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Chinese citizens can travel to Dubai without applying for a visa. On the UAE side, a Chinese passport gets a free multiple entry visit visa on arrival, valid 6 months from issue, for 90 days of stay in total. China's own foreign ministry notice still says 30 days, so confirm before a long trip. Your passport needs 6 months of validity. Work and residence need a separate visa.
What a Chinese passport gets on arrival
The UAE foreign ministry's visa checker shows the People's Republic of China as visa free. Emirates lists China among the passports that receive a multiple entry 90-day visit visa, valid for 6 months from the date of issue and for a stay of 90 days in total. Nothing is paid at the passport desk.
Hong Kong and Macau passports follow different lists, so this page covers mainland Chinese passports only.
30 days or 90 days: the two governments' pages differ
On China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs published a notice saying Chinese citizens may stay in the UAE visa free for 30 days. That notice has not been updated on the ministry's site.
The UAE side moved later. Law firm alerts from reported the change to 90 days in 180 for China and several other countries, and Emirates' UAE visa page now lists China in its 90-day group.
Which one should you follow? Entry to the UAE is a UAE decision, so the UAE rule is the one that counts at Dubai airport. Still, if your trip runs past day 30, check with your airline or ICP before you fly, and keep your return ticket handy in case the officer asks.
Counting 90 days in 180
Every day you spend in the UAE counts towards the 90, and the visa itself lasts 6 months from issue. Say you land in March for 40 days, leave, and come back in May for 35 days. You have used 75 days and have 15 left until that 6-month window closes. Keep your boarding passes: they are the easiest way to add up your days.
Fees and costs for longer plans
| Item | Official fee |
|---|---|
| Visit visa on arrival, 90 days in 180 | Free |
| ICP 5-year multiple entry tourist visa | AED 100 application, AED 500 issuance, AED 100 smart services, AED 3,000 guarantee, AED 20 deposit fee |
| GDRFA job seeker visit visa | AED 200 for 60 days, AED 300 for 90 days, AED 400 for 120 days, plus 5% VAT |
| GDRFA status amendment inside the UAE | AED 500 plus AED 10 plus AED 10 |
| Overstay fine, ICP | AED 50 per day |
Source: ICP and GDRFA service pages, checked . The 5-year visa adds up to AED 3,720, and the AED 3,000 guarantee is refundable.
What Dubai agencies charge
Two Dubai agencies publish about AED 3,713 to AED 5,000 for the 5-year tourist visa (published prices of 2 Dubai agencies, checked ). There is no market price for the arrival visa, because it is free.
Business travellers and longer plans
- Frequent trips for trade fairs or suppliers: the 5-year tourist visa allows up to 90 days per stay, extendable, and up to 180 days a year from first entry. You need a bank balance of USD 4,000 over the last 6 months and UAE health insurance.
- Coming to look for a job: MOHRE's job seeker visa needs no sponsor, but only for skill levels 1 to 3 or graduates of the top 500 universities, with a bachelor's degree.
- A job offer while you are here: the employer applies for the work permit, then the status change inside the UAE moves you onto it.
- More than one entry on a set visa: compare the multiple entry visa options.
Documents to carry
- Chinese passport valid at least 6 months from your entry date
- Return or onward ticket, in case you are asked
- Hotel booking or host's address
For the 5-year visa add a white background photo, bank statements for 6 months and UAE-valid insurance.
Arriving in Dubai, step by step
- Check your passport has 6 months left on the day you land.
- At the passport desk, hand over the passport. The visit visa is issued there.
- Note the entry date and start counting toward your 90 days.
- Before you go past day 30, recheck the rule with your airline if your plans depend on it.
- Leave before the 90 days or the 6-month window ends, whichever comes first.
Processing time
The arrival visa takes no application time. ICP states 2 days for its visa services, and GDRFA states 48 hours for the job seeker visa and status amendments.
Reasons you could be stopped or refused
- A passport with less than 6 months left.
- Days over 90, which turn into fines at AED 50 a day.
- A 5-year visa application with bank balances under USD 4,000 in one of the months.
- Working on a visit, which the visa does not allow.
The overstay fine page explains how fines and the departure permit work.
Chinese embassy and consulate in the UAE
The Embassy of the People's Republic of China in the United Arab Emirates is in Abu Dhabi, and the Consulate General of the People's Republic of China is in Dubai. They issue Chinese passports and help citizens. They do not issue UAE visas. If you are a UAE resident of another nationality searching "China visa Dubai", you want China visa for UAE residents instead.
How it works with us
A short visit needs no paperwork from us. Contact us when the plan grows: send your passport page on WhatsApp or the form here and describe the goal, such as a 5-year visa for regular supplier visits, a job seeker visa, or a status change after a job offer. A visa adviser checks the eligibility rules and gives you one total price before you pay. Our visa team files the application with ICP or GDRFA and keeps you posted until it is decided. We are a private, independent visa service, so the UAE authorities make the decision.
When a visa is refused, the government keeps its fees. The adviser sends you, before you pay, a written note of which part of our total would be refunded after a refusal, if any.
Official sources
- UAE MOFA visa checker: People's Republic of China shown as visa free.
- China MFA notice: the 30-day wording.
- ICP 5-year tourist visa: fees, stay limits, bank balance.
- ICP overstay fines: AED 50 a day.
- Embassy of China in the UAE and Consulate General of China in Dubai: mission names and consular help.
