Dubai started reopening its UAE visa services gradually after the COVID-19 lockdown in mid-2020. By September 2020, tourist visas were largely available again, with specific health protocols in place. Since then, visa processes have returned to normal, although regulations may vary based on current health guidelines and travel advisories.
When can I apply a tourist visit visa to UAE? When will flights to United Arab Emirates will resume? When I can travel to Abu Dhabi again? When Dubai will re-open for tourists? These might be the questions that most of you are bothering about at this moment, perhaps all these days.
The answer is you can apply tourist / visit visas to UAE now. Dubai has confirmed on the July 26, 2020 with the double covid test requirement & Abu Dhabi / 5 other emirates confirmed on September 25, 2020
Source : The National & Gulf News
Covid19 is indeed a completely unexpected situation that has affected all the travelers who are supposed to come to UAE to visit family & friends, for a holiday, to seek a job opportunity or for a business purpose. Since you have postponed your visit to UAE and waited, without waiting anymore now you can start planning your journey again to come to UAE.
Let’s have a look on how you can apply for a new visit visa after covid19 and when you can arrive at United Arab Emirates airport or border to enter this country Post-Corona. If you are hoping to travel to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah or any other seven Emirates city, take a look at the below guide to plan your travel to UAE after the corona pandemic for a safe and easy entry process.
After corona you can apply a tourist visa through a tour operator or airline or hotel who can sponsor for your visa in Abu Dhabi or Dubai or Sharjah immigration. The documents list that you will required to prepare are Passport copy with at-least 6 months validity, Photograph with white background. Sometimes, in the future you might be asked to submit a Medical certificate (Covid-19 Negative result) issued by the health authority in your home country, attested by UAE embassy which is not considered as a must so far.
Even though a Travel insurance is still not a mandatory requirement, it’s wiser to obtain a travel International health insurance or a medical insurance that cover medical emergencies, Corona virus related tests, medication and hospitalization .The reason to say so, is because in case during your entry / stay in UAE if you found covid19 positive, there is a high tendency that you won’t be able to access free health services and you will be needing to pay each and every thing. Therefore, better to obtain a medical insurance that covers the period of your stay in UAE.
For Pakistani adults to apply a UAE tourist visa, Pakistani national ID / Pakistani Overseas ID is mandatory document whereas child applicants also require to submit Pakistani national ID and family certificate along with the visa application. If your kids do not have it yet, then better to be ready with this document.
All other nationalities kids who are willing to apply UAE tourist visa with at-least one of the parents visa application, will require to submit their Birth certificate. (Arabic or English translation)
So, along with your tourist visa, passport and flights ticket don’t forget to bring your Corona virus Negative PCR test report. Otherwise, you won’t allow entry to UAE unless you complete the PCR test at the airport by paying the full fee of the test.
Applying UAE Visit visa sponsored by a family member who has resident visa, is sort of a process that the sponsor can get done from the nearest immigration branch office in Abu Dhabi or Dubai or Sharjah. A UAE resident visa holder must meet the eligibility criteria in order to sponsor a Visit visa of his/her immediate family member and needing to submit few personal documents including salary certificate, resident visa copy, relationship proof etc.
As specified in the UAE entry protocol announced by the disaster mitigation committee it’s compulsory to carry a medical certificate with negative PCR test result for Covid19 OR complete the test at the Dubai airport. Only 96 hours valid PCR test reports will be accepted at the Dubai airport for entry. If your PCR report is issued before more than 96 hours, then you will require to do the test at the Dubai airport by paying the full fee.
Usually, on-arrival listed nationalities have the privilege of travelling to UAE without applying a visa to UAE. They used to obtain on-arrival stamp visa during the time they arrive respective airport in United Arab Emirates. After corona, the things have changed and from 17th March 2020 till today, United Arab Emirates immigration department do not grant entry for on-arrival visitors until further notice. So, at this moment you cannot come to UAE cities using on-arrival visa facility. Hopefully, in the near future new visa entry will be allowed in Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and other emirates.
Luckily, after 7th July On-arrival nationals will get free entry as before and they are not required to apply a pre-approved visa to arrive Dubai.
However, On-arrival visa holders are also, eligible to travel UAE even on pre-approved tourist visa whenever they wanted and it can be get done through UAE based inbound tour operator, airline or hotel based in UAE.
Now it self you can prepare yourself by being aware of the requirements to apply new UAE visas after corona. Same as before the basic requirements are same as before the passport detail pages scan copy and Photograph of the applicant.
If your purpose of visiting UAE is to convert Tourist/ visit visa to a Resident visa in that case the below Asian nationality applicants better to bring a Medical fitness certificate issued by GAMCA or GCC approved medical center other than the PCR test. This fitness certificate is essential whenever you are processing the resident visa and it has 3 months validity from the date of its been issued. Certain Asian nationals must your medical fitness report in order to get the approval in the ministry of labor to get done your employment visa while in UAE on a tourist/ visit visa. This report usually must be attested by foreign ministry of your home country and also the UAE embassy in your home country. It is better to initiate this test from GAMCA online portal and visit the appointed respective medical center in your home country at-least 10 days before the expected arrival date to UAE.
In the past travel insurance wasn't a mandatory thing to travel and change visas in the UAE. After the covid, UAE authorities asking all travellers to get a travel insurance that cover the covid in case if you became a victim and infected to corona
Yes all UAE single entry prepaid visas has 10 days grace period. On arrival 90 days visa holders & prepaid multiple entry visa holders do not have 10 days grace period.
Dubai visa also an UAE visit visa, issued by Dubai immigration. Visa change without exit is also possible for Dubai issued tourist visas.
The process of getting a tourist visa without exit involves status change, charges of status change remain for 1 & 3 month visa. So better to take a 90 days instead of 30 days. If you are taking 30 days take the extension of your current visa with your current sponsor if you have prepaid visa & if you are on arrival national getting 30 days you can do a oman visa run.
Yes you can, but coming back to UAE will have issues. So please properly complete your cancelation and settle your liabilities and leave. Checkout our guide about UAE visa cancelation
At Arabiers we have out together a guide about the UAE tourist / visit visa extension options with latest updates. During the corona lockdown due to Oman, entries from UAE borders are suspended and airport to airport visa change suspended, so the only safest option is visa change without exit. Also you can go back to your home country or any other country which allows you to enter during this covid,. Also make sure your city is safer and the visitors coming from that cty allowed to UAE