 200, AED 300 or AED 400 plus VAT, with an AED 1,000 security deposit.
Documents for a tourist or family visit
- Passport valid 6 months past arrival
- Colour scan of the bio page, sharp and uncropped
- White background photo
- Return ticket
- UAE valid health insurance
- For family visits, the sponsor's residence, Emirates ID, salary certificate and proof of the relationship; a sponsor may ask for a translation of French certificates
Processing time
GDRFA lists 48 hours for a tourist visa once the file is complete, and ICP 2 days for a sponsored visit. If a reported restriction is affecting Cameroonian files, delays will show up here first, so leave a margin before you buy tickets.
Common refusal reasons
- An unclear or old passport scan
- Sponsor salary below the ICP level for the relationship
- A return ticket that does not match the visa dates
- A previous overstay; the fine is AED 50 a day
- A history of working while on a visit visa
More on our rejection reasons page. Once issued, look your visa up yourself; our visa status check page shows how.
How it works with us
Start with your passport page and dates, sent on WhatsApp or through the form on this page. A visa adviser looks at the file and tells you plainly whether a tourist or family visit visa looks workable for a Cameroonian passport at the moment. You get one total price before paying. The team then files the request with GDRFA or ICP, answers any question from immigration and emails the e-visa to you when it is issued. We are a private visa service, not a UAE authority, and the authorities make every decision.
Government fees are kept by the authorities when a visa is refused. Before payment, your adviser writes down what part of the total, if any, you would get back.
Official sources
- MOFA visa exemptions page: Republic of Cameroon listed as visa required
- GDRFA tourist visa: fees and conditions
- GDRFA transit visa: transit fee
- ICP fee refunds: only issuance fees refundable
- u.ae job seeker visa: eligibility
Other West and Central African passports: Nigeria, Ghana. Full list: Dubai visa by nationality.
