Last updated
Syrian citizens need a UAE visa issued before they travel to Dubai. MOFA lists Syria as "visa required". Media reported that new visas for Syrians living in Syria were suspended from early , but no GDRFA, ICP or MOFA notice confirms it. When a visa is issued, the GDRFA fee is AED 210 for 30 days. Check your own case first.
What we know and what we do not
We keep this section honest because people lose money on rumours.
Confirmed from an official page: Syria is shown as visa required on the MOFA visa checker, checked . There is no visa on arrival for Syrian passports.
Reported, not confirmed: in , Enab Baladi reported that visa issuance for Syrians in Syria had been suspended at the start of that year, and that brokers were selling visas. We found no government text behind it.
Not known: whether that suspension still applies, whether it was ever lifted, and whether it covers Syrians living outside Syria. We searched for a resumption announcement and found none. We will update this page when an official source says something.
Check these five things before you pay anyone
- Where you live. The report was about Syrians inside Syria. Syrians with residence in a GCC country or elsewhere may be in a different position, but nothing official confirms that either.
- Whether the filer accepts Syrian files today. A Dubai tourism establishment or sponsor can tell you if the system takes the application. Ask before paying.
- Who keeps your money after a refusal. Government fees are not refunded after a refusal. ICP refunds only issuance fees in some cases, never the application or smart service fees.
- Whether a "guaranteed" offer is real. Nobody outside the UAE authorities can guarantee a visa. Treat any guarantee as a warning sign.
- Whether the visa shows in the system. Every real visa can be checked on the GDRFA status inquiry or the ICP file validity tool. See Dubai visa verification.
Routes that exist on paper
These are the normal routes for a visa-required passport. Their existence does not mean a Syrian application will be accepted at the moment.
| Route | Who files | Government fees |
|---|---|---|
| GDRFA tourist visa, 30 days single | Licensed Dubai tourism establishment | AED 210 with VAT |
| GDRFA tourist visa, 60 days single | Licensed Dubai tourism establishment | AED 315 with VAT |
| ICP visit visa for a relative | UAE resident sponsor | AED 100 application, AED 100 a month, AED 100 smart services, AED 1,000 refundable guarantee |
| GDRFA visa for GCC residents | You or an agent | AED 52.5 service, AED 100 application, AED 100 issuance |
Sources: GDRFA tourist and GCC resident service pages, ICP visit visa page, checked .
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 340 to AED 800 for a 30-day single entry visa (published prices of 8 Dubai agencies, checked ). Those prices are for passports the agencies can file normally. A much higher price for a Syrian passport is not a sign of a better chance.
Syrians resident in the Gulf
If you live in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Oman or Bahrain, look at the GCC residents visa. GDRFA needs a valid GCC residence, a profession on its approved list, a passport valid 6 months and a residence copy that shows your profession. The profession is judged case by case.
If someone in the UAE sponsors you
A resident relative applies, and ICP sets the income: AED 4,000 a month for a parent, spouse or child, AED 8,000 for a sibling, AED 15,000 for a friend. The sponsor sees the result in the system. A clear refusal is better than months of waiting on a broker's promise.
Documents for any route
- Syrian passport valid at least 6 months from entry
- Colour scan of the bio page
- Photo on a white background to ICAO standard
- Return or onward ticket
- UAE-valid health insurance
- GCC residence copy, or the sponsor's Emirates ID, salary proof and relationship document
Refusals and processing time
GDRFA states 48 hours and ICP 2 days for a complete file. A refusal can come for the usual reasons: past overstay, sponsor income under the tier, unclear documents. It can also come without a stated reason. The rejection reasons page explains what can be fixed.
How it works with us
Message us the passport copy, where you live now and who would sponsor you, on WhatsApp or through the form. A visa adviser first checks whether a file for your situation can be submitted at all. If it cannot, we tell you so and you are not asked to pay. If it can, you get one total price confirmed on WhatsApp, and our processing partners file it and track it until GDRFA or ICP decides. We are a private visa service. We have no special channel and cannot promise an outcome.
The authorities do not refund government fees after a refusal. Before you pay, the adviser puts in writing what part of the total, if any, comes back to you if it is refused.
Official sources
- MOFA visa exemptions: Syria shown as visa required.
- Enab Baladi, : report of the suspension and brokers (media, not official).
- GDRFA status inquiry and ICP file validity: checking a visa.
- GDRFA entry visa for GCC residents: conditions and fees.
- ICP refund of fees: which fees can come back.
