Destination 
Verified
UK, EU, US, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea and others
You enter Dubai without any advance application. Your passport is stamped on arrival with a free visa. The duration depends on your nationality: most EU nationals and UK, US, Canadian and Australian passport holders receive 30 or 90 days. GCC nationals (Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar) enter visa-free with no fixed limit on short visits. Check the UAE visa on arrival list to confirm your exact allowance.
India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Nigeria and most others
You cannot enter Dubai without a visa. You must apply for a prepaid UAE tourist visa before your flight. The process is fully online and takes 4 to 8 hours on express or 2 to 4 working days on standard. Airlines will not board you without a confirmed visa in hand.
Your visa is about to expire and you want to stay longer
If you hold a prepaid tourist visa, you can apply for a UAE visa extension from inside the UAE without exiting. Extensions are in 30-day increments. Act before expiry: there is no grace period and fines of AED 50 per day begin immediately after. If you prefer to exit and return, the airport to airport visa change is another option.
Digital nomads, remote workers, freelancers and investors
Visa-free allowances reset when you exit and re-enter, but UAE immigration can refuse re-entry if the pattern looks like informal residency. For stays beyond 90 days, the UAE offers the Golden Visa Dubai for investors and high-skilled professionals (5 to 10 years), and the Green Visa for freelancers and self-employed workers (5 years, no sponsor required).
| Nationality group | Duration on arrival | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| GCC nationals (Saudi, Bahraini, Kuwaiti, Omani, Qatari) | Unlimited short visits | Free |
| EU member state nationals, UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and approximately 50 other nationalities | 30 or 90 days depending on bilateral agreement | Free |
| Indian, Indonesian, Filipino, Bangladeshi, Thai and certain others holding a valid US, UK, EU or select country residence permit | 14 days (USD 63) or 60 days (USD 141.36): preapproved before travel, not on arrival | Paid, preapproved |
| All other nationalities | No visa-free access: prepaid tourist visa required before travel | From AED 489 |
The 14-day and 60-day paid options for Indian and certain other nationals are preapproved permits, not a visa collected at the airport. They must be obtained before boarding. See the full eligibility breakdown on the UAE visa on arrival page.
Options depend on which visa type you hold:
No grace period since October 2024. Overstay fines are AED 50 per day from the first day after your visa expires. Once your visa has expired inside the UAE, the in-country extension option is closed. Extend before expiry.
Need more time in Dubai?
Apply for a tourist visa extension from inside the UAE: no exit required.
Extend your visa
Depends on your passport. GCC nationals enter freely. UK, EU, US, Canadian and Australian passport holders receive 30 or 90 free days on arrival. Indian, Pakistani, Filipino and many other nationals need a UAE visit visa before travel and cannot enter without one.
GCC nationals, all EU member state nationals, UK, US, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, South Korea and around 50 other nationalities. See the full list on the Dubai visa on arrival page.
Yes, if you have a prepaid tourist visa. Apply for a UAE visit visa extension from inside the country before expiry, available in 30-day increments up to twice. If you have an on-arrival stamp, you must exit to reset your allowance.
AED 50 per day from the first day after expiry, no grace period. Fines accumulate and must be paid before exit. Apply for an extension before your visa expires. Once expired inside the UAE, in-country extension is no longer available and you will need to pay fines on departure.
Apply for a Dubai tourist visit visa before your flight. The process is fully online. Express processing delivers the visa in 4 to 8 hours; standard processing takes 2 to 4 working days. You need a colour copy of your passport bio page and a white background photo.
Not reliably. Exiting and re-entering resets your allowance, but UAE immigration can refuse re-entry if the pattern suggests informal residency. For stays beyond 90 days, the UAE Golden Visa or Green Visa are the proper long-term routes.