Visas of UAE
Visas of UAE Last updated on Monday 26th April 2010
Citizens of GCC countries (Gulf Cooperation Council: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar and the Sultanate of Oman) and British nationals with the right of abode in the UK do not need visas to enter the UAE. GCC nationals can stay more or less as long as they like. Britons can stay for a month and can then apply for a visa for a further two months.
For others, the easiest and most common way to enter the UAE is on a hotel-sponsored visa. This means either a 15-day transit visit or a 30-day visit visa. The difference is that the transit visas cannot be extended, but the visit visa can be extended for another 30 days by the hotel that initially acted as sponsor.
To get a visa, you must first telephone or fax the hotel making a reservation and requesting a visa. Normally the hotel will require you to stay from one to three nights. You must also fax the hotel a copy of your passport along with the reason for your visit -- tourism is an acceptable reason -- and your arrival date. Make sure the hotel faxes you a copy of the visa when it is ready or the airline may not allow you to board the flight. The time needed to process a visa usually ranges from two days to three weeks.
Whatever kind of visa you request, it will be deposited at the airport for you to collect upon arrival. Transit visas cost Dh 120 and visit visas Dh 60, but the normal hotel charge for the service is about Dh 180. If your passport shows any sign of travel to Israel, you will be denied entry to the UAE.