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Ghanaians need a Dubai visa before they travel, because Ghana is on the UAE's visa required list. For a holiday, a licensed Dubai tourism company or a UAE airline files a GDRFA tourist visa: AED 210 for 30 days or AED 315 for 60 days, single entry. With a complete file, GDRFA lists 48 hours. A relative living in the UAE can sponsor a visit visa instead.
Answer three questions first
Most problems start with the wrong visa type, so settle these before you pay anyone.
- Who is the sponsor? No family in the UAE means a tourist visa through a tourism company, hotel or airline. A relative with UAE residence can sponsor you through ICP or GDRFA instead.
- How long will you stay? Pick 30 or 60 days. A tourist visa can be extended inside the UAE, but GDRFA caps tourist stays at 120 days in total.
- Are you going to work? Then a tourist visa is the wrong tool. Read the section on work visas below.
Cost of a Dubai tourist visa for Ghanaians
| Option | GDRFA fee | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| 30 days, single entry | AED 210 | A short holiday or shopping trip |
| 60 days, single entry | AED 315 | Longer family stays |
| 30 days, multiple entry | AED 315 | Side trips to Oman and back |
| 60 days, multiple entry | AED 525 | Repeat business visits |
Source: GDRFA tourist visa service pages, checked . Fees include 5% VAT and carry no security deposit at GDRFA level.
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 ). For 60 days single entry the published range is AED 535 to AED 1,200 (8 agencies, same check). A Ghanaian agent in Accra usually adds their own margin, so ask for the GDRFA fee as a separate line.
Papers to collect in Ghana
- Ghana passport with at least 6 months left from the day you land
- A colour scan of the bio page, all four corners showing
- Passport photo on a plain white background
- Return or onward ticket out of the UAE
- Health insurance that is valid in the UAE
- For a family visit: the host's Emirates ID, residence visa, salary certificate and proof that you are related
Applying, from Accra to arrival
- Send the documents to the Dubai company or airline that will sponsor the visa.
- They file the request with GDRFA and pay the government fee.
- GDRFA reviews it. If something is missing, it asks, and the request is cancelled after 30 days without an answer.
- The e-visa arrives by email. Print it, since random eye screening at Dubai airport can ask for a paper copy, and a printed copy there costs AED 30.
- Travel inside the validity window and leave before the last permitted day.
How long it takes
GDRFA states 48 hours for a complete tourist visa file. ICP lists 2 days for a sponsored visit visa. Add time for your agent to collect papers and for any question from immigration, and apply at least a week before your flight. Our processing time guide has more detail.
Work visas: the police clearance rule
Ghana's foreign ministry, reported by Graphic Online, said Ghanaians applying for UAE employment visas need a police clearance certificate from , authenticated by the ministry and the UAE Embassy in Accra. The ministry cited a UAE Cabinet decision. We have not seen the UAE text itself, so ask your employer what they need before you spend money on authentication.
A real job offer comes with an employer sponsored work permit and residence. Your employer files those, not a visit visa agent.
Domestic work: Ghana's own ban
Ghana stopped recruitment of domestic workers to Gulf states in . Ghanaian media reported the ban still in place in , and we found no later news of it being lifted. Anyone offering you a housemaid job in Dubai on a visit visa is asking you to break both countries' rules.
Old reports you may see
In an agent list said 30-day visas had stopped for Ghana and other African countries. Ghana said it had no communication from the UAE. That list is old, and the MOFA page today simply shows Ghana as visa required.
Why applications from Ghana are refused
- Passport with under 6 months of validity left
- A scan with glare or cut corners
- Sponsor salary below the ICP tier: AED 4,000 for parents, spouse or children, AED 8,000 for siblings, AED 15,000 for friends
- No return ticket, or one dated after the visa ends
- An earlier overstay in the UAE, fined at AED 50 a day
How it works with us
Message us on WhatsApp or fill in the form on this page with your passport copy and dates. A visa adviser confirms whether a tourist visa or a sponsored visit visa suits your trip, then sends one total price. Nothing is filed until you agree to it. The team prepares the request in the format GDRFA expects, submits it and answers any follow-up questions. You get the e-visa by email. We are a private visa service, and GDRFA or ICP decides every application.
If the visa is refused, the authorities keep their fees. Your adviser tells you in writing, before payment, what part of the total comes back in that case, if any.
Official sources
- MOFA visa exemptions page: Ghana listed as visa required
- GDRFA single entry tourist visa: fees, documents, 48 hours
- GDRFA multiple entry tourist visa: multiple entry fees
- ICP visit visa: sponsor salary and guarantee
West Africa also: Nigeria. Full list: Dubai visa by nationality.
