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Get your UAE or Dubai visa online within hours – An easy step-by-step guide

Updated: May 31, 2022 16 Comments

UAE or Dubai Tourist Visa Image

It’s super easy to get a UAE or Dubai visa online. All you need is a scanned copy of your passport, a digital photo and a credit/debit card. It takes about 10 minutes to fill out the form and you will have your visa within a few hours. 

UAE visas can only be applied through a sponsor. A UAE-based airline, UAE-based hotel, UAE-based company, an Emirate national or resident can sponsor your UAE tourist visa.

My preferred sponsor or agent is Etihad Airways. I prefer a reputed international agent, so I have used Etihad Airways for my UAE visa. 

DO YOU HAVE TO FLY WITH ETIHAD AIRWAYS IF YOU APPLY FOR UAE/DUBAI VISA WITH THEM?
NO. Etihad Airways only acts as a sponsor for your visa and you don’t need to fly with Etihad Airways. You can fly with any airline including budget airlines. I flew with Indigo to Sharjah and I was fine.

DO YOU HAVE TO FLY TO ABU DHABI AIRPORT IF YOU APPLY FOR UAE/DUBAI VISA WITH ETIHAD AIRWAYS?
NO. You can travel to/from any international airport or seaport in the UAE. I flew with Indigo to Sharjah and I was fine. 

Most tourists usually need a 30-day single-entry UAE visa. Etihad Airways charges about 361 AED (equivalent to $98 USD) and processes your visa application within a few hours.

The procedure to apply for a 90-day single-entry or multiple-entry Dubai visa online is pretty much the same, except for the fee.

In this article, we will go over the steps for applying for a 30-day single-entry UAE or Dubai visa online using Etihad Airways. 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

  • Documents needed before starting
  • Steps to apply for UAE or Dubai visa online
    • 01. Start
    • 02. Trip Info
    • 03. Applicant Info
    • 04. Address Info
    • 05. Attachments Info
    • 06. Review Application
    • 07. Application Fee
    • 08. Application Success
    • 09. Application Processing
    • 10. Visa Approval
  • Conclusion

***

Documents needed before starting

  • A scan of your Passport ID page
  • A digital passport size photo
  • A debit/credit card for visa fee

Allowed formats: JPEG, JPG or PDF
Max file size: 2MB
Digital photo specification: Min 600×600 pixels, max 1200×1200 pixels with minimum 96dpi resolution

***

Steps to apply for UAE or Dubai visa online

01. Start

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Home page
  • Go to Etihad Airways Visa Portal
  • Click on the “Apply for UAE visa” button
UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Available Services

Under “Available Services”, click on the first option “Tourist Visa”.

—

02. Trip Info

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Trip Info Section

Enter the following information on the “Trip Info” page.

  • Emirate [Comment: Select the emirate that you plan to enter the UAE from, from the below options]
    • ABU DHABI
    • DUBAI
    • SHARJAH
    • AJMAN
    • UMM AL QUWAIN
    • RAS AL KHAIMAH
    • FUJAIRAH
  • Arrival Port [Comment: Select the airport or seaport that you plan to enter the UAE from]
  • Come From [Comment: Select your departure country]
  • Trip/Vessel Number [Comment: This field is not mandatory, so enter your flight number or ship number only if you know]
  • Arrival Date [Comment: Enter your tentative arrival date]
  • Email [Comment: Enter your email address]

IMPORTANT
You can select any emirate and/or any arrival port in your visa application. When you enter the UAE, you can enter from any emirate or airport irrespective of what you have mentioned in your visa application.

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Visa Validity

After you enter your “Arrival Date”, your visa validity dates will be shown below. Check the dates and make sure you are aware of the visa start and end dates and how many days you are allowed to stay in the UAE. 

Click on the “Next” button.

You will be taken to the “Applicant Info” page.

Once you pass this step, a draft of your application will be created and an email will be sent to you with a link to your draft. If you want to complete the application at a later point, you can always use the link in the email to access your draft.

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - New Draft Created Email

—

03. Applicant Info

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Applicant Info Section

Enter the following information in the “Personal Information For Sponsored (Service Beneficiary)” section.

  • Full Name (English) [Comment: Enter your full name as per your passport. Combine your first/given name, middle name and last name and enter it in this field]
  • Full Name (Arabic) [Comment: No need to do anything here. Your name in Arabic will be auto populated]
  • Current Nationality [Comment: Select the country of your nationality/passport from the list]
  • Previous Nationality [Comment: Select a country in this list only if you had a different nationality earlier]
  • Gender [Comment: Select your gender from the list]
  • Date of Birth [Comment: Select your date of birth from the calendar]
  • Birth Country [Comment: Select your country of birth from the list]
  • Marital Status [Comment: Select your marital status from the options]
    • SINGLE
    • MARRIED
    • DIVORCED
    • WIDOWED
  • Place of Birth (English) [Comment: Enter your place of birth]
  • Place of Birth (Arabic) [Comment: No need to do anything here. Your place of birth in Arabic will be auto populated]
  • Mother Name (English) [Comment: Enter your mother’s name]
  • Mother Name (Arabic) [Comment: No need to do anything here. Your mother’s name in Arabic will be auto populated]
  • Qualification [Comment: Select your educational background from the options]
    • HIGH DIPLOMA
    • NONE
    • PRIMARY EDUCATION
    • LOWER SECONDARY EDUCATION
    • HIGHER SECONDARY EDUCATION
    • DIPLOMA
    • BACHELOR
    • MASTER
    • DOCTORAL
  • Professions [Comment: Search for your profession and select the appropriate profession]
  • Religion [Comment: Select your religion from the options]
    • CHRISTIANITY
    • HINDUISM
    • NON RELIGIOUS
    • BUDDHISM
    • BAHA’I
    • SIKHISM
    • JUDAISM
    • QADIANI
  • Faith [Comment: Select your faith from the options]
  • Visit Reason [Comment: Enter “Tourism” as your reason]
UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Passport Info Section

Enter the following information in the “Passport Information” section.

  • Passport Type [Comment: Select “Ordinary” from the options]
  • Passport No [Comment: Enter your passport number]
  • Passport Issue Date [Comment: Enter your passport issue date]
  • Passport Expiry Date [Comment: Enter your passport expiry date]
  • Passport Issue Place (English) [Comment: Enter your passport place of issue]
  • Passport Issue Place (Arabic) [Comment: No need to do anything here. Your passport issue place in Arabic will be auto-populated]
  • Passport Issue Country [Comment: Select the country of your passport from the list]

Click on the “Next” button.

You will be taken to the “Address Info” page.

—

04. Address Info

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Address Info Section

Enter the following information on the “Address Info” page.

  • Guest location inside UAE [Comment: Select the emirate and the city where your hotel is]
  • Local Building [Comment: No need to enter anything here, leave it blank]
  • Detailed Address [Comment: Enter your hotel address here]
  • Local Flat Number [Comment: No need to enter anything here too, leave it blank]
  • UAE Mobile Number [Comment: No need to enter anything here too, leave it blank]
  • UAE Phone Number [Comment: Enter your hotel’s phone number]
  • Permanent Country [Comment: Enter your country of residence]
  • Applicant Location Outside UAE [Comment: Enter your current residential address from your country]
  • Permanent Mobile Number [Comment: Enter your phone number from your country]
  • PO Box [Comment: No need to enter anything here, leave it blank]

Click on the “Next” button.

You will be taken to the “Attachments Info” page.

—

05. Attachments Info

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Attachment Info Section

Upload the following documents on the “Attachments Info” page.

  • Colored Photo [Comment: Click on “Select” and upload your digital passport size photo]
  • Passport Copy [Comment: Click on “Select” and upload a scan of your passport ID page]

NOTE
Only JPEG, JPG or PDF formats are allowed. The file size cannot be more than 2MB. The digital photo must be in color with min 600×600 pixels, max 1200×1200 pixels with minimum 96dpi resolution.

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Attachments Uploaded

Make sure your photo and passport copy is uploaded. 

Then, click on the “Next” button.

You will be taken to the “Review Application” page.

—

06. Review Application

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Review Section

Review the following sections.

  • Trip Info
  • Personal Information for Sponsored (Service Beneficiary)
  • Passport Information
  • Address Info
  • Attachments Info

If you see any discrepancies or errors in any section, click on the “Edit Information” for that section to go back and fix the errors. 

After you review everything, click on the “Next” button.

You will be taken to the “Application Fee” page.

—

07. Application Fee

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Application Fee Section

Under the “Pay Using”, check the box for “I Agree to the Terms and Conditions”.

Then click on the “Amwal Credit Card” button below it.

Then you will see the total visa fee including vat and agent commission. 

Click on the “Pay” button.

You will be taken to the credit card form.

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Application Fee CC Form

Select your card type and enter your credit/debit card details.

Click on the “Pay” button.

You will be taken to the “Requests Applied Successfully” page.

—

08. Application Success

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Application Success

On this page, you will see the “Requests Applied Successfully” message.

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Fee Receipt

Print your receipt for the visa fee payment by clicking the “You can view and print your Receipt from here” link. 

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Payment Successful Email

You will also receive an email with subject “ICP Smart Services System – Payment Successful” confirming your visa fee payment.

—

09. Application Processing

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - New Request Sent Email

Right after you have successfully submitted your visa application, you will receive an email with the subject “ICP Smart Services System – New Request Sent” saying that your visa application has been received and will be processed soon. 

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - New Request Created Email

Your visa application will then be sent to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) for processing. When that happens, you will receive another email with the subject “ICP Smart Services System – New Request Created” saying that your visa application has been sent to the GDRFA.

—

10. Visa Approval

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - Request Approved Email

In a few hours, you will receive an email with the subject “MOI Smart Services System – Request Approved” saying that your visa is approved and can be downloaded. 

Click on the “Print e-Visa” link in your email to download a PDF copy of your approved UAE eVisa.

UAE or Dubai Visa Online - eVisa Sample

Check your Dubai eVisa PDF for any errors and make sure everything is looking good. Print and carry your Dubai eVisa when you travel.

***

Conclusion

There you go, guys! The process to get a UAE or Dubai visa online in just a few hours. If you run into any issues, comment below. I will see if I can help. 

If you have used another agent, let me know in the comments about your experience with them, their fee and how long it took to get the visa.

WRITTEN BY THIRUMAL MOTATI

Thirumal Motati

Thirumal Motati is a world traveler and digital nomad from India. He is on a mission to travel to every country in the world on his Indian passport. He believes that his weak passport cannot stop him from traveling the world. Through this blog, he inspires many to take up the life of travel despite their weak passports. His guidance has helped many secure their visas and fulfill their travel dreams.

PLAN YOUR TRAVEL WITH VISA TRAVELER

I highly recommend using these websites to plan your trip. I use these websites myself to apply for my visas, book my flights and hotels and purchase my insurance.

01. Apply for your visa
You can get a verifiable flight itinerary for your visa application from DummyTicket. Flight itineraries from DummyTicket are valid for 2 weeks and works for all visa applications.

02. Book your fight
You can find the cheapest flight tickets using Skyscanner. Skyscanner includes all budget airlines and you are guaranteed to find the cheapest flight to your destination.

03. Book your hotel
You can book your hotel from Booking.com. Booking.com has pretty much every hotel, hostel and guesthouse from every destination. Use Vrbo for long-term rentals.

04. Get your onward ticket
If traveling on one-way ticket, you can get your proof of onward flight from Expedia. Expedia offers free cancellation on tickets booked within 24 hours. Or use OnwardTicket to get a proof of onward ticket in just 2 minutes.

05. Purchase your insurance
You can purchase travel insurance for your trip from SafetyWing (for short or long trips) or VisitorsCoverage (for US trips).

LEGAL DISCLAIMER
We are not affiliated with immigration, embassies or governments of any country. The content in this article is for educational and general informational purposes only, and shall not be understood or construed as, visa, immigration or legal advice. Your use of information provided in this article is solely at your own risk and you expressly agree not to rely upon any information contained in this article as a substitute for professional visa or immigration advice. Under no circumstance shall be held liable or responsible for any errors or omissions in this article or for any damage you may suffer in respect to any actions taken or not taken based on any or all of the information in this article. Please refer to our full disclaimer for further information.

AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE
This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission, at no extra cost to you, if you make a purchase through a link. Please refer to our full disclosure for further information.

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About Me

About Thirumal Motati, founder and travel writer at visa traveler
Hi! I’m Thirumal Motati. I’m on a mission to travel to every country in the world on my “weak” passport. As a digital nomad, I have been traveling full-time for over 6 years. My knowledge and experience have helped many secure their visas and fulfill their travel dreams. Want to learn how to travel the world on a weak passport? Start here

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