Obtaining a visit visa for Dubai and other emirates in the UAE including Abu Dhabi, RAK, Sharjah. How to sponsor someone for a visit visa to the UAE. Difference between tourist and visit visa. There are differences between a pre-arranged visit visa sponsored by an entity in the UAE, the visit visa on arrival available to some nationalities, and a tourist visa.
There are several different ways to obtain a visit visa for Dubai and other emirates in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). A visit visa and a tourist visa are not the same, although they are both entry permits for visitors to the UAE. The difference is mostly to do with who sponsors the visitor for their trip, the cost, and whether or not the visa is renewable. A tourist visa is was renewable (no longer from 01 Jan 2015), a visit visa is not renewable (except for on-arrival visas).
A pre-arranged visit visa must be used to enter the UAE within 60 days of being issued, otherwise it expires and you'll have to get a new one issued. It can only be used for a single entry, and after exit the visitor must stay away from the UAE for 30 days before re-applying for a new visa (there are some exceptions). A pre-arranged visit visa is valid for 30 or 90 days after entry to the UAE, and is not renewable. A tourist visa and a visit visa on arrival are both valid 30 days, and can be renewed once.
For individual or company sponsorship of a UAE visit visa, the sponsor must be based in the UAE, and have a UAE residence visa if the sponsor is a person. GCC nationals do not need a visit visa to enter the UAE. GCC residents, or visitors accompanying GCC nationals might be able to obtain a visit visa more easily - contact a UAE immigration department.
Although UAE immigration rules are supposed to be federal, there are sometimes differences between emirates in how they are interpreted and implemented. Sometimes even within an emirate, perhaps depending on the mood of the border control official or immigration department official. Sharjah in particular seems to be more restrictive and inconsistent.
- Medical visit visa or medical tourism visa - overseas patients can get a 90 day (or 3 month?) medical tourist visa, extendable twice up to 270 days (or 9 months?). Only for Dubai though. A new initiative by the Dubai Health Authority and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). Applies only to patients attending hospitals with international accreditation (or applying for accreditation) for example Joint Commission International (JCI) (news reports November 2012).
- Property owner visa - new in 2009, not clear if regarded as a visit visa or residence visa by the UAE immigration authorities (probably a visit visa), multi-entry, valid 180 days, renewable
- Tourist visa - valid 30 days, renewable once, available to most nationalities, sponsored by an airline (UAE based airlines only?), travel agent in the UAE, or hotel in the UAE.
- Transit visa - not really a visit visa but might be an easier option for short stays of less than 4 days.
- Visit visa on arrival - valid 30 days, "renewable" (new visa issued each time) indefinitely, available to some nationalities only, obtain at passport control on arrival at any UAE border entry point (airport, land, or sea), new visa can be issued immediately after exit (30 day waiting period outside UAE not required).
- UAE visit visa - 30 days or 90 days, not renewable (usually), sponsored by company, relative, or friend (sometimes).
- Visit visa for GCC residents (unconfirmed) - 30 days, renewable once, costs 100 dhs. Restricted to certain high-level professions (doctor, teacher, manager, lawyer, etc). Visa fee might be higher than 100 dhs. Some sources say this visa is not renewable but that might be old information.
- UAE visit visa for visitors with GCC nationals (unconfirmed) - 30 days, renewable once, costs 100 dhs.
The UAE visa list is a more comprehensive table of different types of visa available, with validity periods and more details.
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