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Dubai tourist and visit visas need health insurance valid in the UAE. GDRFA lists it as a condition of the tourist visa, and ICP asks for a "valid health insurance policy within the UAE" for tourism, relative and treatment visas. On GDRFA visit visas for a relative or friend, the insurance is built into the fees: AED 40 for 30 days, AED 60 for 60 days, AED 90 for 90 days.
Which visas ask for insurance
| Visa | Insurance rule | How it is paid |
|---|---|---|
| GDRFA tourist visa (30 or 60 days) | Medical insurance valid in the UAE | Arranged by you or the tourism company that files the visa |
| GDRFA relative or friend visit visa | Insurance fee listed on the page | AED 40 (30 days), AED 60 (60 days), AED 90 (90 days) |
| ICP tourism or relative visit visa | Valid health insurance policy within the UAE | Proof uploaded with the application |
| ICP 5-year multiple entry tourist visa | Health insurance valid in the UAE | Policy uploaded with the application |
| GDRFA treatment (medical) visa | Medical insurance required | Arranged with the hospital that sponsors you |
Source: GDRFA and ICP service pages, checked .
The GDRFA relative visit fees sit on top of the visa fee itself: AED 200, AED 300 or AED 400 for 30, 60 or 90 days single entry, plus 5% VAT, plus the AED 1,000 refundable deposit. The Dubai family visit visa page sets out the full bill.
Tourist visa: who buys the policy
On a GDRFA tourist visa the sponsor is a licensed Dubai tourism company. In practice the company either sells you a UAE policy with the visa or asks you for one. Either way, the policy has to say it is valid in the UAE. A general "worldwide" plan that leaves out the Gulf, or one that only pays for emergency evacuation, can be refused as proof.
The official pages do not set a minimum cover amount for Dubai tourist visas. If a seller quotes one as a government rule, ask which page it comes from.
The 5-year multiple entry visa
ICP lists health insurance valid in the UAE among the conditions of the 5-year multiple entry tourist visa, along with a bank balance of USD 4,000 over the last 6 months. The visa lets you stay up to 90 days at a time and up to 180 days a year. That makes the insurance question harder than on a 30-day visa: a single-trip policy covers the first visit and nothing after it.
Options people use:
- an annual multi-trip policy that names the UAE;
- a policy bought for each trip, with the certificate kept ready for the airport;
- cover from an employer plan at home, if it extends to the UAE.
The 5-year Dubai visa page covers the AED 3,720 ICP total and how the AED 3,000 guarantee comes back.
What your insurance certificate should show
- Your full name exactly as in your passport.
- Passport number, if the insurer prints it.
- Start and end dates covering the whole stay.
- The UAE named as a covered country.
- Medical treatment and hospital cover, not only trip cancellation.
- The insurer's name and policy number.
Steps to get it right
- Fix your travel dates and the visa length first.
- Ask the visa sponsor if the insurance is included. On GDRFA relative visits it is a fee line; on tourist visas it depends on the company.
- If you buy your own, pick a policy that names the UAE and covers medical treatment.
- Download the certificate as a PDF and check the name and dates.
- Upload it with the passport copy and photo.
Processing time
Insurance does not add its own waiting time. GDRFA lists 48 hours and ICP 2 days for the visa, once every document is in. A missing or wrong certificate holds the file; GDRFA gives 30 days to add a missing document before it cancels the request.
Insurance problems that hold up a visa
- The policy does not mention the UAE.
- Dates end before the visa ends, or start after you land.
- The name is spelled differently from the passport.
- The certificate is a quote, not a paid policy.
- For the 5-year visa, a policy that covers a single trip only.
Other reasons a file is turned down are in Dubai visa rejection reasons.
Leaving Dubai for Europe: a different rule
Many UAE residents search for insurance for a Schengen visa from Dubai. That is not the UAE rule. Schengen consulates ask for travel medical insurance of at least EUR 30,000, valid in all Schengen states, with repatriation, for the whole trip. See Schengen visa from Dubai.
Tips
- If your visit may be extended, buy cover with room for it, or extend the policy before the visa extension.
- Keep the certificate on your phone and on paper. Hospitals ask for it first.
- Children need their own cover on their own visa.
Official sources
- GDRFA tourist visa, single entry: medical insurance valid in the UAE.
- GDRFA visit visa for a relative or friend, single entry: insurance fee of AED 40, AED 60 or AED 90.
- ICP visa issuance: health insurance policy for tourism, relative and treatment visas.
- ICP 5-year tourist visa: insurance and bank balance.
- German Embassy in the UAE, Schengen visa: EUR 30,000 Schengen insurance rule, for comparison.
