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Ethiopians need a Dubai visa issued before they fly, since Ethiopia is on the UAE's visa required list. For a holiday, a licensed Dubai tourism company or airline files a GDRFA tourist visa, AED 210 for 30 days and AED 315 for 60 days. GDRFA lists 48 hours. If a relative lives in the UAE, they can sponsor a family visit visa instead.
Pick the visa by purpose
- Holiday or shopping. GDRFA tourist visa, 30 or 60 days, single or multiple entry. No family sponsor needed.
- Visiting a husband, wife, parent or sibling. A family visit visa sponsored by that relative. See our family visit visa guide.
- Looking for work. The job seeker visa needs no sponsor, but only graduates who meet the skill rules qualify.
- Taking a job you already have. The employer applies for a work permit. Do not travel on a visit visa for it.
The price list
Tourist visa through a tourism establishment
| Stay | Single entry | Multiple entry |
|---|---|---|
| 30 days | AED 210 | AED 315 |
| 60 days | AED 315 | AED 525 |
Family visit visa through GDRFA
| Stay | Visa fee | Medical insurance line |
|---|---|---|
| 30 days | AED 200 plus 5% VAT | AED 40 |
| 60 days | AED 300 plus 5% VAT | AED 60 |
| 90 days | AED 400 plus 5% VAT | AED 90 |
The sponsor also pays a refundable AED 1,000 deposit with AED 20 and AED 40 handling fees. Source: GDRFA tourist and relative visit visa pages, checked .
What Dubai agencies charge
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 340 to AED 800 for a 30-day single entry visa and about AED 535 to AED 1,200 for 60 days single entry (published prices of 8 Dubai agencies each, checked ).
Who can sponsor a family visit
ICP sets the sponsor's minimum monthly salary by how close the relationship is. First degree, meaning father, mother, spouse, son or daughter: AED 4,000. Second degree, meaning siblings, grandparents and grandchildren, and third degree, meaning uncles, aunts and cousins: AED 8,000. Friends: AED 15,000. The guarantee is AED 1,000 for one entry or AED 2,000 for multiple entry and comes back after you leave, if there were no violations.
Documents
- Ethiopian passport valid for 6 months or more from arrival
- Bio page scan in colour, flat, with the machine readable lines visible
- Photo on a white background, no hat or sunglasses; see photo rules
- Return ticket
- Health insurance valid in the UAE; more on our health insurance page
- Family visits: sponsor's passport, residence, Emirates ID, salary certificate and a marriage or birth certificate showing the link
Processing time
A complete tourist file takes 48 hours at GDRFA. Sponsored visits are 48 hours at GDRFA or 2 days at ICP. The time goes up when a document is unclear, and GDRFA cancels a request if missing papers are not sent within 30 days.
Working in Dubai as an Ethiopian
Ethiopia has its own law on overseas employment, and on the UAE side every job needs an employer sponsored permit. Domestic work has its own history. Gulf News reported that the UAE labour ministry stopped issuing permits for Ethiopian domestic workers from , after Ethiopia's own ban. Hiring was reported to restart in after new agreements, though we could not confirm that on an official page. If you are offered household work, ask whether the employer or a Tadbeer centre is filing a proper domestic worker visa.
The job seeker visa is for 60, 90 or 120 days and needs a bachelor's degree plus a MOHRE skill level of 1, 2 or 3, or a degree from a top 500 university.
Why Ethiopian applications are refused
- A host relationship that the papers do not prove, such as a marriage certificate that is missing or unclear
- Salary certificate below the tier for that relative
- Photo with a coloured background or shadows
- Return date past the visa's end
- A previous stay where the visitor worked or overstayed; overstay costs AED 50 a day
How it works with us
Write to us on WhatsApp or use the form on this page, with the passport copy and the name of whoever hosts you. A visa adviser checks which visa matches your purpose and, for family visits, whether the sponsor's salary meets the tier. One total price comes before payment. The team then types the application, uploads the papers in the format GDRFA or ICP accepts, files it and stays on it until the result. The e-visa reaches you by email. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. GDRFA or ICP approves or refuses.
The authorities do not refund their fees after a refusal. Your adviser tells you in writing, before you pay, which part of the total, if any, would come back.
Official sources
- MOFA visa exemptions page: Ethiopia listed as visa required
- GDRFA tourist visa: fees and 48 hours
- GDRFA relative visit visa: fees, deposit and insurance lines
- ICP visit visa: relationship degrees and salary tiers
- u.ae job seeker visa: eligibility
Nearby: Kenya. Every passport: Dubai visa by nationality.
