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Zimbabwean passport holders need a Dubai visa issued before they travel. Zimbabwe is on the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs' visa required list, and it is not one of the nationalities that can use a foreign residence for a visa on arrival. The two routes are a GDRFA tourist visa, applied for by a Dubai tourism establishment from AED 210 for 30 days, and an ICP visit visa sponsored by a relative or friend living in the UAE.
Checklist: tourist visa
Use this when nobody in the UAE is sponsoring you.
- Passport valid for at least 6 months from arrival
- Clear colour scan of the passport bio page
- Recent photo on a white background
- Return or onward flight booking
- Health insurance that covers the UAE
- Choice of length and entries (see fees below)
- A Dubai travel agency or hotel to apply for you
GDRFA fees including VAT, checked :
| 30 days | 60 days | |
|---|---|---|
| Single entry | AED 210 | AED 315 |
| Multiple entry | AED 315 | AED 525 |
GDRFA states 48 hours once the file is complete.
Checklist: family visit visa
Use this when a relative or friend with UAE residence sponsors you through ICP.
- Sponsor's monthly income meets the tier: AED 4,000 for a parent, child or spouse; AED 8,000 for a sibling, cousin, aunt or uncle; AED 15,000 for a friend
- Sponsor's Emirates ID and residence
- Sponsor's salary certificate or employment contract
- Proof of relationship, such as a birth or marriage certificate
- Visitor's passport scan (6 months or more) and photo
- Fees: AED 100 application, AED 100 a month issuance single entry, AED 100 smart services, AED 20 deposit fee
- Refundable guarantee: AED 1,000 single entry or AED 2,000 multiple entry
- Travel planned within 60 days of the visa being issued
The ICP visit visa can be 30, 60 or 90 days and extended up to 120 days in total. Source: ICP service page, checked .
Zimbabweans living in South Africa or the UK
ICP's residence-based visa, extended on , covers South African nationals, not South African residents of other nationalities. The same applies to a UK residence: it qualifies Indians, Kenyans and five others, not Zimbabweans. You still need one of the two visas above.
Common reasons a file comes back
- Passport scan cut off or blurred.
- Photo with a coloured background.
- Sponsor's income below the tier for the relationship.
- Passport with fewer than 6 months left.
During the visit
A visit visa does not allow work; if work is the aim, compare the job seeker visa UAE. Track the visa on GDRFA with visa status check and leave before the final day. The fine is AED 50 for each day over (overstay fine in Dubai).
What the partner team does
Send the items from the checklist that fits you. The partner team reviews them before filing, flags anything that would get the file returned, then submits the tourist visa or the ICP visit visa and sends you the e-visa. One total price comes before any work, with the government fees and the service charge on separate lines. Ask on WhatsApp or use the form.
Nearby: South Africa. Every country: Dubai visa by nationality.
