Dubai Visa For Indians

A Dubai visa enables you to legally travel to Dubai and stay there for a certain number of days.

This visa is compulsory if you are an Indian national travelling to Dubai for any purpose. You can also transit from the international transit areas of the Dubai airport if you have a valid Dubai visa.

When travelling to Dubai, along with the visa, a travel insurance policy for Dubai is another important and mandatory document that you must have with you. With Tata AIG, you can easily compare travel insurance online and select a suitable plan for yourself, with premiums starting at ₹40.82/day!

A Dubai visa makes your entry into the city more convenient, is available for all types of tourists and travellers and comprises the following features

1. As an Indian tourist or transit passenger, you can avail of a Dubai tourist visa for India
   
2. Dubai visa on arrival facility for Indians with Green Card or US visa, expect work visa
   
3. You can choose between a single trip and a multi-trip visa
   
4. Mandatory travel insurance policy for Dubai
   

You may have to travel to Dubai for work, to meet your family or simply on holiday. Hence, even the visa issued will have to match your purpose of travel. With different types of Dubai visas available, you can select the one that best suits your reason for travelling to the city. Let’s take a look at the different Dubai visas and permits available –

● Study Visa:

As the name suggests, a study visa is meant to enable a non-UAE citizen to study or train in Dubai. If you are going to Dubai for further education or receive any educational or vocational training, a UAE-based university can sponsor the education and the visa on your behalf if needed.

● Service Visa:

A service visa allows people to visit the United Arab Emirates to carry out commercial activities in Dubai or offer their professional services to a business. These people may be sales managers, account auditors, etc., who need to visit the city for only work-related purposes for a fixed period of time.

● Visit Visa:

If you have family or relatives based out of Dubai and would like to visit them, a visit visa is ideal for this purpose, along with an international travel insurance plan. The family member you are visiting should have UAE citizenship since you cannot apply for your UAE visit visa. Alternatively, your UAE-based hotel, airline or travel agency can also apply for this visa.

● Transit Visa:

A transit visa will help if you are on a flight and you have a layover at the Dubai International Airport. This type of visa is useful if you have to board a connecting flight since it is necessary to have a visa even if you are only at the airport for a limited number of hours and are not entering the city.

● Work Permit:

A work permit is issued by the Labour Ministry in Dubai and is granted to those seeking employment. If you are joining a company in Dubai, then your firm has to apply for the permit and you should be at least above 18 years of age and below 60 years of age to be eligible for the same.

● Tourist Visa:

You need a Dubai tourist visa even if you are going there for a holiday. While the UAE Embassy is not involved in issuing this type of visa, the hotel, airline or the travel agency you are associated with will have to apply for it. As an Indian tourist, you can have a short-term or long-term tourist visa.

● Medical Permit:

If you are sick and want to visit Dubai for medical treatment, you must have a medical treatment permit for being treated in a Dubai hospital. Hence, foreign nationals can avail themselves of the medical facilities in Dubai. Since some treatments can be long-term, the permit enables single entry as well as multiple entries.

If you are an Indian planning to visit Dubai for any purpose, here is how you can apply for a Dubai visa with ease. The Dubai visa process is convenient if you follow these steps correctly –

• Choose the type of visa you want to apply for.
• Visit the UAE government’s official website or the UAE-based tourist visa provider’s online portal.
• Fill up the visa application form with all the correct details.
• Upload all the relevant and important documents in the correct format.
• Pay the visa application fees and submit the form and the documents.
• If your application is successful, you will be granted a Dubai visa.

If you are travelling to Dubai from any country, you will have to get a visa to enter the country. If you are an Indian with a green card or a US visa (non-work permit), you will be eligible for a visa on arrival.

Travellers from some other countries need to pay a security deposit on their visa, which they will get back after leaving the country.

As an Indian passport holder with no Green Card or US visa, you will have to apply and receive your Dubai visa in advance before starting your travel.

If you want to check your eligibility for a Dubai visa, you should fulfil these conditions as an Indian national.

• Be clear of any criminal record or background or legal cases.
• Have a valid travel insurance plan with suitable coverage.
• Have a valid Indian passport with at least 2 blank pages and a validity of 6 months.
• Show valid proof of sufficient funds that can cover your expenses during the trip.
• Have confirmed return journey flight tickets to India/your home country.

Here is the list of documents you will need if you are applying for a Dubai visa –

• Copy of your passport’s first and last page (valid for at least 6 more months).
• Recent passport-size colour photograph.
• A valid travel insurance policy.
• The correctly and duly filled visa application form.
• Proof of investment or income proof of at least USD 8000 (income tax documents are accepted).
• Proof of residency visa (if your country of permanent residency is not the same as your nationality).
• Sponsorship by a Dubai-based hotel, airline or tour agency.
• Confirmed flight and hotel bookings with the airline or hotel or agency that will apply for your visa.

In light of the pandemic, there are certain travel rules and restrictions that have been enforced in the UAE to ensure everyone’s safety. Here is a list of the documents you should be carrying to prove that you are free from the COVID-19 infection before entering Dubai –

• Tourists must have their full vaccination report of any WHO-approved COVID-19 vaccine.
• Compulsory registration on the DXB Smart app and submit a health declaration form and a quarantine undertaking form while entering the UAE.
• A rapid PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test at the airport on arrival.
• Only a QR-coded negative result of the PCR (polymerase chain reaction) test was taken 72 hours before departure from India.
• Institutionalised 14-day quarantine within 24 hours of arrival in Dubai.
• The vaccine certificate should be signed and stamped by a relevant authority either in English or Arabic.

It is important that you apply for your Dubai visa carefully, keeping in mind all the rules and guidelines, as there is always a small chance of your visa getting rejected. While this does not happen often, it is always better to be on the safer side and take note of some common reasons for the rejection of your visa could possibly get rejected –

●Overstaying the previous trip:

If you have visited the UAE before and have happened to overstay your visit even after your visa expires, there can be fines and legal consequences. Here are some problems you can face if you do not settle the fines, which also includes not being able to procure a visa for any further visits–

❖ You could face a permanent immigration ban.
❖ Your name and details will be blacklisted.
❖ You could be deported back to your country.
❖ You may be imprisoned for up to 3 months.

●Single Woman Traveller:

In Dubai, it is advisable to have your parents, or a relative or guardian travel with you, if you are a woman below the age of 25 years. Since Dubai has stringent regulations for the same, make sure that you are aware of this fact before you apply for a visa so that it is not one of the reasons for the rejection of your visa.

●Prior criminal offences:

For obvious reasons, your visa is likely to be rejected if you have been previously involved in any criminal activity either in your own country or in the UAE. The immigration authorities in Gulf countries and the UAE follow very strict rules when it comes to blacklisting those with a prior criminal record.

●Incorrect application details:

Always make it a point to fill out the visa application form carefully, as a single mistake, no matter how small or unintentional, can lead to the application being rejected. Therefore, take time to mention the correct details everywhere, especially when it comes to the date of birth, the issue and expiry date of your passport, etc.

●No cancellation of prior UAE visa:

If you have been to the UAE before on a residential visa, be sure to have your residence visa cleared with their immigration department while leaving the country. If you fail to do that, the authorities cannot grant you a new visa considering that you already have one.

●Prior unused Dubai visa:

Your visa application can also get rejected if you have previously applied for a Dubai work visa but did not come to the country within the specified timeframe. In such cases, have your name cleared with the immigration department as soon as you can so that your future visa applications do not get rejected.

While these are a few common reasons for the rejection of your visa, here are some other reasons that could lead to your Dubai visa rejection.

• Details similar to that of your family members, like the date of birth or name, will need approval from the authorities.
• If your profession listed in the passport comes under the category of unskilled labour, as per the laws, your visa can get rejected.
• Handwritten passports will be a cause of a rejected visa since such passports are no longer acceptable anywhere.
• Incomplete applications with damaged passports, mismatched details and wrong details can lead to visa rejection.

As one of the most popular and advanced cities in the world, Dubai is a renowned holiday destination with the magnificent Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Fountain, the serene and iconic Palm Jumeirah islands, and much more! If you are planning to visit Dubai for any purpose, then along with a visa, you need to ensure that you have a suitable travel insurance.

The Tata AIG foreign travel insurance for Dubai can safeguard you against a number of situations and emergencies as described below –

• Offers comprehensive cover against sickness and accidents on the trip
• Protects against COVID-19 emergencies if you test positive & are hospitalized during the trip.
• You can pay in Indian rupees to avail of coverage in US dollars.
• Affordable travel insurance premiums starting from ₹45.5 per day*.
• Instant online purchase of travel insurance without health check-ups.
• Covers flight and hotel booking cancellation, loss of passport and flight delay.
• Offers a cover for lost or delayed check-in baggage.

Dubai is an amazing city when it comes to tourism or work opportunities. However, there are some strict rules and regulations in place when it comes to public conduct so that the authorities can maintain the peace and the decorum of the city. Here are some of the important things to know when you are visiting Dubai –

• Book your flight and hotel well in advance, at least 6 months ahead.
• Dress modestly to avoid negative attention and out of respect for the culture.
• If you want to take pictures of people or government buildings, ask for permission. Tourist spots, on the other hand, are open to photography.
• Avoid eating, drinking and smoking in public during the Ramadan fasting hours.
• Behave appropriately in public and avoid disturbing others by talking loudly.
• Buy alcohol only from licensed places and do not drink in prohibited locations.

Once you arrive in Dubai, it is necessary to ensure that you do not rush through any of the processes that could lead to missing out on important visa and documentation verification.
When you arrive there, keep all your travel documents as well as your international travel insurance policy ready for the immigration authorities. It is a good idea to also always carry a copy of your passport while travelling in the city and avoid carrying any forbidden items such as weapons or any content that could disrupt public peace.

Very importantly, remember that you are visiting another country with a different culture and background, and their general public rules need to be respected and honored by outsiders. Be mindful of your conduct with other people. Also, keep all the emergency numbers handy so that you can get assistance for any situation at the earliest.

Dubai is full of tourist spots and attractions, and if you are wondering where you can go, you need not worry as there is something or the other for every kind of tourist. But to make things easier for you, here is a list of places that you must not miss out on when you go to Dubai –

• Dubai Miracle Garden
• Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo
• Palm Islands/Palm Jumeirah
• Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque
• Burj Khalifa
• Dubai Fountain
• La Mer Beachfront

Information last updated Jan '22. While this information is sourced reliably, visa requirements can change. For the most current visa details, visit the official Consulate/Embassy website.