Dubai Visa Types: Visit, Transit, Residence and Fees Compared

Last updated 25 October 2026

Dubai visa types fall into two groups. Entry permits let you visit: tourist visas of 30 or 60 days, family and business visit visas, transit visas and, for some passports, visa on arrival. Residence visas let you live in the UAE, and cover work, family, student, investor, retirement, golden and green. GDRFA lists visit fees from AED 200 plus 5% VAT.

Dubai visa types at a glance

Type	Length	Official fee (GDRFA or ICP)
Transit, 48 hours	48 hours, single entry	ICP: AED 50 issuance + AED 100 smart services
Transit, 96 hours	96 hours, single entry	ICP: AED 50 application + AED 50 issuance + AED 100 smart services
Tourist, single entry	30 or 60 days	GDRFA: AED 200 (30 days), AED 300 (60 days), plus 5% VAT
Visit for relatives, single	30, 60 or 90 days	GDRFA: AED 200, AED 300, AED 400, plus 5% VAT
Business exploration	60, 90 or 120 days	GDRFA: AED 200, AED 300, AED 400, plus 5% VAT
Job seeker	60, 90 or 120 days	GDRFA: AED 200, AED 300, AED 400, plus 5% VAT
5-year tourist	90 days per visit, multiple entry	GDRFA total: AED 3,713
Extension, tourist	Up to 120 days in total	GDRFA: AED 600 plus 5% VAT

Source: ICP and GDRFA service pages, checked October 2026. Medical and other visa types have their own fees, listed on the GDRFA site.

Visit visa types

Tourist visa. The standard one for holidays. A UAE airline, hotel or licensed travel company files it. UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas. See the 30-day, 60-day and multiple entry pages.

5-year tourist visa. Multiple entry, 90 days on each visit, extendable for a further 90 days. The UAE portal lists conditions: a bank balance of USD 4,000 or equivalent over the last 6 months, health insurance valid for 180 days, and onward travel documents. Details are in Dubai 5 year visa.

Visit visa for relatives and friends. Sponsored by a UAE resident. See Dubai family visit visa.

Business exploration and job seeker visas. Both need no sponsor. The business visa asks for proof of investment, and GDRFA lists a security deposit. See Dubai business visa and job seeker visa.

Medical visa. For patients and companions. GDRFA lists 90 and 180 day options.

Transit visa. 48 or 96 hours, single entry, cannot be extended. You need an onward ticket and a passport valid for the next country, and it is issued through the airlines. See Dubai transit visa.

Visa on arrival. Depends on the passport. For Indian citizens, GDRFA lists a 14 day visa on arrival for holders of a US green card or visa, or a UK or EU residence visa, extendable once. Other passports get 30 or 90 days. See UAE visa on arrival.

Residence visa types

Type	Validity listed
Work	2 years, renewable, employer applies
Family and general residence	1, 2 or 3 years sponsored; up to 5 or 10 years unsponsored
Student	1 year, renewed each year
Green	5 years, renewable, no sponsor
Golden	10 years, renewed automatically, no sponsor
Remote work	1 year, renewable

Source: UAE portal, ICP and GDRFA pages, checked October 2026. Investor, retirement and blue visas have their own pages.

The UAE portal lists the blue visa without detail on the landing page, so check its own page. For the others, read work visa Dubai, golden visa UAE, green visa UAE and investor visa.

How to choose

Under 30 days, tourist: the 30-day tourist visa.
A connection of a day or two: a transit visa.
Family in the UAE: a sponsored visit visa.
Looking for work or a business: job seeker or business exploration.
Moving to live and work: a work residence visa through an employer.
Long term, no employer: green or golden, if you qualify.

Check the passport first. The MOFA exemptions page shows 90 countries as visa free for the UAE, and GCC citizens never need a visa.

What Dubai agencies charge

Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 340 to AED 800 for a 30-day single entry tourist visa (published prices of 8 Dubai agencies, checked October 2026). That range includes the government fee and the agency service. It is not our price.

How it works with us

Send your passport copy and the reason for your trip or move on WhatsApp or through the form on this page. A visa adviser checks which type fits and whether your passport already has a free route. You get one total price before you pay. The team files the application, follows it up and sends you the visa or the next step. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. GDRFA and ICP decide every application.

If a visa is refused, the authorities do not return their fees. Before you pay, your adviser tells you in writing which part of our total, if any, you get back.

Official sources

UAE government portal: types of visas: the list of categories.
UAE government portal: tourist visa: the 5-year visa and its conditions.
GDRFA business exploration visa: fees and documents.
ICP transit visa: 48 and 96 hour fees.
GDRFA tourist visa: 30 and 60 day fees.
MOFA visa exemptions: which passports are visa free.

Get one total price

For choosing the right Dubai visa type: send the traveller's passport country, where they are now and the dates. A visa adviser replies with the right visa, the documents and one total price, fees included, before anything is filed or paid.

DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. The authorities decide every application.

Questions people ask

What are the types of Dubai visa?

The UAE government portal lists the golden, visit, work, residence, student, investor, tourist, transit, medical and blue visas. For a short trip most people use a tourist visit visa or a transit visa. For living in Dubai you need a residence visa.

What is the difference between a visit visa and a residence visa in Dubai?

A visit visa lets you enter and stay for a short, fixed period such as 30 or 60 days. A residence visa lets you live in the UAE for one, two, three, five or ten years and comes with an Emirates ID. Residence needs a sponsor or a qualifying category.

Which Dubai visa types allow multiple entries?

GDRFA lists tourist visas of 30 and 60 days in single and multiple entry versions, and the 5-year tourist visa is multiple entry with up to 90 days on each visit. Visa on arrival lists for 90 days are also multiple entry, valid 6 months.

How many days can I stay on each Dubai visa type?

Tourist visas run 30 or 60 days, with extensions up to 120 days in total. Visit visas for family run up to 90 days from GDRFA. Business exploration and job seeker visas run 60, 90 or 120 days. Transit visas are 48 or 96 hours.

Which Dubai visa type is best for Indian citizens?

That depends on what the passport holder has. Indians with a US green card or US visa, or a UK or EU residence visa, can get a 14 day visa on arrival, extendable once. Others usually need a tourist visa filed by a UAE company or a sponsor.

What is the cheapest Dubai visa type?

Among entry permits, the transit visa is the cheapest. ICP lists a 48 hour transit visa at AED 50 issuance plus AED 100 smart services. Beyond that, the 30 day tourist visa at AED 200 plus VAT in GDRFA fees is the lowest standard visit visa.

Which Dubai visa type do I need to work in Dubai?

A work residence visa, applied for by your employer. The UAE portal lists it as valid for 2 years and renewable. A job seeker visit visa lets you stay 60, 90 or 120 days to look for work without a sponsor.