Quick answer
Yes. Indian passport holders need a visa for Dubai and the rest of the UAE. Most apply online before flying, through their airline, a travel agent or the ICP portal, and receive a 30-day tourist visa in two to four working days for about ₹6,500–9,000. Holders of a valid US visa or Green Card, or a qualifying UK, EU or other permit, can take a visa on arrival.
At a glance
- Visa type
- Tourist visa, pre-applied online (30 or 60 days, single entry)
- Stay allowed
- 30 or 60 days; 14 days on the conditional visa on arrival
- Fee
- About ₹6,500–9,000 for a 30-day visa through airlines or agents; visa on arrival about AED 100 (₹2,400) for 14 days
- Processing
- 2–4 working days; express options of about 24 hours cost more
- Validity
- Usually about 60 days from issue to enter
- Apply at
- Official portal
Documents checklist
- Passport valid for at least six months from the date of arrival, with two blank pages
- Clear colour scan of the passport's first and last pages (photo and address pages)
- Recent passport-size photo on a plain white background, as a digital file
- Confirmed return or onward air ticket
- Hotel booking, or the host's address and Emirates ID copy if you stay with relatives
- For visa on arrival: the original valid US visa or Green Card, or the qualifying UK, EU or other residence document
- Printed copy of the issued visa PDF for check-in in India
Common mistakes that get Indians refused
- Reports in July 2026 said UK visas and UK residence permits would be dropped from the visa on arrival list; this was not confirmed when we reviewed, so apply in advance if a UK document is your only qualifier.
- The name on the visa must match the passport and air ticket exactly; a spelling error means a fresh application, not a correction.
- Visiting Oman by road from Dubai needs a multiple-entry UAE visa (or a second UAE visa) to come back in.
- Overstay fines run at about AED 50 (₹1,200) a day and can lead to a travel ban, so note the exit date on the visa, not the ticket.
- Check the visa number on the ICP or GDRFA Dubai website before flying; fake or unpaid visas sold by unregistered agents do surface.
Do Indians need a visa for Dubai?
Yes. An ordinary Indian passport does not get visa-free entry to the UAE, so most travellers apply online before flying. The visa arrives as a PDF within a few working days, and you show it at check-in in India and at immigration in Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Sharjah. One visa covers all seven emirates, whichever emirate issued it.
How to apply, step by step
- Pick the length. A 30-day single-entry visa covers almost every holiday; a 60-day visa suits long family visits.
- Apply through your airline (Emirates, flydubai, Etihad and Air Arabia sell visas to their own passengers), a registered travel agent, or the ICP and GDRFA Dubai portals.
- Upload a sharp colour scan of the passport's front and back pages and a photo on a white background. Blurry scans are the most common reason an application sits on hold.
- Pay and wait two to four working days. Express processing is available at a higher fee.
- Verify the visa on the ICP website, then print two copies and keep the PDF on your phone.
Who can take a visa on arrival?
Indian passport holders with a valid US visa or Green Card, or a valid visa or residence permit from the UK or an EU country, qualify. Since February 2025, residence permits from Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Canada also count. The 14-day visa costs about AED 100 (₹2,400) and can be extended once. ICP's June 2026 update added a 60-day single-entry option at about AED 250 (₹6,000) plus service charges. Your passport needs six months' validity, and approval stays at the officer's discretion.
What do immigration officers check?
Dubai immigration is quick for tourists with a clean visa. Officers check the visa, your passport and sometimes your return ticket or hotel booking. Bank statements are rarely asked for at the counter. Most problems happen earlier, at check-in in India: a name mismatch, a passport with under six months left, or a visa the airline system cannot find. Carry paper copies as well as the PDF.
Families, seniors and long stays
Every traveller, including infants, needs a separate visa, so apply for the whole family together to keep the dates aligned. There is no upper age limit for tourist visas, but hospital care in the UAE is expensive for visitors, so seniors should travel with medical cover; see our travel insurance page. If you plan a side trip to Oman, ask for a multiple-entry visa from the start.
On most Dubai trips we plan, the visa is the easiest part. Apply once your flights are confirmed, not before, because the 60-day entry window starts on the day of issue.
For budgets and timing, see the Dubai trip cost guide, the best time to visit Dubai and things to do in Dubai. If you would rather hand the paperwork over, our visa assistance team files UAE visas every week.
Frequently asked questions
Can Indians get a visa on arrival in Dubai?
How much does a Dubai visa cost for Indians in 2026?
Can I visit Abu Dhabi and Sharjah on a Dubai visa?
Do children and infants need their own UAE visa?
Is a bank statement needed for a UAE tourist visa?
How we checked this page
Last reviewed
Written and fact-checked by the Elitech Travels editorial desk in New Delhi, drawing on our consultants' day-to-day booking work and the official sources below. Rules, fares and fees change — always confirm anything critical with the issuing authority before you travel. Our editorial policy.
