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EU citizens do not need a visa for Dubai. Citizens of 26 member states get a free multiple entry visit visa on arrival: 90 days in total, used within 6 months, which is the 90 days in 180 rule. Ireland is the exception, with a free 30-day visa on arrival. Every passport needs 6 months left from the day you land.
Every EU member state at a glance
| Member state | On arrival | Entry |
|---|---|---|
| Austria | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Belgium | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Bulgaria | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Croatia | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Cyprus | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Czech Republic | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Denmark | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Estonia | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Finland | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| France | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Germany | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Greece | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Hungary | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Ireland | 30 days | Visa on arrival, free |
| Italy | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Latvia | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Lithuania | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Luxembourg | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Malta | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Netherlands | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Poland | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Portugal | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Romania | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Slovakia | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Slovenia | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Spain | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
| Sweden | 90 days in 180 | Multiple |
Source: MOFA visa checker (all 27 shown as Visa Free) and the Emirates UAE visa page (30 and 90-day lists), read on . Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway and Switzerland are outside the EU but sit on the same Emirates 90-day list.
Ireland's 30-day exception
Irish travellers are the one EU group on a shorter clock. The Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin says Irish citizens "can obtain a free 30 day visa waiver on arrival in UAE". It adds two practical points: your passport needs 6 months of validity, and the Irish passport card is not accepted. Bring the passport book.
The Abu Dhabi Residents Office describes the 30-day visa on arrival as valid for 30 days "with a 10-day period for extension". That wording is unclear and may mean a grace period rather than a paid extension. Do not plan a 40-day stay on it. Ask before you rely on it.
After the 90 days: the rule for Europeans
For the 26 states on 90 days, the Emirates visa page adds a line that matters: citizens of these European countries can apply for a pre-arranged visit visa once their 90-day visa on arrival has been fully used. So a Dutch or Polish visitor who has spent 90 days in the UAE is not stuck. A licensed Dubai tourism establishment can file a tourist visa such as a multiple entry Dubai visa, or a relative living in the UAE can sponsor a 90-day Dubai visa. If you are inside the country when it is issued, GDRFA adds its inside-country fee.
Schengen residents and EU visa holders
Searches for a "Dubai visa for EU residents" usually come from people who live in Europe on a non-EU passport. Your residence alone does not make you visa-free. Your passport decides. But ICP opens a shorter route for seven nationalities: India, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Africa. With a valid EU visa or EU residence permit, they can get:
- a 14-day visa, extendable once, or
- a 60-day visa, single entry, not extendable.
The Emirates version of the route accepts EU residence or any EU visa valid for 6 months. Note the wording: the official pages say EU, not Schengen. A visa or permit issued by Switzerland or Norway is not named. Indian nationals should read the Dubai visa for Indians page, and the Dubai visa with a US, UK or EU visa page has the full conditions.
Fees
| Case | Official fee |
|---|---|
| EU passport, visa on arrival (any state) | Free |
| Tourist visa after the 90 days, 30 days single entry (GDRFA) | AED 210 |
| Tourist visa, 30 days multiple entry (GDRFA) | AED 315 |
| Tourist visa, 60 days multiple entry (GDRFA) | AED 525 |
| Extra if issued while you are in the UAE | AED 500 + AED 10 + AED 10 |
| ICP 14-day visa, EU residence route | AED 100 |
| ICP 60-day visa, EU residence route | AED 250 + AED 100 |
| Overstay | AED 50 per day |
Source: GDRFA Dubai tourist visa pages and ICP service pages, checked . The AED 210, AED 315 and AED 525 amounts include 5% VAT.
What Dubai agencies charge
For a 30-day multiple entry tourist visa, Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 473 to AED 1,500 (published prices of 7 Dubai agencies, checked ). That is the market range, not our price.
Documents checklist
- EU passport book valid for 6 months from arrival (no Irish passport card)
- Onward or return ticket
- For a tourist visa after the 90 days: passport copy, photo on a white background, health insurance valid in the UAE
- For the residence route: EU residence permit or EU visa with 6 months left
Steps when your 90 days are nearly used
- Count your days in the UAE over the last 6 months.
- Decide whether to leave or stay on a new visa.
- If staying, have the tourist visa filed before your last permitted day.
- Pay the inside-country fee if you are still in the UAE.
- Keep the new e-visa with your passport until you leave.
Processing time
The visa on arrival is given at passport control. GDRFA states 48 hours for tourist visas. ICP states 2 days for its residence route visas.
Common refusal reasons
- An Irish traveller arriving with a passport card instead of a passport.
- An EU residence permit with less than 6 months left.
- Applying for the residence route on a passport outside the seven ICP nationalities.
- A visa filed after the 90 days have already run out, which leaves overstay days to pay. See the UAE overstay fine guide.
How it works with us
An EU citizen on a short trip has nothing to apply for, and you can ignore us. We help two groups: Europeans who want to stay past their days on arrival, and non-EU residents of Europe who want the ICP route or a normal tourist visa. Message us on WhatsApp or use the form on this page with your passport copy and your residence permit, if you have one. A visa adviser checks the route that fits and gives you one total price first. Once you agree, the team files the application, keeps track of it and sends you the e-visa. We are a private visa service. GDRFA and ICP make the decisions.
If the visa is refused, the authorities do not refund their fees. Before you pay, your adviser tells you in writing whether any of the total is returned in that case.
Official sources
- MOFA visa exemptions: all 27 EU states shown as Visa Free.
- Emirates UAE visa information: 30 and 90-day lists, rule after the 90 days (airline page).
- Irish Department of Foreign Affairs, UAE advice: 30 days, passport cards.
- Abu Dhabi Residents Office, visas: 30-day visa on arrival wording.
- ICP 60-day visa for nationals residing abroad: EU residence route.
- GDRFA tourist visa: fees and documents.
All checked .
