Do foreigners need a visa for Dubai?

Contents:

• Rules of entry to the UAE for foreigners
• Types of visas
• What documents do I need to apply for a visa for Dubai?
• Where to apply for a visa in the UAE
• Terms of obtaining a visa to the UAE
• Costs and penalties for violating the visa regulations in the UAE
• We will help you buy real estate in the UAE

Rules of entry to the UAE for foreigners

The United Arab Emirates is one of the most popular destinations among foreigners for holidays or permanent residence. Each state has special rules of entry and residence. It is necessary to know these regulations if you plan to enter the country.

Foreigners who come to the UAE for holidays are granted a visa for 90 days. It does not need to be issued in advance. This visa is granted to a traveler at the airport of the United Arab Emirates. As a rule, it is obtained by the airline for free. The same rules apply to obtain a transit visa for Dubai during transfers (for foreigners) at the airport of the emirate for further flights to another country.

According to the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commercial Marketing, Dubai received just over 5,000,000 tourists in 2020, although it usually receives about 16,000,000 annually. A total of 124,000 Indians were in 1 and 2 places. British citizens numbered 28,000.

The Department has not yet released the 2021 results but due to the major Expo 2020 exhibition which was postponed last year, it is expected to break the previous year’s record.

Types of visas

For foreigners, including Europeans, there are several types of visas for the UAE:

• Tourist;
• Transit;
• Work;
• Student;
• Guest;
• Business;
• Resident.

As noted above, a Dubai Tourist Visa is granted free of charge within 90 days upon arrival at a UAE Airport.

A transit visa for Dubai also does not require prior preparation. Like a tourist one, it is issued to foreigners arriving at a Dubai airport for a transfer flight to another country. The duration of a stay in the country for this type of visa is 96 hours.

A work visa is issued to a foreigner who is officially employed by an enterprise or organization in the United Arab Emirates. The employer issues this visa. The period for which this option is granted is equal to the term of the employment contract.

A student visa is granted to foreigners admitted to a university in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE institutions of higher education submit all applications, provided that the college or institute in question is licensed by the UAE Ministry of Education. The visa is valid for only the period of study. It is initially granted for a year with the possibility of extension but with excellent academic performance, it is immediately extended for the entire period of study at the university.

A guest visa is given to people who arrive in the Arab Emirates to visit at the invitation of a close relative living in the country. Such a visa must be issued directly by a relative who lives in the UAE. He must prove the relationship with the foreigner and provide the relevant document. The visa is valid for 90 days upon invitation.

A business visa is needed for foreigners who have arrived in the UAE for a business trip. This visa allows you to stay in the country for 14 days. When applying for this type of visa, you need an invitation from an organization registered in the Emirates.

A visa for talented professionals is granted for 10 years to certain categories of citizens:

• Doctors of science;
• Doctors;
• Programmers;
• Electronics and electrical equipment engineers;
• Artificial intelligence and big data developers;
• Virology and epidemiology specialists;
• University graduates with a high score from the approved list;
• Graduates of secondary educational institutions with an average certificate score of 95%.

In addition to the above types of visas, you can obtain a residence permit or resident visa in the following cases:

• Purchase of real estate in Dubai or another UAE city worth at least AED 750,000;
• Establishing your own business in the UAE;
• Marriage to an Emirati citizen.

What documents do I need to apply for a visa for Dubai?

There are 2 types of visas for which only a foreign passport is enough — an adult tourist and a transit. Other circumstances apply to children under the age of 18 — they need additional documents. If a child who arrives in the UAE has a different surname than either or both parents, it will be necessary to provide, in addition to a biometric passport, the original birth certificate of a small tourist and the translation of the certificate into English. A minor arriving in the United Arab Emirates without parents but accompanied by other relatives or third parties, must produce, with his or her passport, the authorization from both parents for the child’s departure with an English translation. It is necessary to notarize the paper.

To apply for a work visa, a European citizen must provide copies of all the current passport pages to the employer. The employer sends the documents to the appropriate authority.

In order for a student who is enrolled in a university in the United Arab Emirates to obtain a visa, it is necessary to prepare the following documents:

• Passport valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry;
• Photocopies of all pages;
• Color photo scanned on a white background;
• Document regarding studies;
• Birth certificate and a copy (for a minor student);
• Bank statement with the amount of funds in the account;
• Document confirming that the study has been paid for;
• Rental agreement or proof of residence. Students can apply to real estate agencies in the UAE to search for and rent housing in Dubai. These documents are then provided by the agency.

For those who arrive in the UAE by invitation to visit, the following must be provided to obtain a guest visa:

• Passport and a copy of all pages;
• 3.5 * 4.5 photos;
• Document that confirms kinship (which must be provided by the inviting person).

For a business visa, you also need a passport, copies of all its pages, a photo, and an invitation from a company registered in the UAE.

If you decide to buy an apartment in the UAE worth at least AED 750,000 and then get a residence permit, first ensure whether the developer provides the opportunity to obtain a residence permit. In addition, it is worth finding out what zone of real estate ownership the area offers in which you are planning to buy. If it is a freehold zone and the developer grants the right to obtain a residence permit, then you need to provide a passport, copies of all its pages, a photo, and a document confirming the right to own real estate in the UAE.

If you decide to get a resident visa after marrying a citizen of the United Arab Emirates, you need to provide a passport, copies of all its pages, a photo of 3.5x4.5 cm, and a marriage certificate in order to apply for a visa.

To obtain a visa through establishing a business, in addition to the passport, its copies, and photos, you must provide a bank statement of your account status and solvency.

Having received a residence permit, you are free to travel outside the United Arab Emirates. It is important to visit the country at least once every 180 days to ensure that the visa is not canceled.

Where to apply for a visa in the UAE

Some tourists go through the procedure for obtaining a visa on their own by submitting documents via the Internet or through a personal request. When applying for a visa yourself, you must provide:

1. International passport and a copy of it;
2. Passport and copies of the completed pages;
3. Visa application;
4. Round-trip flights;
5. Photo;
6. Copies of all visas (valid and completed);
7. Document to confirm solvency.

You can also contact a travel agency to apply for a visa. As a rule, a travel agency includes visa processing in the list of services when buying tours or air tickets to the UAE, making it a convenient process for you.

Terms of obtaining a visa for the UAE

The average time to receive a document through the visa application center is 3-5 days. There are also urgent registration services. It is important to keep in mind that Friday and Saturday in the United Arab Emirates, in particular in Dubai, are considered days off.

Costs and penalties for violating the visa regulations in the UAE

At the airport, a tourist visa is issued free of charge and a visa extension costs about $45. The price to obtain a visa varies depending on the chosen intermediary. For instance, the Dubai Visa Application Center charges about $90.

Penalties are issued when regulations are violated when applying for a tourist visa. First, a payment of $2,200 and then $ 28 as a penalty for each day delayed thereafter.

A work visa is free of charge as all costs are borne by the employer. The situation is similar with a student visa. But, a paid transit visa is available at the Dubai Visa Center for $30.

We will help you buy real estate in the UAE

Do you want to buy a property in Dubai and get a residence permit? We advise you to contact our agency for detailed information about real estate in the United Arab Emirates. By contacting us, you will find out whether the chosen area is a freehold zone. Our agents will listen to all your wishes, advise you on how to buy a home in Dubai, and help you find a dream apartment.

Contact us today to get the best property proposal!