The Fastest Way to Secure Your Entry to Abu Dhabi This Year

Before you look at fast methods to get to Abu Dhabi it is crucial you understand framework. UAE has put in place visa policy updates with aim to boost tourism, attract global talent and simplify procedure for entry. The reforms have open up purpose-based visit visas for industries like that of arts, technology and marine tourism and also brought clarity in sponsorship rules.
 

Most travellers apply short term visit visas or tourist visa to explore Abu Dhabi. There are many channels to use to secure visa such as government portals, national airlines like Emirates and Etihad, licensed hotels in UAE, authorized travel agents like Arabiers and also UAE Embassies and consulates.  The best channel to use or fastest normally depends on nationality and travel plans.
 

To many travellers speed is top priority when applying visa. We break down fastest visa options for different visa holders of Abu Dhabi.

1.    Visa on Arrival

There are travellers who qualify for Abu Dhabi visa on arrival. For such they don’t need to apply for visa before arriving in Abu Dhabi as it will be issued to them once they land at airport. when you arrive at airport, go to immigration counter and your passport will be stamped with tourist visa free of charge. There are three types of on arrival visas to Abu Dhabi:

30 days Visa – this visa is available to citizens of Andora, Malaysia, Mauritius, Monaco, Mongolia, Ukraine, Brunei, China including Hong Kong, Uzbekistan and Vatican City.

90 days -  Visa available to nationals of countries like United Stated, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada and from European Union.

180 days -  visa given to travellers with Mexico visa.
Ensure to confirm you eligible for on arrival visa to Abu Dhabi from airline or official UAE Government website before travelling.

14 days on arrival visa – this special visa is for Indian nationalities with USA Green Card, resident visas for EU and for UK. Those with residencies or long-term visas for Australia, Japan, Singapore, South Korea and Canada also qualify for this visa to Abu Dhabi.  This on arrival visa is however not free, therefore travellers must pay to acquire it. You also apply for it before travelling to Abu Dhabi through government portal. The cost for 14 days on arrival visa for Indians is around 100 UAE Dirhams and it can be extended once for another 14 days.

2.   Visa Expedited Through Airline

If not qualify for visa on arrival, you may apply for one though airline. When going to Abu Dhabi, use Etihad airline to get visa, as the airline is based there.  After confirming ticket to Abu Dhabi, apply for visa through the official airline portal. You can apply for 48- or 96-hours transit visa through Abu Dhabi or standard visa tourist to Abu Dhabi.
The standard visa processing takes normally 3 to 4 working days. To get visa faster you are charged additional cost. The advantage of using airline is that your flight and visa are synchronized which reduces risk of errors that cause delays.

3.    Express and Urgent Visa Services

If you last minute travelling and don’t have time to wait for standard visa, many authorized travel agents offer expedited visa services to travellers. Specialized express visa services are fastest option when time is critical. Arabiers tours for instance offers urgent visa services where your visa is processed in 4 to 8 hours.

Express visa service prioritizes your application but at premium cost. You pay a relatively higher price to get your visa processed in few hours as compared to what you pay for regular processing. What you need to get use the service is send your travel requirements to agent and they start application immediately.  Send perfect-colored scanned documents like passport that is valid for at least six months, passport sized photograph and confirmed flight ticket.
When choosing express services ensure the platform you select is trusted and authorized. Do not use unofficial agents who may end up scamming you. Instead look for ones that are affiliated with official UAE tourism channels and are licensed by government.

1. Check if eligible for visa on arrival to Abu Dhabi first from official government websites. If you do proceed to plan your travel and don’t worry about visa as you will get it once arrive at airport in Abu Dhabi.
2. If you don’t qualify for visa on arrival look out for visa agents that offer expedited services if on hurry.
3. Prepare carefully documents for travel and scan clear copies of them. Documents needed are passport valid over six months, recent passport sixed photograph, confirmed return ticket or onward ticket if continuing journey and proof of accommodation in Abu Dhabi.
4. Consider online application as it is fastest. Urgent visas take around 4 to 8 hours to be processed with online application.
5. Prepare a higher visa fee for urgent services. Fast visa options are more expensive than regular visa services as you pay for priority. The amount paid varies with visa type.
6. Ensure you get application number after submitting application. Use this ID to track status of application.
7. When e-visa is sent to you print a copy to present at airport once arrival in Abu Dhabi.

Cost : the cost of urgent visa service to Abu Dhabi ranges from AED 700 to 1400 AED. The exact cost varies depending on specific type of tourist visa. Generally single-entry tourist visas are cheaper than multiple entry visas and 60 days visa are expensive than 30 days visa of each category.

Extension : Most Abu Dhabi tourist visas can be extended two times each for 30 days without exiting country. You must pay extension fee when applying to extend stay in Abu Dhabi. To avoid overstaying you should apply for extension days before visa expiry.

Overstaying fines: when tourist visa expires and you continue staying in Abu Dhabi you attract overstaying fines. The UAE government charges penalty of AED 50 daily for overstaying tourists. You must pay the fine before exiting country or even applying for extension. To avoid fine, leave the country a few days before visa expiry or apply for extension. Don’t wait for expiry date to exit or apply for extension.