Destination 
Verified Fees, Security Deposit and How to Apply Through ICP
Updated 24 August 2026 · Verified by Martin Muthugumi against ICP Smart Services
A Sharjah tourist visa is the same federal UAE tourist visa: one document, valid across all seven UAE emirates. It is applied for through ICP Smart Services. The one practical difference for Sharjah visitors is a mandatory refundable security deposit of AED 1,500 to AED 3,500 that ICP requires for nationals of certain countries. This page covers who needs a visa, the deposit requirement, prices, how to apply and how to check your application status.
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ICP requires a mandatory refundable security deposit for nationals of certain countries when the destination emirate is Sharjah. This is separate from the visa fee and is returned after the visitor departs the UAE. The deposit is held by ICP, not by the travel agency.
| Nationality group | Deposit amount | Refunded when |
|---|---|---|
| Nationalities subject to standard Sharjah deposit | AED 1,500 | After confirmed departure from UAE |
| Nationalities subject to enhanced Sharjah deposit | AED 2,000 to AED 3,500 | After confirmed departure from UAE |
| Visa on arrival nationalities (UK, EU, USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore etc.) | No deposit free on arrival | Not applicable |
Contact Arabiers before applying to confirm the exact deposit amount for your nationality. Deposit amounts are set by ICP and subject to change.
All Sharjah tourist visa applications go through ICP Smart Services at icp.gov.ae the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security. Apply and check visa status at icp.gov.ae.
No. A UAE tourist visa is one federal document valid across all seven emirates including Sharjah. There is no separate Sharjah visa. The price, stay and document are the same.
ICP Smart ServicesYes. A UAE tourist visa is valid across all seven emirates regardless of which emirate was stated at application. Sharjah is accessible on any valid UAE tourist visa.
ICP Smart ServicesA mandatory refundable deposit of AED 1,500 to AED 3,500 that ICP requires for nationals of certain countries when the destination is Sharjah. Separate from the visa fee. Returned after departure.
ICP Smart Services30-day single entry: AED 489. 60-day: AED 689. Express 4 to 8 hours from AED 789. Plus the security deposit where applicable. All-inclusive through a licensed agency.
Local authorised travel agenciesICP does not require a bank statement for the standard tourist visa. For the Sharjah security deposit, ICP may require proof of sufficient funds confirm with the agency before applying.
ICP Smart ServicesYes for 74 nationalities. UK, USA, France, Germany, Spain, Australia, Canada, Singapore and 65 others receive a free stamp at Sharjah International Airport. No advance application needed.
ICP · Emirates Visa InformationSharjah visas are on ICP. Status check goes through icp.gov.ae four steps, two minutes.
Applied through Arabiers? Contact us directly and we will check for you.
Whether you need a tourist visa for Sharjah depends on your passport. Sharjah applies the standard UAE-wide visa framework. There is no separate Sharjah visa regime.
| Passport type | What you need | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| 90-day visa on arrival UK, USA, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia, Canada, Singapore and 65 others (74 total) | Free stamp at Sharjah airport or any UAE border. No advance arrangement. | Free |
| 30-day visa on arrival Malaysia, Ireland, Ukraine and 10 others (13 nationalities) | Free stamp at the border. | Free |
| Mexico | Free 180-day visa on arrival. | Free |
| Indian nationals with qualifying US/UK/EU/AU/CA/JP/NZ/KR/SG visa or permit | Preapproved 14-day or 60-day entry permit through Emirates, Air Arabia or ICP before travel. | AED 100 or AED 250 |
| Jordan, India (without qualifying permit), Egypt, South Africa, Panama and all other nationalities | Prearranged tourist visa through ICP or a licensed agency before travel. Sharjah security deposit may apply. | From AED 489 + deposit where applicable |
The complete eligibility framework for all nationalities is on the UAE visit visa page.
The UAE visit visa framework is the same for Sharjah as for all other emirates. Every visitor falls into one of four groups.
Source: ICP Smart Services · u.ae tourist visa page
The mandatory security deposit is the one genuine difference between applying for a Sharjah tourist visa for any other emirate. The visa itself is identical. The deposit is an ICP requirement specific to Sharjah as the destination emirate.
The deposit is held by ICP as assurance that the visitor will depart the UAE before the visa expires. It is returned in full after departure is confirmed. It does not contribute to the visa fee, overstay fines or any other charge. It is entirely separate from the price paid to the travel agency.
Nationals of certain countries primarily those whose passports require a prearranged tourist visa to enter the UAE are subject to the deposit when Sharjah is the destination emirate. Visa on arrival nationalities (UK, EU, USA, Canada, Australia, Singapore etc.) enter on a free border stamp and are not subject to any deposit at all.
When applying through Arabiers, the security deposit is collected alongside the visa fee as part of the application. Arabiers places the deposit with ICP directly. After the visitor departs the UAE and ICP confirms the departure, the deposit is returned. The refund timeline is set by ICP typically within 2 to 4 weeks of confirmed departure.
The deposit question is the most common source of surprise for first-time Sharjah visa applicants who have previously applied for a UAE tourist visa for other emirates. The visa itself is the same federal document at the same price. The deposit is what makes Sharjah different. If the visitor is from a nationality subject to the deposit, budget for it before applying it is a real cash outlay that will be returned, but it needs to be available at the time of application.
Source: ICP Smart Services · Arabiers operational experience 2016 to 2026
All prices below are through local authorised travel agencies and are all-inclusive: the government fee paid to ICP, document checking before submission, and approval PDF on WhatsApp. The security deposit is shown separately it is refunded after departure and is not part of the visa fee.
Source: ICP Smart Services · Local authorised travel agencies
| Document | Requirement | Who |
|---|---|---|
| Passport | Valid for at least 6 months from the travel date. The machine-readable zone at the bottom of the photo page must be sharp and fully visible a blurry or cropped scan is the most common reason an application is returned before submission. | All nationalities |
| Passport photograph | White background, UAE-specification dimensions. | All nationalities |
| Return or onward travel ticket | Confirmed booking showing departure from the UAE. | All nationalities |
| Medical insurance valid in UAE | Required per ICP service requirements. | All nationalities |
| National identity card | Required in addition to passport. | Iraq, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan nationals only |
| Proof of accommodation in Sharjah or UAE | Typically required for nationalities subject to the security deposit hotel booking or host letter. | Nationalities subject to Sharjah deposit |
Source: ICP Smart Services document requirements · Arabiers operational data 2016 to 2026
Air Arabia Sharjah's home airline accepts tourist visa applications alongside flight bookings through the ICP system. Emirates also covers Sharjah entry visas. Useful when booking flight and visa together.
ICP publishes 48 hours as the expected processing time. Across 86,820 applications processed by Arabiers since 2016:
Applications submitted Monday to Wednesday morning with complete documents process fastest. Document issues particularly blurry passport scans and name mismatches between passport and ticket are the most common source of delay regardless of processing speed chosen.
Source: ICP Smart Services published processing times · Arabiers operational data 2016 to 2026
The application process is the same for all nationalities. The differences are in eligibility, which documents are required, and whether the Sharjah security deposit applies.
Source: ICP Smart Services · Arabiers operational data 2016 to 2026
The same federal rules apply to Sharjah tourist visas as to all UAE emirates.
| Rule | What changed | In effect from |
|---|---|---|
| Grace period for on-arrival visas | Removed. The printed expiry date is a hard deadline. Overstay fines begin the day after expiry with no buffer. | October 2024 |
| Overstay fine rate | Flat AED 50 per day from the first day of overstay. Fines settled at ICP before exit or before any new visa application. The security deposit does not offset overstay fines. | February 2026 |
| Repeated back-to-back extensions | ICP may refuse a second or subsequent in-country extension for habitual renewers without an exit. A single first extension is not affected. | June 2025 |
| Mission entry visa (96-hour) | No longer extendable. Exit required on or before the 96-hour expiry. | October 2024 |
| Sharjah security deposit | No change to the deposit requirement or the AED 1,500 to 3,500 range. | Current |
Source: ICP Smart Services · Arabiers visa desk updates 2026
A UAE tourist visa whether applied for Sharjah entry or any other emirate can be extended in-country up to twice without exit. Each extension adds 30 days. The fee is AED 1,190 per extension through a licensed agency. The extension must be applied for before the current visa expires.
The security deposit continues to be held by ICP during any extension period. It is returned after the visitor eventually departs the UAE not after the extension is granted.
Full extension options including the in-country status change and the airport-to-airport visa change are on the UAE tourist visa extension page.
No. A UAE tourist visa is a single federal document. There is no separate Sharjah visa. The same UAE tourist visa allows entry and stay across all seven emirates. The price, the permitted stay and the visa document are identical regardless of which emirate you fly into. The one practical difference for Sharjah visitors is the mandatory security deposit of AED 1,500 to AED 3,500 that ICP requires for nationals of certain countries this is refunded after departure.
Yes. A UAE tourist visa is valid for entry and free movement across all seven emirates including Sharjah. There is no separate Sharjah visa requirement. You can enter through Sharjah airport and travel across all emirates on the same single document.
It depends on your passport. Nationals of 74 countries including the UK, USA, France, Germany, Spain, Australia, Canada and Singapore receive a free visa on arrival stamp at Sharjah airport. Nationals of other countries need a prearranged tourist visa applied before travel through ICP Smart Services or a licensed agency. A Sharjah security deposit of AED 1,500 to AED 3,500 may apply for certain nationalities.
ICP requires a mandatory refundable security deposit for nationals of certain countries applying for a tourist visa with Sharjah as the destination emirate. The deposit ranges from AED 1,500 to AED 3,500 depending on nationality. It is held by ICP and returned in full after the visitor departs the UAE. It is entirely separate from the visa fee and is not an additional charge that stays with the agency.
Through local authorised travel agencies: 30-day single entry AED 489, 60-day single entry AED 689, 30-day multiple entry AED 990, 60-day multiple entry AED 1,190. Express in 4 to 8 hours: 30-day AED 789, 60-day AED 989. For nationalities subject to the Sharjah security deposit, AED 1,500 to AED 3,500 is held separately and refunded after departure.
Yes for 74 nationalities. UK, USA, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Australia, Canada, Singapore and 65 others receive a free visa on arrival stamp at Sharjah International Airport. No advance application, no deposit. Nationalities that need a prearranged visa must apply before travel through ICP or a licensed agency.
Standard: 48 to 72 hours. Express: 4 to 8 hours. The observed median across 68,360 standard applications processed by Arabiers since 2016 is 2.6 working days. Express median is 5 hours 25 minutes. All times assume complete and correct documents from the start. Document issues restart the clock.
Go to icp.gov.ae. Select File Validity, then Passport Information, then Visa. Enter your passport number, expiry date and nationality. Complete the captcha and click Search. The visa status and expiry date as recorded by federal immigration will display. Sharjah tourist visas are issued through ICP.
Passport valid for at least 6 months from the travel date, photograph with white background in UAE dimensions, return or onward travel ticket, and medical insurance valid in the UAE. Nationals of Iraq, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan must also include their national identity card. For nationalities subject to the Sharjah deposit, proof of accommodation is also typically required.
Yes. A UAE tourist visa can be extended in-country up to twice, 30 days per extension, at AED 1,190 per extension through ICP or a licensed agency. The extension must be applied for before the current visa expires. The security deposit continues to be held by ICP during any extension and is returned after eventual departure.
AED 50 per day from the first day after the visa expires. No grace period under February 2026 ICP rules. Fines must be settled at ICP before exit or before any new visa application. The security deposit does not offset overstay fines and is a separate matter entirely.
The grace period for on-arrival visas was removed in October 2024. A flat AED 50 per day overstay fine applies from day one. Repeated back-to-back in-country extensions may be refused from June 2025. The standard tourist visa prices, the 74 on-arrival nationalities and the Sharjah security deposit rules have not changed.
This guide is general information reviewed by Arabiers' UAE Visa & Travel Content Specialist. It is not legal advice. Visa rules and security deposit amounts are set by the UAE Government and ICP and can change without notice. Confirm current deposit requirements at icp.gov.ae or with Arabiers before applying. Last reviewed 24 August 2026.
