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Indian passport holders need a visa arranged before they travel to Dubai. India is on the "visa required" list of the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. There is one shortcut: if you hold a valid US visa or green card, or a UK or EU residence visa, you can get a 14-day visa on arrival, or apply online for a 60-day visa from ICP.
Four routes for an Indian passport
| Your situation | Visa to use | Who applies |
|---|---|---|
| Plain Indian passport, tourist trip | GDRFA tourist visa, 30 or 60 days | A Dubai travel agency, hotel or airline package |
| A relative or friend lives in the UAE | ICP visit visa, 30, 60 or 90 days | The UAE resident sponsors you |
| You hold a US visa or green card, or a UK or EU residence | Visa on arrival, 14 days, or ICP 60-day visa | You at the airport, or online before you fly |
| You live in a GCC country | GDRFA entry visa for GCC residents | Online through GDRFA |
Most people from India land in the first or second row. The third row matters to Indians working or studying in the US, the UK and Europe, and since ICP widened the list on it also covers Indian residents of Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and New Zealand for the 60-day option.
The visa on arrival for Indians, in detail
GDRFA's service page for citizens of India sets these conditions:
- An ordinary Indian passport valid for at least 6 months.
- A US green card or US visa, or a UK or EU residence visa, also valid for at least 6 months.
- No restriction on your name that stops entry to the UAE.
- A photo on a white background.
The visa lasts 14 days and can be extended once for a similar period. You can also apply for it on the GDRFA smart services site before you fly; GDRFA states 48 hours and sends the visa by email.
ICP's announcement of lists AED 100 for the 14-day visa and AED 250 for the 60-day visa. GDRFA's Indian page shows its own fee figure without naming a currency, so the amount at a Dubai counter may differ. Check before you pay.
The ICP 60-day option
ICP's 60-day visa for nationals residing abroad costs AED 250 in issuance plus AED 100 smart services, AED 350 in all. You must enter within 30 days of issue, you get 60 days from entry, and it cannot be extended. ICP states 2 days to process. The application runs on ICP's smart services with UAE Pass, which a visitor in India does not have, so in practice a relative in the UAE, an agency or a typing centre files it.
Source: ICP service page and ICP announcement, GDRFA service page, checked .
A normal tourist visa from India
With only an Indian passport, the tourist visa is applied for by an accredited Dubai tourism establishment. GDRFA fees are AED 210 for 30 days single entry, AED 315 for 60 days single entry, AED 315 for 30 days multiple entry and AED 525 for 60 days multiple entry. Each needs a passport valid for 6 months or more, a return or onward ticket and health insurance valid in the UAE. GDRFA states 48 hours.
Online agencies selling to Indian travellers show about AED 336 to AED 350 for 30 days single entry, because their service fee sits on top of the GDRFA amount (published agency prices, checked ). The full price breakdown is on the Dubai visit visa page.
Family in Dubai sponsoring you
Many Indian visitors come on a relative's sponsorship. The resident applies through ICP and needs a minimum monthly income: AED 4,000 for first-degree relatives such as parents, AED 8,000 for second or third-degree relatives, and AED 15,000 for friends. A refundable guarantee of AED 1,000 (single entry) or AED 2,000 (multiple entry) is paid on top of the fees. Parents who will spend most of the year in Dubai are often better on residence: see parents visa in Dubai.
Why Indian applications get stuck
- Passport validity under 6 months. Renew in India first; it is cheaper than a failed application.
- US visa close to expiry. For the arrival route, the US visa or green card needs 6 months left too.
- A UK or Schengen visit visa used for the arrival route. GDRFA's page asks for a UK or EU residence visa. ICP's 60-day page is wider and also accepts a visa from the US, EU or UK, so pick the route that matches what you hold.
- Sponsor income below the tier. A brother or cousin needs AED 8,000, not AED 4,000.
- Name mismatch. The spelling on the visa must match the passport exactly, including the surname field.
Track the application on GDRFA with the steps on our visa status check page, and remember there is no stated grace period for visit visas: overstays cost AED 50 a day (overstay fine in Dubai).
Looking for work after you land
A tourist visa is not a work permit. If the goal is a job, compare the job seeker visa UAE, which needs no sponsor, and know that a status change inside the country moves you onto a new residence without flying out.
How we handle an Indian visitor's visa
Tell us the traveller's passport details, the dates and whether anyone in the UAE is sponsoring. If the person holds a US, UK, EU or other qualifying residence, the partner team checks whether the 60-day ICP visa fits better than a standard tourist visa, since it is often cheaper for a long stay. They type and file the application, upload the photo and passport copy in the format GDRFA or ICP accepts, and send you the e-visa once issued. One total price comes first, with the government fee and the service charge on separate lines. Ask on WhatsApp or use the form on this page.
Other passports: see the Dubai visa by nationality list.
