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Written By Arabiers Digital & Reviewed by Robeena Brown
27 January 2026 | 16 min read
If you plan to extend you stay in UAE legally you will incur costs before you have the extension approved. Extending stay in UAE after entering the country using the tourist visa is not complicated provided you know what to do.
Some travelers assume that extending a visa is an easy-yet-inexpensive process, but if you don’t prepare in advance, fees, fines and “optional” service charges can accumulate.
When you know the cost to extend stay in UAE, then you will properly budget you will get prepared and avoid the risks of overstaying which results to fines.
In this article we will clearly breakdown tourist stay extension costs in the UAE all the fees, methods and practical know-how for successfully extending your stay in UAE.
You can extend you stay in UAE through 3 main ways. The cost differs depending on the option you choose.
It is the easier way for many tourists to extend their visas without leaving UAE.
20 days extension: Nearly 990 AED (~$270) for some of the 30 day on-arrival visas.
30-day extension cost: About 1,190 AED (or around $324) for prepaid visa holders.
A visitor who entered on a 30-day visa may extend this for another 30-day in country. The total legal stay counted is 60 days and only the extension fee has been paid.
If you cannot extend your visa in-country, or if you just wish for a new, longer visa, the airport-to-airport option is okay. This means we need to exit the UAE briefly, re-enter on a fresh visa.
30-day visa: 1,590 AED ($433)
60-day visa: 1,790 AED ($488)
Express visas or fast-track extensions are perfect in an emergency. Approval on these services can take 4–8 hours, making them ideal for travelers who are about to lose the validity of their visas.
30-Days express visa: AED 789(approx. $215)
60-day express visa: AED 989 (~$270)
When it comes to choosing the most appropriate option to expand your stay in the UAE, it is not only about the cost but also about the time and type of visa and personal circumstances.
There are several factors to consider before choosing which option to choose and extend your stay in UAE. When you choose the right option you will save costs, and increase the chances of the extension application approved.
The type of visa that you currently have is very important to co0nsider when choosing extension option and most cost-efficient.
Most tourists visiting UAE apply for UAE tourist visa for 30-days. With this visa you can easily apply for extension without having to leave the country.
Therefore the best option is the in-country visa extension and will save extra flight expenses or formalities at the border.
You may not always be permitted to extend your visa in country in case you got one beforehand (prepaid). In this instance, you may be forced to use an airport-to-airport visa or express service, which entails making a short leave out of the UAE and entering the UAE again using a new visa. By doing it, you will be certain that your stay will be legitimate.
Multiple-entry visas allow entering and exiting the country using the same visa within the valid period. After the visa validity period and you in UAE you will have to extend your stay.
The best option of extending the stay is the airport to airport visa change where you will have to exit the country and get new visa.
The duration of the extension that you require can have a lot of influence on the cost and the process that you undertake.
They can be addressed quite well in-country as long as your visa type permits it. This is also handy to those travelers who would like to have an extension period of a holiday, brief business trip, or family visit without the need to travel further.
It is cheaper to opt for a new visa with airport-to-airport visa extension option than several extensions in the country.
A 60 days airport to airport visa, to give an example, costs about 1,790 AED (~$488) and that can be cheaper than two 30-day in-country extensions (which cost around 2,380 each).
When you are planning to spend longer than the original visa, then planning can save you money. An airport-to-airport or express could be less expensive in the long-term.
Before making up, your mind, which method to choose never forget to calculate the total cost including agency charges, travelling and any other optional services.
The available time and budget are also crucial parameters in making a decision on the type of extension to adopt.
The in-country extensions are not so expensive but at times are more expensive than the day-to-day airport to airport visa. In case you are seeking to reduce costs, you can compare the total costs (including travelling to the airport-to-airport) and thereby make a wise decision.
Fast-track services or express visas are perfect in case your visa is expired and is only going to last a few days, although they also include extra service charges. As an illustration, an express 30-day visa can be as cheap as 789 AED (~$215).
Being a little more expensive than a regular airport-to-airport visa, the travel expenses of going out of the UAE and coming back must be taken into consideration.
In-country extensions require 2-3 business days, and airport to airport visas may need in between 5-7 days, depending on the timetables of the flights and verification of documents. This can be reduced to less than a day using express services at a moderate price.
Make choice according to your timetable of departure, your activities, and finances. With proper planning you always remain within budget without the risk of staying further.
Your nationality may make a difference in the price and not be eligible to certain types of extensions. There are nationalities that qualify on-arrival visa and simple in-country extensions whereas others need prepaid visa or have to leave the country and come back to qualify any extension.
Depending on the diplomatic agreement between your home country and the UAE may also allow visa restrictions to vary. Also being aware of the eligibility of your nationality will save rejection or additional charges not meant.
The cost for In-country extensions ranges between 990 AED to 1190 AED depending on visa type and the period.
Yes, but there are limitation on the number of day you will be allowed to stay in UAE and number of times you can apply for the extension which is twice for UAE tourist visa holders.
The main reasons to opt for express extension if you are in hurry to extend you stay cost ranging from 789–989 AED, but you must exit and re-enter.
When you stay behold the allowed day you will have to pay overstay fine of 50 AED per day and additional exit permit of 250–350 AED.
Yes. Although the procedure is federal, service costs and processing fees can vary between Dubai, Abu Dhabi or other emirates.
No. The passport is a must be valid for at least 6 months before the expiry.