Last updated
To get a US visitor visa from Dubai you fill in the online DS-160 form, pay the State Department application fee, book an interview and attend in person at the US Consulate General Dubai or the US Embassy Abu Dhabi. You need a valid UAE residence visa. The fee amount is set by the State Department, so check it on travel.state.gov. Wait times change, so book early.
Who this visa is for
The B1/B2 is the normal US visitor visa. B1 covers business trips. B2 covers tourism, visiting relatives and medical care. Officers usually issue both on one visa. It does not allow work or study.
You need it if your passport is not in the US Visa Waiver Program. Many expats in the UAE fall into this group. Holders of Visa Waiver passports can use ESTA instead, though some still choose a B1/B2 for longer or repeated stays.
Where UAE residents interview
The US has two visa posts in the UAE: the Consulate General in Dubai and the Embassy in Abu Dhabi. When people search "dubai us consulate" or "US embassy Dubai", this is what they mean: there is no embassy in Dubai, only the consulate.
Reports on a State Department rule that took effect in say applicants must interview in their country of nationality or of residence. For an expat living here, that means the UAE posts work with your residence visa. Booking in a third country for a faster slot is no longer a safe plan. Check the US Embassy UAE visa page before you plan around it.
Since , most applicants attend an in-person interview, according to the same reports. That includes children and older applicants who used to be waived. The remaining waiver is narrow and mainly covers some renewals of an earlier full-validity B1/B2. Our US visa appointment in Dubai guide covers booking and the interview day.
US visa fees for applicants in the UAE
| Fee | What it is | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee (MRV) | Paid before you book the interview, not refunded if refused | Check travel.state.gov |
| Visa integrity fee | Set by law, paid when a visa is issued | Check travel.state.gov |
Source: travel.state.gov fee pages, which our checks could not read on . We do not print amounts we could not confirm.
On the visa integrity fee: it was passed into law in and is charged when a visa is issued, with Visa Waiver travellers exempt. When and where it is being collected is not clear from an official page. One university note in said some consular posts had begun charging it. Treat it as a possible extra cost and check before you budget.
What Dubai agencies charge
Dubai visa agencies publish about AED 900 to AED 1,760 for B1/B2 visa help (published prices of 5 Dubai agencies, checked ). One of those agencies says the US consular fee is extra. The others do not say, so ask whether the State Department fee is inside any quote you get.
How to apply, step by step
- Fill in the DS-160 on the State Department's Consular Electronic Application Center. Upload a digital photo. Answer every question about your work in Dubai, your travel history and your family. Save the confirmation page with its barcode.
- Create your account on the appointment system linked from the US Embassy UAE visa page, and pay the application fee there.
- Book the interview at Dubai or Abu Dhabi. Pick a document delivery option at the same time.
- Prepare your file (see below) and attend on the day with your passport and confirmation pages.
- Wait for the passport. If the visa is approved, the passport is usually kept for printing and returned through the delivery option you chose.
Documents to have ready
The officer decides mostly on the interview and your DS-160 answers. Papers back you up when asked. Bring:
- Passport valid for the whole trip, plus old passports with any earlier US visas.
- DS-160 confirmation page and appointment confirmation.
- UAE residence visa and Emirates ID.
- Salary certificate or employer letter from your Dubai company with job title, salary and approved leave.
- Recent bank statements and, if you own a business, the trade licence.
- For a family visit: the invitation from your relative and proof of their US status.
- For business: a letter from the US company you will meet.
Processing time
There are two waits: the wait for an interview slot and the wait after it. The State Department publishes slot waits for Dubai and Abu Dhabi in its global visa wait time tool on travel.state.gov. We do not quote numbers because they move week to week. After the interview, the time to get your passport back depends on printing and the delivery option. A file placed in administrative processing can take much longer, with no fixed end date.
Common refusal reasons
- Section 214(b). The officer is not convinced you will return home after the trip. Strong ties to the UAE, such as a stable job, a long residence and family here, answer it best.
- DS-160 mistakes. Wrong dates, missing past trips or a different job title than the employer letter.
- Unclear purpose. "Tourism" with no plan and no budget sounds weak. Be specific and honest.
- Earlier overstays or refusals anywhere, if not disclosed.
A 214(b) refusal is not a ban. You can apply again when your situation has changed, with a new fee.
How it works with us
Send your passport copy, UAE residence visa and travel plan on WhatsApp, or use the form on this page. A visa adviser looks at your passport, past travel and job in Dubai and tells you if the B1/B2 is the right route or if ESTA covers you. You get one total price before you pay anything. The team then prepares the DS-160 with you line by line, sets up the appointment account, books the earliest slot you accept in Dubai or Abu Dhabi, and runs a short interview prep call. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service, not the embassy. Only the US consular officer decides.
The State Department application fee is not refunded after a refusal. Before you pay us, your adviser confirms in writing what part of the total, if any, you get back if the visa is refused.
Before you go further
- Planning Canada too? The Canada visa from Dubai runs fully online with biometrics, a very different process.
- Comparing Western visas for the same trip? See the UK visa from Dubai and the Schengen visa from Dubai.
- All destinations we cover are on visas from Dubai.
Official sources
- US Embassy and Consulates in the UAE, visas: appointment system link, interview posts. Our tool could not open it.
- travel.state.gov global visa wait times: interview waits for Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
- travel.state.gov visa fee notice: the B1/B2 application fee.
Checked . The State Department pages blocked our checker, so confirm every fee and rule on them before you pay.
