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The Dubai visa requirements for Indian citizens start with four things: a passport valid at least 6 months from your entry date, a photo on a white background, a return or onward ticket and health insurance valid in the UAE. That is the full list for a GDRFA tourist visa. The 14-day, 60-day, family and GCC routes each add their own papers, listed below.
The base set, every route
These go with every application, whatever visa you pick.
- Passport scan. The page with your photo, in colour. Ordinary Indian passport, valid 6 months or more from the day you land.
- Photo. ICAO standard, white background, no hat, no sunglasses. GDRFA's Indian visa on arrival page also asks for the white background.
- Name check. The spelling you type must match the passport's machine readable lines. Given name and surname in the right fields.
An Indian passport does not need the extra national ID card that GDRFA asks from Iraqi, Iranian and Afghan applicants.
Tourist visa (30 or 60 days)
Filed by a licensed Dubai tourism establishment, a hotel or an airline.
- Passport scan and photo
- Return or onward flight ticket
- Health insurance valid in the UAE
- No security deposit
If Emirates files it, the airline adds two things: an Emirates return ticket (the ticket number starts with 176) and a hotel booking or a relative's tenancy contract. That is an airline rule, not a GDRFA one.
14-day visa on arrival and the 60-day visa
These two need one more paper: proof that you hold a qualifying visa or residence elsewhere.
- Copy of a US visa or US green card, or a UK or EU visa or residence permit
- Or a residence permit from Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, Singapore or New Zealand
- That document must still have at least 6 months to run
- Passport and photo as above
GDRFA's older page for the 14-day visa names a UK or EU residence visa, while the newer GDRFA and ICP pages say visa or residence. If you only hold a short Schengen visit visa, ask before you travel. The full rules, and the open question on UK documents, are on the visa on arrival for Indians page.
Visit visa sponsored by a relative
Your relative in the UAE applies. From your side they need your passport scan and photo. From their side:
- Proof of the relationship, such as a birth or marriage certificate
- A short reason for the visit
- The sponsor's own residence and a salary that meets the tier for your relationship
- An active sponsor file with the authorities
For a child, Emirates also asks for a copy of the birth certificate in Arabic or English. Families with children and parents should read the Indian families page.
GCC residents with an Indian passport
- Valid GCC residence permit, valid for at least a year
- A residence copy that shows your profession
- A profession on the approved list (GDRFA decides case by case)
- Passport valid 6 months and a photo
Going to work: the ECR rule
This part applies only to workers. If your Indian passport is stamped ECR and you are going to the UAE to take up a job, India's Ministry of External Affairs requires emigration clearance before you leave. A visitor with an ECR passport does not need it. India's MEA says visit travellers need a valid passport, a valid visit visa and a return ticket. The UAE side of a job is a separate work permit process, not a visit visa.
Fees that go with the paperwork
| Route | Official fee | Paid to |
|---|---|---|
| Tourist visa, 30 days single entry | AED 210 | GDRFA (incl. VAT) |
| Tourist visa, 60 days single entry | AED 315 | GDRFA (incl. VAT) |
| 14-day visa | AED 100 | ICP |
| 60-day visa | AED 350 | ICP (AED 250 plus AED 100 smart services) |
Source: GDRFA and ICP service pages, checked . Every other fee, including family and transit visas, is on the Dubai visa fees for Indians page.
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 340 to AED 800 for a 30-day single entry tourist visa, papers checked and filed (published prices of 8 Dubai agencies, checked ).
Processing time once the file is complete
The clock starts when the last paper is in. GDRFA states 48 hours. ICP states 2 days. Emirates wants the request at least 4 working days before you arrive. A missing photo or a blurred scan can easily add a day or two, and after 30 days GDRFA closes the request.
Document mistakes that cause refusals
- Passport expiring 5 months after arrival. One month short is still short.
- Photo with a cream or grey wall behind. Retake it against white.
- US visa or UK residence close to expiry. It needs 6 months left, the same as the passport.
- Insurance that only covers India. It must be valid in the UAE.
- A child's birth certificate in Hindi or another regional language only. Emirates asks for Arabic or English.
For more on scans and photos see Dubai visa photo requirements.
How it works with us
Send scans of your passport and photo through WhatsApp or the form on this page, and tell us your route if you know it. A visa adviser reads every paper against that route and tells you what to fix before anything is paid. You then get one total price. Our team files the complete set and answers any request for more documents. The e-visa comes to you by email. We are DubaiVisaDesk.com, a private visa service. GDRFA or ICP makes the decision, not us.
A refused visa does not bring back the government fee. Before you pay, the adviser puts in writing what part of our price, if any, you get back after a refusal.
Official sources
- GDRFA single entry tourist visa: documents, insurance, national ID list.
- GDRFA visa on arrival for Indian citizens: qualifying documents.
- ICP FAQ: photo standard.
- ICP 5-year tourist visa: bank balance rule.
- India MEA emigration page: ECR clearance for workers.
- Emirates UAE visa information: airline documents.
