Guide to Extend Visit Visa in UAE

In the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Dubai is perhaps one of the most traveled destinations for people on vacations. There is no denying that Dubai has reinvented itself as the go-to place in the last decade and hosts visitors from all over the globe. Getting a UAE visa has become very easy in recent times but following the correct protocol and fulfilling all the requirements is an absolute necessity, however.

Anyone who wants to stay in the UAE for more than just 14 days has to apply for a visit visa. In order to successfully do that, you must have one of the following who will be your sponsor:

• UAE Resident
• Company
• Hotel licensed to operate in the UAE

What is the Difference Between UAE Tourist Visa and UAE Visit Visa?

The biggest difference between tourist visas and visit visas in the UAE is their time validity; the tourist visa in UAE is only valid for 30 days whereas the visit visa can be extended up to 90 days.

Here are some clear distinctions between both:

• Tourist visa can only be used for tourism and leisure purposes whereas a visit visa can be used for business meetings, to attend a seminar, or for any other purpose.
• With a tourist visa, you can stay for 14 days or 30 days and it is extendible for 40 days period whereas with a visit visa you can stay for 90 days.

Dubai’s visit visa fee is higher than the tourist visa fee. 90 days Visit Visa will cost your AED 825 whereas 30 days Tourist Visa will cost you AED 305.

• You cannot convert your tourist visa into another visa but a visit visa can be converted into an employment visa
• Tourist visa is only valid for 2 months while visit visa is valid up to 6 months
• The sponsor of a tourist visa can be friend, relative, or local hotel and agency in UAE but in case of a visit visa, he should be a citizen of the UAE.

How to Renew Your Visit Visa in Dubai?

Now that we have a good understanding of what the visit visa is all about, there are four ways through which you can renew your visit visa in Dubai, and are as following:

1. Application to DNRD Office
   • If you want to remain in the United Arab Emirates then you can visit the Department of Naturalization and Residency (DNRD) and fill out an application. This application submission will cost you AED 500 and you can remain in the UAE
2. Visa Run
   • Another common method is called visa run. You can leave and then return to the UAE again by booking a visa run; this is easily doable from Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Bahrain, Doha, or Kish Island
3. Visa Flight
   • This method is going to cost from AED 500 to AED 1000; this will primarily be the cost for the flight (excluding the visa charges). Once you have landed, enter the departure terminal at the airport and take a flight back to the UAE. Once you reach UAE, you can get a new visit visa which will be valid for another 30 to 60 days. This method is not only costly but also time-consuming.
4. Drive Over Border
   • In order to successfully go through with this method, you will need an exit stamp from the border. Once you have that, you can drive to the Oman border control. Keep the ticket they give you because you will need to show that to the authorities once you eventually head back to the UAE. Head to the immigration office, get an entry stamp, and a new visa. The exit stamp from Oman will cost you AED 60. The last step is to head back to the UAE border and get your new visit visa approved.

In relation to the visit visa, here is an important law; Article 12 of the Federal Law No. 6 of 1973 Concerning Immigration and Residence as amended by virtue of Law 7 of 1985, Law 13 of 1996, and Federal Decree-Law No. 17 of 2017 states:

UAE Visit Visa Requirements for US Citizens

The United States citizens do not need to have a visit visa to enter into UAE if they have a valid passport. The citizens are allowed to remain in the UAE for up to 30-days. If they want to continue staying in the UAE then they will need to contact the immigration officer at the airport or check with the local immigration department for further information.

However, the following are the additional documents they must possess for the entry to be possible:

• Original passport
  • The passport must have six-month validity from the time of arrival in the UAE
• Confirmed round-trip flight ticket or ticket to any other destination port

UAE Visit Visa Requirements for GCC Nationals

Although this is common knowledge but it is important to mention that the GCC, Gulf Cooperation Council, countries do not require a visa to visit the UAE. The countries included in the GCC bracket are Bahrain, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia.

Not all the citizens but those working respectable jobs such as doctors, engineers, government employees are all eligible for a 30-days non-renewable visit visa. Others would have to go through an additional process to be able to become eligible.

UAE Visit Visa Requirements for Other Nationalities

Countries that have not been addressed above are all required to contact the UAE embassy and after fulfilling all the requirements and presenting a valid passport, your application will then be assessed. Alternatively, the option to obtain a visa through a local UAE sponsor or a local UAE hotel is also a realistic possibility.

It is important to note that visit visa rules and regulations keep changing. The information provided is updated but might not necessarily apply to the future, which is why you should always consult the official authorities before finalizing your decision.

FAQs

Here are some of the most asked questions and their answers.