Do I Need Transit Visa In Dubai
If you’re transferring from one country to another, there’s a good chance you’ll need to secure a visa for each and every country you want to visit. Luckily for travelers, Dubai is situated between several other countries, which means you can pass through Dubai on your way to even more interesting destinations in the Middle East, Africa and Europe.
When going on a holiday to a foreign land, it helps to know about the visa requirements before you travel There are mainly two types of visas namely the tourist visa and transit visa. A tourist visa allows the person to enter a country for tourism purposes. Whereas, the transit visa is required when a person goes out of his country and needs to pass through other countries before returning back to home. Most people often confuse with this transit visa and they think that it is a normal tourist visa which is meant for visiting many places in one trip.
Do I Need Transit Visa In Dubai
The United Arab Emirates is a Middle Eastern country located on the Arabian Peninsula, at the southeast end of the Persian Gulf. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Qatar. The name UAE includes the emirates of Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman, Fujairah, and Umm al-Quwain. Each of these smaller entities has its own immigration policy and set of rules for tourists who wish to travel between cities.
What Documents Do I Need for a Transit Visa?
When you apply for a UAE Transit Visa, you must submit the following documents to your airline:
- Your passport, valid for at least three more months
- Passport-size pictures of yourself, in line with UAE visa photo requirements
- Flight ticket for onward travel to a third country
- Hotel reservation in UAE
How Can I Apply for a UAE Transit Visa?
You have to apply for a UAE Transit Visa before you travel. But just as with other types of UAE visas, you cannot apply by yourself at a UAE embassy or consulate abroad; you need a sponsor who can apply on your behalf.
Who can sponsor my UAE Transit Visa?
If you need a transit visa for Dubai/UAE, only your UAE-based airline can serve as your sponsor. They are the ones who arrange to get your transit visa from the relevant visa issuing authorities in the UAE. So, if you know you will stop in Dubai or Abu Dhabi or any other emirate on your way to a third destination, then you must contact your airline to start the process of obtaining your transit visa.
If you are travelling through a travel agency, they can help you with the process, but it is only the airlines who arrange your transit visa for you. Travel agencies or private sponsors cannot apply on your behalf, like for tourist visas.
Where to apply for a UAE Transit Visa?
First, you apply through your airline. Then, your airline applies for your transit visa online, through one of the following ways:
- Through the eChanel portal of the UAE Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA); or
- Through the websites of the GDRFA in each emirate:
- Through the mobile apps:
Where can I apply for a Dubai Transit Visa?
Dubai is part of the country of the UAE, and as such, you can apply for a Dubai Transit Visa in the same way as is detailed above.
How to get an Abu Dhabi Transit Visa?
You can get an Abu Dhabi Transit Visa by arranging for one with an UAE-based airline, in the same process as is detailed above. That’s because Abu Dhabi is one of the emirates making up the UAE, and so you actually need a UAE visa not an Abu Dhabi Visa.
How long is the UAE Transit Visa valid?
A UAE Transit visa is valid for 14 days starting from the date it is issued. You must use it within those days. However, once you have travelled to the UAE, you can only stay for 48 hours or 96 hours, depending on the type of Transit Visa you receive.
How long can I stay in UAE with a Transit Visa?
There are two types of transit visas for Dubai/UAE:
- 48-hour Transit Visa
- 96-hour Transit Visa
You cannot stay in the country beyond the date that the visa is issued for. The countdown starts from the time you enter the UAE.
Can you extend a UAE Transit Visa?
No, you cannot extend your UAE Transit Visa beyond the number of hours that is is issued for. If you’ve received a 48-hour Transit Visa, you cannot extend it to a 96-hour one, nor can you extend the 96-hour for longer than that.
UAE Transit Visa price
The price of the transit visa depends on they type:
- The 48-hour UAE transit visa is free of charge
- The 96-hour UAE transit visa is AED 50 (about US$13 – US$14)
How long does it take to get a UAE Transit Visa?
A UAE Transit Visa is usually processed within 3-4 working days, but may take longer depending on the airline, your country, and other specific circumstances.