Last updated
No, British citizens do not need a visa for Dubai. With a full British passport you get a free visit visa stamped at passport control, good for up to 90 days over a 180-day period, in one stay or several. Your passport needs at least 6 months of validity from the day you land. Nothing is filed and nothing is paid before you fly.
What gov.uk says about entering the UAE
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office keeps the UK's travel advice for the United Arab Emirates. Its entry requirements page (updated ) sets out three points that matter to most British visitors:
- The visitor visa is free and issued on arrival. It lasts up to 90 days over a 180-day period, continuous or split.
- Your passport must have 6 months left from the date you arrive. If you live in the UAE, the FCDO gives 3 months instead.
- Working on a visit visa is not allowed.
Older lists you may still find online said 30 days for UK passports. That is out of date: the FCDO page and the Emirates airline visa page now both say 90 days in 180.
The 6-month passport rule, with an example
This is the rule that catches British travellers most often, because the UK itself does not ask for spare validity. Count 6 months back from your passport's expiry date. If it expires on 10 May, the last day you can arrive in Dubai as a visitor is 10 November before it. Arrive later and the airline can refuse to board you in London or Manchester.
Renew first if you are close. A new passport means a fresh start on the stamp, but the 90 days in 180 still follow you as a person, not the document.
Fees for British visitors
| What you need | Official fee |
|---|---|
| Visit stamp on arrival | Free |
| Overstay after your permitted days | AED 50 per day |
| Visit visa sponsored by a UAE resident relative (GDRFA, single entry) | AED 200 (30 days), AED 300 (60 days), AED 400 (90 days), plus 5% VAT |
| Refundable deposit on that visa | AED 1,000 |
| Health insurance on that visa | AED 40, AED 60 or AED 90 by length |
| Status change while you are inside the UAE | AED 500 + AED 10 + AED 10 |
Source: GDRFA Dubai service pages and ICP visit visa page, checked . FCDO for the free stamp.
Families travelling on mixed passports
Your British children travel on the same terms as you: free stamp, same 90 days, same 6-month check on their passports. The questions start when someone in the family holds a different passport.
- A spouse on an Indian, Filipino or Kenyan passport with UK residence or a UK visa. ICP's residence route gives a 14-day visa (extendable once) or a 60-day visa (not extendable) for these nationalities. Details are on the Dubai visa with a US, UK or EU visa page.
- A family member whose passport is on the visa required list, without that route. They need a tourist visa before the flight, filed by a licensed Dubai tourism establishment.
- Children under 18 on a visa required passport. The UAE Cabinet waived the visa fee for tourists' children from 15 July to 15 September each year (Gulf News report of the decision). See Dubai visa for children.
Long stays: parents and grandparents visiting family in Dubai
Plenty of British retirees spend the winter with a son or daughter who works in Dubai. The visit stamp runs out after 90 days in any 180. After that, you either leave, or your relative sponsors a visit visa for you.
A UAE resident can sponsor first-degree relatives such as parents on an ICP visit visa with a monthly salary of AED 4,000 or more. Second and third-degree relatives need AED 8,000. ICP's issuance page caps the total stay at 120 days, while ICP and GDRFA extension pages say 180 days. Ask before you book a long return date. The Dubai family visit visa and Dubai visa extension pages go through both.
What Dubai agencies charge
For a new 90-day visit visa issued without leaving the country, Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 2,850 to AED 5,500 (published prices of 2 Dubai agencies, checked ). These are other firms' prices, not ours.
Documents checklist
At the airport:
- British passport with 6 months left (3 months if you are a UAE resident)
- A return or onward plan, in case the officer asks
For a sponsored visit visa:
- Passport copy and a photo on a white background
- The sponsor's passport, residence visa and salary proof
- Proof of the relationship, such as a birth or marriage certificate
- Health insurance valid in the UAE
Steps for a British parent staying past 90 days
- Note your arrival date. Count your days in the last 180.
- Before day 90, your relative in Dubai applies for the sponsored visit visa.
- Because you are already in the country, the inside-country fee is added.
- Once issued, your status moves to the new visa and the new days start.
- Keep the e-visa on your phone and printed until you leave.
Processing time
The stamp takes the time of the passport queue. GDRFA states 48 hours for a sponsored visit visa and for a status change. ICP states 2 days.
Why British travellers get stopped or refused
- Passport under 6 months at check-in. Fix it with a renewal before booking.
- Old overstay fines left unpaid. Pay them before you travel again; see the UAE overstay fine guide.
- Sponsor's salary below the tier for the relationship.
- No proof of relationship, or names spelled differently across documents.
- Taking paid work on the visit stamp.
How it works with us
Most British visitors never need us for a holiday, and we say so. Where we help is a longer stay, a sponsored visa for a parent, or a visa for a family member on a different passport. You send passport copies and the travel dates on WhatsApp or the form on this page. A visa adviser works out which visa fits each person and sends one total price before you pay anything. The team then files the application and follows it up. You receive the e-visa by email. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service: GDRFA or ICP makes the decision on every file.
If an application is refused, the government fees are not refunded by the authorities. Before you pay, your adviser tells you in writing which part of the total, if any, comes back after a refusal.
Official sources
- FCDO travel advice, UAE entry requirements: 90 days in 180, passport validity, no work on a visit.
- u.ae, do you need a visa: 6-month passport rule.
- ICP visit visa: sponsor salary tiers, 120-day cap, overstay fine.
- GDRFA relative visit visa: fees, deposit, insurance.
- MOFA visa exemptions: United Kingdom shown as Visa Free.
All checked .
