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A UAE entry permit is the electronic approval that allows you to enter the country. ICP issues it for Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the northern emirates, and GDRFA issues it for Dubai. ICP gives you 60 days from the issue date to enter. After that the permit lapses. What you can do once inside depends on the type: visit, treatment, tourism or work.
Entry permit or visa
Official pages mix the words. The u.ae tracking page uses "entry permit/residence visa" together and gives no formal definition. The same site lists "apply for an entry permit to the UAE" as its own e-service next to the visa applications. In practice:
- An entry permit gets you across the border.
- A residence permit, issued after you have entered, lets you live in the UAE.
- Many people say "visa" for both, because the e-visa you receive is the entry permit.
If your document says "visit" or "tourist", it is an entry permit for a stay. If it says "employment" or "family", it is an entry permit that must be followed by residence procedures.
Who issues it
For a visit, ICP says its entry permits cover tourism, visits, treatment and work. You apply on the ICP Smart App or the ICP smart services site with UAE Pass, in five steps: submit, review your data, attach documents, pay, receive. ICP lists two days for processing. For Dubai, GDRFA handles the entry permits for tourist visas, business visas and GCC resident visas.
Fees you will see
| Entry permit | Fee | Source |
|---|---|---|
| ICP visit permit | AED 100 application, then AED 100 to AED 200 issuance by entry type, plus smart services | ICP visa issuance service |
| ICP employment entry permit | AED 100 application, AED 100 issuance, AED 100 smart services | ICP |
| GDRFA employment entry permit | AED 200 plus 5% VAT | GDRFA |
| GCC resident (ICP) | AED 100 application, AED 100 issuance, AED 100 smart services | ICP |
| Cancelling an unused GDRFA permit | AED 50 | GDRFA |
Source: ICP and GDRFA service pages, checked . Dubai tourist visa fees are on our 30-day Dubai visa page.
The 60 day rule
Two clocks start from an entry permit. The first is the entry window, 60 days from issue. The second starts when you land. For work and family permits, residence procedures must be finished within 60 days of entry. A family permit through GDRFA is the same: 60 days from entry to finish the residence. Book the medical test and the Emirates ID early.
Entry permits for GCC residents
Citizens of GCC states need no visa. Expats living in Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait or Bahrain can get an entry permit through GDRFA if their residence is valid and their profession is on the approved list. It is decided case by case, takes 48 hours and is sent by email. The stay is 30 days, extendable once for another 30. Read Dubai visa for GCC residents for the full list of documents.
A unified GCC tourist visa has been announced. Gulf News reported on that it was not yet live and was expected to launch in . Treat it as unconfirmed until an official page says otherwise.
How to check an entry permit
Which tool depends on the emirate that issued it, not where you live.
- Look at your e-visa for the place of issue.
- Dubai: use the GDRFA visa status inquiry, which checks entry and residence permits.
- Anywhere else: use ICP application tracking while the request is open, and file validity once it is issued.
- Keep the application number. It is the quickest key on both tools.
The field-by-field guides are UAE visa status check, ICP visa status check and UAE visa application status. To check an old permit's validity, use the visa validity check guide.
Official sources
- ICP visa issuance service: entry permit types, 60 days, fees, two days.
- u.ae, track visa application and validity: which authority per emirate.
- u.ae, entry permit or visa: GCC citizens and passport validity.
- GDRFA Dubai: entry permit services.
- GDRFA entry visa for GCC residents: conditions and fees.
- Gulf News on the unified GCC visa: media report on its status.
Checked . DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private guide. ICP and GDRFA issue entry permits.
