Last updated
Vietnamese citizens need a UAE visa issued before they fly to Dubai. Living in Vietnam, you use a GDRFA tourist visa, AED 210 for 30 days single entry, filed by a Dubai tourism establishment or your airline in about 48 hours. If you hold a visa or residence from the US, UK or EU, or a residence permit from Korea, Japan, Australia, Canada, Singapore or New Zealand, ICP's 14 or 60-day visa is open to you.
Your options with a Viet Nam passport
- Tourist visa. For a holiday or a short business trip, 30 or 60 days, single or multiple entry.
- Relative visit visa. A parent, spouse, child or sibling who holds UAE residence sponsors you.
- ICP residence-abroad visa. For Vietnamese who live in one of nine qualifying places. Viet Nam was added on .
- Transit visa. 48 or 96 hours, through the airline, if you leave the airport between flights.
The UAE foreign ministry's visa checker shows Viet Nam as visa required, so all four must be issued before you land.
From Vietnam: government fee or airline price
Two common ways to buy the same tourist visa, with different numbers on the receipt:
| Tourist visa | GDRFA fee | Emirates price |
|---|---|---|
| 30 days, single entry | AED 210 | US$90 |
| 30 days, multiple entry | AED 315 | US$136 |
| 60 days, single entry | AED 315 | US$177 |
| 60 days, multiple entry | AED 525 | US$231 |
Source: GDRFA tourist visa pages and the Emirates UAE visa page, checked . The Emirates prices are for its own passengers and leave out visa centre fees.
What Dubai agencies charge
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 340 to AED 800 for a 30-day single entry visa and AED 535 to AED 1,200 for 60 days single entry (published prices of 8 Dubai agencies each, checked ). The 30-day Dubai visa page lists what those prices include.
Vietnamese in Korea, Japan, Australia or Europe
ICP accepts a valid visa or residence permit from the US, an EU state or the UK, or a valid residence permit from Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, Singapore or New Zealand. GDRFA's version of the same service asks for 6 months of validity on that document.
14 days or 60 days?
| 14-day visa | 60-day visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | AED 100 | AED 250 plus AED 100 smart services |
| Extension | Once, AED 250 | Not possible |
| Entry | Within 30 days of issue | Within 30 days of issue |
| Fits | A short trip or a stopover with room to extend | A long holiday with fixed dates |
Source: ICP announcement and ICP service pages, checked .
Pick the 14-day visa if your dates may move, because you can add a second 14 days inside the UAE. Pick the 60-day visa only if you are sure you will leave in time. Your family travelling with you can use the same route if each person meets the conditions. Holders of a UK, US or EU visa can read more on Dubai visa with a US, UK or EU visa.
Visiting a relative who lives in the UAE
GDRFA's relative visit visa is AED 200, AED 300 or AED 400 for 30, 60 or 90 days single entry, and AED 300, AED 500 or AED 700 for multiple entry, plus 5% VAT. On ICP the sponsor needs AED 4,000 a month for a parent, spouse or child and AED 8,000 for a sibling. A refundable guarantee is lodged and returned after you leave without violations.
Documents checklist
- Vietnamese passport, 6 months or more from your entry date
- Photo to ICAO standard: white background, face clear, no sunglasses (full rules)
- Return or onward ticket
- UAE-valid health insurance for tourist and visit visas
- ICP route: copy of your residence card or visa abroad
- Relative visit: sponsor's residence and income papers and proof of the relationship
Processing time
GDRFA: 48 hours for tourist and visit visas. ICP: 2 days for the residence-abroad visa. Emirates: about 2 to 4 working days, so apply at least 4 working days before arrival when you book through the airline. You can follow the file with the GDRFA or ICP tools on Dubai visa status check.
What gets a Vietnamese application refused
- A Korean or Japanese residence card with less than 6 months left.
- A name typed without matching the passport's machine-readable line, for example with diacritics handled differently. Copy the spelling exactly as printed.
- Choosing the 60-day ICP visa and needing an extension later. It cannot be extended.
- A sponsor whose salary is below the tier for that relative.
- Documents not sent within 30 days of a GDRFA request, which cancels the file.
If plans change in Dubai
A tourist visa can be extended, up to 120 days in total. The GDRFA extension fee is AED 600 plus 5% VAT, and the process is on Dubai visa extension. Overstaying costs AED 50 a day, paid before you can leave. We did not find Vietnam's own exit rules for workers going to the UAE on an official page, so ask the Embassy of Vietnam in Abu Dhabi if you are going for a job.
How it works with us
Start on WhatsApp or the form here: a passport photo, where you live now, and the dates. A visa adviser checks whether the tourist visa, a relative visa or the ICP route suits your case and quotes one total price before you pay. Our visa team then files the application in the UAE, handles any extra request and sends you the PDF visa. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private company that prepares and files applications. GDRFA or ICP approves or refuses them.
Government fees are kept by the UAE authorities when a visa is refused. We tell you in writing, before payment, how much of your total you would get back after a refusal, if any.
Official sources
- UAE MOFA visa checker: Viet Nam shown as visa required.
- ICP announcement: Viet Nam added, 14 and 60-day fees.
- ICP 60-day service: conditions and entry window.
- GDRFA visa for residents outside the UAE: 6-month validity and 48 hours.
- GDRFA single entry tourist visa: documents.
- Embassy of Vietnam in the UAE: consular help for Vietnamese in the UAE.
