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Sri Lankans need a UAE visa issued before they travel to Dubai. There is no visa on arrival for Sri Lanka. The government fee for a 30-day tourist visa is AED 210, or AED 315 for 60 days, filed by a Dubai tourism company or an airline. GDRFA states 48 hours. A relative living in the UAE can sponsor a visit visa instead.
What you really pay, layer by layer
The number you see quoted in Colombo or online is rarely the bare fee. It helps to split it.
The GDRFA fee
| Tourist visa | Fee with VAT |
|---|---|
| 30 days, one entry | AED 210 |
| 60 days, one entry | AED 315 |
| 30 days, several entries | AED 315 |
| 60 days, several entries | AED 525 |
Source: GDRFA tourist visa pages, checked . There is no security deposit on a tourist visa.
The airline price
Emirates arranges visas for its own passengers. Its published prices are US$90 for 30 days single entry, US$136 for 30 days multiple entry, US$177 for 60 days single entry and US$231 for 60 days multiple entry. You need an Emirates return ticket and a hotel booking or a relative's tenancy contract. These are airline prices, not government fees.
The agency price
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 340 to AED 800 for a 30-day single entry visa (8 agencies, prices checked ). Ask any agent to show the GDRFA fee on its own line, so you can see what the service part costs. Our Dubai visa price page compares every visa length.
Children travelling with you
A UAE Cabinet decision exempts tourists' children under 18 from the visa fee from 15 July to 15 September each year. Outside those dates the child pays the normal fee, so plan the trip dates with that in mind. More on the visa for children page.
A relative in the UAE as your sponsor
If you are staying with family, the UAE resident applies to ICP, and ICP checks salary against the relationship:
- Parent, spouse or child of the sponsor: AED 4,000 a month.
- Brother, sister, grandparent, uncle, aunt or cousin: AED 8,000 a month.
- Friend: AED 15,000 a month.
Watch out for a mismatch. The Emirates visa page lists different salary levels for its own sponsored visas, including AED 5,500 for siblings and AED 10,000 for friends. For an ICP visit visa, ICP's table is the one that counts.
ICP also holds a refundable guarantee of AED 1,000 for one entry or AED 2,000 for several. The visitor must enter within 60 days of issue. The full rules are on the family visit visa page.
Frequent visitors
If you visit a relative two or three times a year, a multiple entry tourist visa saves you a new application each trip. Compare the options on the Dubai multiple entry visa page.
Going to the UAE for work: SLBFE first
The Sri Lanka Bureau of Foreign Employment (SLBFE) registers citizens leaving for jobs abroad. Its FAQ lists:
- New registration: Rs. 22,027.
- Renewal: Rs. 4,599.
- Documents: passport valid for 6 months, the visa and the service agreement.
- A Family Background Report for women aged 45 or under with children aged 2 to 18.
SLBFE also says that if you travel on a tourist visa and then get a work visa, you need a new registration. A visit visa does not cover work in the UAE; the employer applies for the work permit and residence.
Documents checklist
- Passport photo page in colour, 6 months valid from your arrival date.
- Photo on a white background, no hat or sunglasses.
- Return ticket, and for Emirates visas a ticket issued by Emirates.
- Hotel booking, or the relative's tenancy contract.
- UAE-valid health insurance.
- Sponsor's residence, Emirates ID and salary certificate, for the family route.
Processing time
GDRFA states 48 hours for tourist visas and ICP states 2 days for visit visas, counted from a complete file. Emirates quotes about 2 to 4 working days. See Dubai visa processing time for what slows files down.
Why Sri Lankan applications are refused
- A cousin or in-law sponsored on a salary below AED 8,000.
- A scan cut off at the edges, or a photo with shadows.
- Passport validity short by a few weeks.
- An earlier overstay in the UAE. The fine is AED 50 a day and the record stays.
How it works with us
Send the Sri Lankan passport scan and your dates on WhatsApp, or fill in the form on this page. Say if a relative in the UAE could sponsor you. A visa adviser compares the tourist visa and the family visit visa for your case, including the guarantee, and you get one total price confirmed on WhatsApp before you pay. The team files with GDRFA or ICP, chases any missing document, and sends the e-visa to your email.
DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private company, not a government body. GDRFA or ICP decides every application. Government fees are not refunded by the authorities when a visa is refused. Your adviser tells you in writing, before payment, what part of the total comes back if that happens.
Official sources
- MOFA visa exemptions page: Sri Lanka listed as visa required.
- GDRFA single entry tourist visa: fees, VAT, 48 hours.
- ICP visit visa: salary levels, guarantee, 2 days.
- Emirates UAE visa information: airline visa prices and timing.
- SLBFE FAQ: registration fees and documents.
