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An Amer visa application is a GDRFA Dubai application typed and submitted for you at one of the 85 Amer centers. You bring the passport, photo and supporting papers, the counter types the form, you pay the GDRFA fee plus the center's charge, and you get an application number. GDRFA states 48 hours for residence issue, status change and tourist visas once the file is complete.
Amer centers only handle visas issued by Dubai. If your residence is from another emirate, the file goes through ICP.
Which visa are you applying for
| Visa | Typical applicant | Amer handles it? |
|---|---|---|
| Entry permit for residence | New employee or family member coming to Dubai | Yes |
| Residence visa issue | Person who has entered on the permit and passed the medical | Yes |
| Residence visa renewal | Resident whose 2 year visa is ending | Yes |
| Status change | Person inside the UAE moving to a new visa | Yes |
| Visit visa | Visitor sponsored by a Dubai resident or company | Yes, GDRFA lists visit visas at Amer |
| Tourist visa | Tourist with no UAE sponsor | Through an accredited tourism establishment |
| Golden visa | Investor, professional, entrepreneur | GDRFA golden residence service, see its channels |
Not sure which applies? The residence visa page sorts the visa types by who is sponsoring.
Tourist visa fees set by GDRFA
| Tourist visa | Fee including VAT |
|---|---|
| Single entry, 30 days | AED 210 |
| Single entry, 60 days | AED 315 |
| Multiple entry, 30 days | AED 315 |
| Multiple entry, 60 days | AED 525 |
Source: GDRFA tourist visa service pages, checked . GDRFA asks for a passport valid for 6 months or more, an onward ticket and UAE valid health insurance. Nationals of Iraq, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan also need a national ID. Processing is 48 hours, and there is no deposit.
Agencies sell the same visa for more. Published prices of online visa agencies, checked , show about AED 336 to 350 for a 30 day single entry and about AED 530 to 575 for 60 days. Compare that with the GDRFA fee before you pay. More detail is on the Dubai visit visa page.
Visit visa for a relative or friend
ICP runs the visit visa that a UAE resident sponsors for family or friends. Its page lists stays of 30, 60 or 90 days, extendable to a total of 120 days. The sponsor's monthly income must be at least AED 4,000 for first degree relatives, AED 8,000 for second and third degree relatives, and AED 15,000 for friends. ICP also takes a refundable guarantee of AED 1,000 for single entry or AED 2,000 for multiple entry. The visitor must enter within 60 days of the permit being issued.
Documents the counter will ask for
Every application: passport copy of the applicant, white background photo.
Residence issue or renewal: the medical fitness result for anyone aged 18 or over. The normal test costs AED 270 under Dubai's medical fitness fee resolution. See the medical test guide.
Family entry permit: sponsor's passport and residence visa, proof of salary (GDRFA lists AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 with housing), the marriage or birth certificate, and housing proof (u.ae lists a certified lease or proof of ownership).
Status change: the new visa, the cancelled previous permit, passports of sponsor and sponsored, the sponsor's residence permit and the new entry permit.
Employee visa: the MOHRE work permit comes first, from a Tasheel center.
What goes wrong, and how to avoid it
- Name spelt differently from the passport. Read the typed form before you pay. A correction later is a data amendment, a separate service.
- Expired or short passport. Tourist visas need 6 months of validity. Renew the passport first.
- Old visa not cancelled. A status change needs the previous permit cancelled. Check it on the GDRFA tool before you go.
- Certificates from abroad not ready. A marriage or birth certificate issued outside the UAE may need attestation before it is accepted. Sort that first, see certificate attestation.
- Paying an agency without asking who files. Only an Amer center or GDRFA can submit the application. Ask which center will file yours.
Tracking the application
Keep the receipt with the application number. Enter it on the GDRFA status inquiry, which also lets you search by file number. Visas issued in other emirates are tracked on ICP application tracking. Our visa status check guide explains each tab.
For the fees of every Amer service in one table, see Amer services in Dubai. To find a counter, see Amer centers near you. If you are sponsoring your family and would rather not run the file yourself, see the family visa page.
