Last updated
Living in the UK does not decide your Dubai visa. Your passport does. British citizens can get a visitor visa free on arrival for up to 90 days in any 180, according to gov.uk. Indians, Filipinos and five other nationalities can use UK papers for an ICP 14-day or 60-day visa. Every other passport files an ordinary visit visa before flying.
This page is for people who live in Britain, with any passport. For the British passport entry rules in detail, see Dubai visa for UK citizens.
Which group are you in
British passport. The UAE foreign ministry lists the United Kingdom as visa free, with a free multiple entry visit visa on arrival valid 6 months and up to 90 days in total. Nothing to apply for.
Indian, Indonesian, Vietnamese, Thai, Filipino, Kenyan or South African passport, with a UK visa or residence. ICP's 60-day visa for nationals living abroad accepts a valid UK visa or residence. It costs AED 250 plus AED 100 smart services, AED 350 in all, and takes 2 days. The 14-day visa is AED 100 and extends once.
A caution on the UK. Indian outlets reported in that UK documents no longer count. When we read ICP's pages in the UK was still listed. If a UK document is your only qualifier, ask ICP or your airline first.
Any other passport. No shortcut applies. You file a 30 or 60-day visit visa. See Dubai visa 60 days.
What gov.uk says about entry
The UK government's entry page has four points worth acting on:
- Your passport must expire at least 6 months after the day you arrive. With a UAE residence permit, 3 months.
- Fines can build up for each day you exceed your authorised stay.
- Bringing medication needs Ministry of Health approval in advance.
- The 90 days can be continuous or split, but never more than 90 in a rolling 180.
What gov.uk says about the region
The UK government's UAE advice was last updated on . It says the situation in the Middle East remains unpredictable, notes Iranian strikes and retaliatory attacks across the region since mid-July, and tells British nationals to prepare for possible flight cancellations, periodic airspace closures and travel disruption. It also asks for appropriate travel insurance. That is advice about safety, not about visas. Read it before booking.
Costs at a glance
| What | Amount |
|---|---|
| Entry stamp on a British passport | Free |
| Overstay, any visa | AED 50 a day |
| 30 days, single entry (GDRFA) | AED 210 |
| 60 days, single entry (GDRFA) | AED 315 |
| Short ICP visa, 14 days | AED 100 |
| Longer ICP visa, 60 days | AED 250, then AED 100 for smart services |
Sources: UAE foreign ministry, GDRFA and ICP service pages and gov.uk, all read on .
What Dubai agencies charge
Dubai agencies publish about AED 340 to AED 800 for a 30-day single entry visa (published prices of 8 Dubai agencies, checked ). Those figures belong to other firms and are not our quote.
Where the application goes
The u.ae page on whether you need a visa (updated ) names ICP and GDRFA Dubai as the places to apply, and says airlines also offer visa services. It asks for a passport valid at least 6 months. The UAE embassy in London has a visa information page, but it would not open for us, so nothing here comes from it. Plan on an online application.
Papers to gather
- Passport with 6 months left on the day you land
- White-background photo
- Your UK visa or residence permit, also with 6 months left, for the ICP route
- Return ticket
- Health insurance that is valid in the UAE, for tourist visas
What trips people up from Britain
- A passport that dips under 6 months by the arrival date
- A UK visitor visa mistaken for residence
- A UK document with under 6 months left
- Landing after the 30-day entry window
- Packing medicine without prior approval
How it works with us
Send your passport copy and your UK visa or residence page on WhatsApp, or use the form on this page. An adviser sorts you into one of the groups above and tells you plainly if you need nothing. One total price comes before any payment. The team files, follows the file and sends you the permit. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. ICP or GDRFA decides.
When a visa is refused, the authorities keep their fees. Your adviser states in writing, before you pay, which part of our total would come back, if any.
Official sources
- Gov.uk, UAE entry requirements: visa on arrival, passport validity, medication.
- Gov.uk, UAE travel advice: regional update.
- u.ae: do you need a visa to enter the UAE: ICP and GDRFA routes.
- ICP 60-day visa service: fees and conditions.
- UAE foreign ministry exemptions: United Kingdom listed as visa free.
Checked . Going the other way? See UK visa from Dubai.
