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Zimbabwean citizens need a UAE visa issued before they travel to Dubai. Zimbabwe is on the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs' "visa required" list. The GDRFA tourist visa costs AED 210 for 30 days and AED 315 for 60 days, and GDRFA states 48 hours for a complete file. For a job, the employer applies for a different visa.
The requirements, in one list
These are the conditions on the GDRFA tourist visa pages, which apply to Zimbabwean visitors the same as to other visa-required passports:
- A passport valid for at least 6 months from the day you enter.
- A colour copy of the passport bio page.
- A personal photo to ICAO standard, white background, no sunglasses or hat (photo rules).
- A return or onward ticket.
- Health insurance valid in the UAE.
- A sponsor inside the UAE: a licensed tourism establishment for a tourist visa, or a resident relative or friend for a visit visa.
No extra document for Zimbabwe appears on those pages. The Dubai visa requirements page explains each item in more depth.
Fees and where they come from
| Visa | Length | Government fee |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist, single entry | 30 days | AED 210 |
| Tourist, single entry | 60 days | AED 315 |
| Tourist, multiple entry | 30 days | AED 315 |
| Tourist, multiple entry | 60 days | AED 525 |
| Job seeker visit | 60, 90 or 120 days | AED 200, AED 300 or AED 400, plus 5% VAT |
Source: GDRFA tourist and job seeker service pages, checked . The job seeker visa also takes a AED 1,000 security deposit plus AED 20 and AED 40 fees.
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 340 to AED 800 for a 30-day single entry visa (published prices of 8 Dubai agencies, checked ).
Zimbabweans living in South Africa, the UK or elsewhere
Many Zimbabwean travellers to Dubai live outside Zimbabwe. The ICP residence-abroad visa does not help here: it covers South African citizens, not Zimbabweans living in South Africa. Your passport decides. Apply for a normal visa, and use your residence card and return ticket to show you are going back.
Visiting a relative in the UAE
A Zimbabwean working in Dubai or Abu Dhabi can sponsor family on a visit visa. ICP's monthly income rule is AED 4,000 for parents, spouse or children, AED 8,000 for siblings and grandparents, and AED 15,000 for friends. The fees are AED 100 application, AED 100 a month for single entry and AED 100 smart services, plus a refundable AED 1,000 guarantee. The visitor must enter within 60 days of issue. See the family visit visa page.
Work visa for Zimbabweans
This is where many people get it wrong. A tourist visa does not allow work, and you cannot apply for a work visa yourself. The order is:
- An employer in the UAE offers you a job and applies for the work permit.
- The employer gets an entry permit for employment, or, if you are already in the UAE on a visit visa, a status change inside the country (change visa status).
- After arrival, the employer completes the residence steps with you, such as the medical test and Emirates ID.
Police clearance: consultancy sites report that police clearance certificates are being phased in for work and residence visas for several nationalities, Zimbabwe among them. We found no ICP or GDRFA text for this. Ask your employer and keep a recent clearance ready if they request it.
If you want to look for work first, the job seeker visa is the legal way. It needs MOHRE skill level 1, 2 or 3, or a degree from a top 500 university, and at least a bachelor's degree.
Why Zimbabwean applications are refused
- The passport runs out within 6 months of arrival.
- The applicant plans to job hunt on a tourist visa and says so.
- An earlier overstay was never paid.
- The sponsor earns under the income tier for that relative.
- Documents are scanned at low resolution or cut off.
Processing time
GDRFA states 48 hours for tourist and job seeker visas. ICP states 2 days for a sponsored visit visa. Missing documents not sent within 30 days cancel the request. Overstays cost AED 50 a day (UAE overstay fine). For passport problems, Zimbabwe has an embassy in Abu Dhabi and a consulate general in Dubai.
How it works with us
Start by sending the passport copy and telling us why you are going: holiday, family visit or a job search. WhatsApp or the form on this page both work. A visa adviser checks the requirements against your papers and points out anything missing before it becomes a refusal. You get one total price on WhatsApp before you pay. Our processing partners file the visa with GDRFA or ICP and stay on it until the e-visa is issued, then send it to you. We are a private visa service, and the decision rests with the UAE authorities.
Government fees paid for a refused visa are not refunded by the authorities. Before you pay, the adviser tells you in writing what part of the total, if any, you would recover if the visa is refused.
Official sources
- MOFA visa exemptions: Zimbabwe shown as visa required.
- GDRFA tourist visa: requirements, fees, 48 hours.
- GDRFA job seeker visa and u.ae job seeker page: fees, deposit, eligibility.
- ICP visit visa: sponsor income and guarantee.
- ICP 60-day visa for residents abroad: the nationalities covered.
