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Sri Lankan passport holders need a visa before they travel to Dubai. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs lists Sri Lanka as visa required, and there is no residence-based shortcut for Sri Lankan passports. Two routes work: a visit visa sponsored through ICP by a relative living in the UAE, or a GDRFA tourist visa applied for by a Dubai tourism establishment, from AED 210 for 30 days.
Sponsoring a relative from Sri Lanka
If you live and work in the UAE, you can bring family over on an ICP visit visa. ICP looks at two things: how you are related and what you earn.
| Visitor | Your monthly income must be at least |
|---|---|
| Your mother, father, child or spouse | AED 4,000 |
| Your brother, sister, aunt, uncle or cousin | AED 8,000 |
| A friend | AED 15,000 |
What it costs
ICP fees per visa, checked :
- Application: AED 100
- Issuance: AED 100 a month single entry, AED 200 a month multiple entry
- Smart services: AED 100
- Deposit fee: AED 20
- Refundable guarantee: AED 1,000 single entry, AED 2,000 multiple entry
So a one-month single-entry visit costs AED 320 in fees plus the AED 1,000 guarantee, which you get back after the visitor leaves on time.
What you send
Your Emirates ID and residence, a salary certificate or contract showing the income, the visitor's passport (valid 6 months or more) and photo, and proof of the relationship. The visitor must enter within 60 days of issue.
Tourist visa when no relative sponsors
A Dubai travel agency or hotel applies to GDRFA. AED 210 for 30 days single entry, AED 315 for 60 days; multiple entry costs AED 315 or AED 525. You need a return ticket and UAE-valid health insurance, and the passport must have 6 months left. GDRFA states 48 hours.
Sri Lankans working in the Gulf
Sri Lankans resident in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman or Bahrain can try GDRFA's entry visa for GCC residents. It needs a valid GCC residence and a profession on GDRFA's approved list. GDRFA assesses each case, so check before relying on this route.
Why Sri Lankan visit visas are refused
- The sponsor's salary certificate shows less than the tier for that relationship.
- A cousin or in-law is sponsored as if first-degree.
- The passport has under 6 months.
- An earlier overstay on record.
Parents who visit often
Bringing parents for several months every year adds up in fees and guarantees. A residence visa for parents may cost less over time and avoids the 120-day ceiling: see parents visa in Dubai. For a spouse or children joining you, the family visa is the route.
Track the visa on GDRFA using visa status check, and leave before the last day. The fine is AED 50 for each day over (overstay fine).
Our service
Send your residence, salary certificate, the visitor's passport and the dates. The partner team checks that your income meets the tier for that relative, prepares the ICP application, pays the government fee and guarantee from your quote, and sends the e-visa once issued. If a tourist visa is the better fit, they file that instead. You get one total price first, government fees and the service charge listed separately. Ask on WhatsApp or send the form.
More passports: Dubai visa by nationality.
