5 Hacks To Make Dubai Visa Process Hassle-Free

The United Arab Emirates or UAE is one of the world”s fastest-growing tourist locations as it has everything you look for in a perfect getaway. From picturesque landscapes to iconic buildings, Dubai is a sight to behold and appeals to all tourists, people in business and photographers (for those beautiful skyline photos) alike.

To apply for a UAE tourist visa via the online portal, your current passport must be valid for a minimum period of six (6) months, including the issuance day. You are only allowed to stay for thirty (30) days, including the entry and departure days; the visa is also non-extendable.

To fast track your Dubai visa application, here are few hacks to keep in mind.

1. Identify the Essentials:

To apply for the UAE tourist visa, you will require a passport that has a minimum validity of six months. Once your visa application is granted, you are allowed to stay for a maximum of 30 days, including the entry and departure days from the date of entry in UAE. Your visa is valid for two months from the date of issuance. The essentials of your research should include the following:

Where to apply? – You can easily apply online at the official UAE visa-issuing website or via any recognised travel agency or airlines.

What is the procedure? – You will need to fill out the application form with the right details and submit along with the documents.

What is the requirement? – The complete list of materials needed for the process is mentioned below:

Traveller”s Documents:

– Your passport size photograph
– Scanned copies of your passport – front page and last page
– Passport page with exit stamp if you”ve travelled to Dubai before
– Confirmed return air tickets

Please note that your passport should have the minimum validity of 6 months and should not be in handwritten format. Also, make sure that the documents for submission are not blurred or weary.

Guarantor”s Documents:

– Documents for visitors with a guarantor in UAE
– The passport and visa page copies of the guarantor (both valid for a minimum period of three months)
– A security cheque of AED 5,500 drawn for each visa if the visitor is having any standing legal issues
– Last month’s bank statement supporting the statement in the cheque processed from the same bank account, with a good number of transactions in it

Visitors with No Guarantor in UAE:

– Family tourists may not need to submit any deposit if they make the hotel, airline or tour booking with licensed agencies at the best prices to avoid any extra payment.
– Individual visitors are also required to pay an amount of AED 5,500 towards security deposit. However, this amount is fully refundable once you provide the scanned copy of your passport page with the UAE exit stamp to the agency, hotel, or airline you”re booking with. This step is crucial for assuring the government against any kind of overstaying in the UAE.

What is the turnaround time? – Generally, it takes 3 – 4 working days to process the visa.

What is the fees structure? – You will find the detailed price chart below:

Tourist Visas:

The price of a tourist visa varies from the price of a visit visa.

Express Visas:

There are specific visas that are made for travellers who need to visit Dubai on an urgent basis. Express visa is granted to those individuals.

2. Understand Your Purpose of Travel:

Now that you have an overall idea about the Dubai visit visa, you need to identify your requirement. The UAE government issues permit according to the purpose of visit and scope of work of the traveller. You must choose the right kind of visa for yourself –

Visit Visa: This type of visa needs to be sponsored by relatives or friends residing in the UAE. It is available for 30 or 90 days.

Tourist Visa: Tourists can reside in the UAE for 30 days, under the sponsorship of the UAE official airlines, hotels, and travel agencies.

Transit Visa: The transit visa is valid for 96 hours or 14 days from the date of issuance given that:

(a) you have a valid passport and confirmed the booking to your third destination
(b) you leave the UAE within 96 hours of arrival or 14 days after the visa has been issued
(c) you have a confirmed hotel reservation in the UAE

3. Keep Your Documents in Check:

For visa application, you will need passport size photographs and, scanned and attested copies of all essential documents. You may also need to submit some additional documents. You must crosscheck and ensure that you have all the things at one place during the applying process. It buys you a lot of time and saves you from confusion in the end.

4. Apply Well in Advance:

While the turnaround time is just 3 – 4 working days, it is good to keep checking with your airlines for the cheapest day to make the air travel. This would allow flexibility and ease in choosing the date of travel. This would not only help you save but also provide a better insight into the travel expenses via the airlines of your choice.

5. Maintain a Record of International Travel:

Having previous records of international travel increases the chances of approval of your visa application and may act as a catalyst in getting it approved in no time. You will require copies of visa or travel proof if you have travelled at least once in the last five years to USA, UK, European Union, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Canada, or other Schengen countries.