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Canadian citizens do not need a visa for Dubai. A free visa on arrival gives you 90 days within a 180-day period, counted from your first entry. Your passport needs 6 months left. Canadian permanent residents are different: they travel on their own nationality's rules, and only some passports get a shortcut through their Canadian residence.
What travel.gc.ca tells Canadians
The Government of Canada's travel advice page for the United Arab Emirates was updated on . For tourists it says:
- The visa is issued on arrival and costs nothing.
- It covers 90 days within a 180-day period, counted from the first entry.
- Your passport must be valid for 6 months.
- You must leave the UAE using the same passport you entered with.
You may still read 30 days in older lists. That figure is gone. travel.gc.ca and the Emirates visa page now both give 90 days in 180.
Dual citizens: one passport, in and out
The exit rule is the one Canadians most often miss. If you hold Canadian and another citizenship, pick the passport you will use for the UAE before you leave Canada, and keep it for the whole stay. Enter on your Canadian passport and the stamp sits in that passport. travel.gc.ca does not give a reason, so treat it as a firm rule.
If your second passport would need a visa, entering on the Canadian one is simpler anyway.
How the 180 days are counted
Your clock starts on the first day you land. Say you arrive on 5 January. Every day you spend in the UAE until early July counts toward the 90. Leave after 60 days, come back in May and you have 30 days left in that period. travel.gc.ca says no more about how the next period starts, so ask before a trip that lands close to the limit.
Stay past your days and the overstay fine is AED 50 for each day, collected before you can leave. The UAE overstay fine guide covers how to clear it.
Canadian PR holders on other passports
Searches for a "Dubai visa for Canadian PR" come from people who live in Canada but are not yet citizens. Your passport sets the rule, not the PR card.
- Passport already visa-free for the UAE (many European and some Latin American passports): you enter on that passport's own terms.
- Passport from India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya or South Africa: ICP accepts a valid Canadian residence permit for its 14-day visa (extendable once) or its 60-day visa (not extendable). This came in with ICP's announcement of . Full details are on the Dubai visa with a US, UK or EU visa page.
- Any other visa required passport: you need a normal 30-day Dubai visa or longer tourist visa, filed by a licensed tourism establishment or an airline before you fly.
Fees
| Who | Visa | Official fee |
|---|---|---|
| Canadian citizen | Visa on arrival, 90 days in 180 | Free |
| Eligible PR holder | 14-day visa | AED 100 |
| Eligible PR holder | Extension of the 14-day visa, once | AED 250 |
| Eligible PR holder | 60-day visa | AED 250 + AED 100 smart services |
| Other PR holders | Tourist visa, 30 days single entry (GDRFA) | AED 210 |
| Other PR holders | Tourist visa, 60 days single entry (GDRFA) | AED 315 |
Source: ICP service and extension pages, ICP news of , GDRFA tourist visa page, checked .
What Dubai agencies charge
For a 30-day single entry tourist visa, Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 340 to AED 800 (published prices of 8 Dubai agencies, checked ). That range is the market, not our price.
Documents for a PR holder
- Passport valid for 6 months or more
- Canadian PR card or other residence permit valid for at least 6 months
- Photo on a white background, ICAO style
- Return or onward ticket
- Health insurance valid in the UAE, for the tourist visa
Steps for the 60-day route
- Check your nationality is one of the seven ICP lists.
- Check your PR card and passport each have 6 months left.
- Apply online before you fly; ICP's system uses UAE Pass, so a UAE contact or a visa service usually files it.
- Enter within 30 days of the visa being issued.
- Leave by day 60. This visa cannot be extended.
Processing time
The citizen's visa on arrival is given at the passport counter. ICP states 2 days for the 14-day and 60-day visas. GDRFA states 48 hours for tourist visas. See Dubai visa processing time for more on timing.
Common refusal reasons
- PR card expiring within 6 months, or a passport near expiry.
- Applying for the PR route on a passport that is not on ICP's list.
- Name on the PR card not matching the passport spelling.
- Entering on one passport and trying to leave on another, for dual citizens.
How it works with us
Canadian citizens can skip us: the visa on arrival is free and nobody needs to file anything. We help PR holders and families where passports differ. Send your passport and PR card copies on WhatsApp or the form on this page. A visa adviser checks whether you qualify for the ICP route or need a tourist visa, then sends one total price before you pay. The team prepares the file, submits it and chases it until the e-visa is issued to your email. We are a private visa service, and ICP or GDRFA makes the decision.
A refusal means the government fee stays with the authorities. Before you pay, the adviser puts in writing how much of the total, if anything, you get back if that happens.
Official sources
- travel.gc.ca, United Arab Emirates: 90 days in 180 from first entry, passport, same-passport exit.
- ICP 60-day visa for nationals residing abroad: eligible nationalities, Canada residence, fees.
- ICP visa extension: 14-day extension fee.
- GDRFA tourist visa: tourist visa fees and documents.
All read on .
