Whether you are visiting Dubai for business reasons or for fun, there is one thing that shouldn’t skip your mind. It is important to understand how long your visa remains valid.
Having such information at your fingertips ensures you don’t overstay in Dubai. After all, it has consequences, hence the need to avoid it at all costs.
The validity period of your visit depends on the visa at hand. Some are long, while others are short. Check them out!
How Are Visa Days Counted in Dubai?
First, there are several types of tourist visas in Dubai. How the days are counted, and the validity of each visa depends on the type.
Here are the details of how Dubai counts the various visas.
UAE Tourist Visa (Regular – 30 days)
If you apply for this visa, its processing may take between 5 and 6 working days. Therefore, Fridays and Saturdays aren’t applicable.
If issued on a certain day, it remains valid up to 60 days from that date. If a tourist has this visa, the stay in UAE, including Dubai, can’t exceed 30 days upon arriving in the Emirates.
UAE Tourist Visa (Express – 30 days)
If you apply for this visa, its processing may take between 2 and 3 working days. Therefore, Fridays and Saturdays aren’t applicable.
If issued on a certain day, it remains valid up to 60 days from that date. If a tourist has this visa, the stay in UAE, including Dubai, can’t exceed 30 days upon arriving in the Emirates.
UAE Tourist Visa (Multi entry – 30 days)
If you apply for this visa, its processing may take between 5 and 6 working days. Therefore, Fridays and Saturdays aren’t applicable.
If issued on a certain day, it remains valid up to 58 days from that date. If a tourist has this visa, the stay in UAE, including Dubai, can’t exceed 30 days upon arriving in the Emirates for the first time.
Nevertheless, its multi-entry nature allows you to use it again for another entry to Dubai. The number of entries is indefinite and for as long as it remains valid.
UAE Transit Visa (Regular – 96 hours)
If you apply for this visa, its processing may take between 5 and 6 working days. Therefore, Fridays and Saturdays aren’t applicable.
If issued on a certain day, it remains valid up to 30 days from that date. If a tourist has this visa, the stay in UAE, including Dubai, can’t exceed 96 hours upon arriving in the Emirates.
UAE Transit Visa (Express – 96 hours)
If you apply for this visa, its processing may take between 2 and 3 working days. Therefore, Fridays and Saturdays aren’t applicable.
If issued on a certain day, it remains valid up to 30 days from that date. If a tourist has this visa, the stay in UAE, including Dubai, can’t exceed 96 hours upon arriving in the Emirates.
UAE Tourist Visa (Regular – 14 days)
If you apply for this visa, its processing may take between 5 and 6 working days. Therefore, Fridays and Saturdays aren’t applicable.
If issued on a certain day, it remains valid up to 14 days from that date. If a tourist has this visa, the stay in UAE, including Dubai, can’t exceed 14 days upon arriving in the Emirates.
UAE Tourist Visa (Express – 14 days)
If you apply for this visa, its processing may take between 2 and 3 working days. Therefore, Fridays and Saturdays aren’t applicable.
If issued on a certain day, it remains valid up to 14 days from that date. If a tourist has this visa, the stay in UAE, including Dubai, can’t exceed 14 days upon arriving in the Emirates.
UAE Tourist Visa (Regular – 90 days)
If you apply for this visa, its processing may take between 5 and 6 working days. Therefore, Fridays and Saturdays aren’t applicable.
If issued on a certain day, it remains valid up to 58 days from that date. If a tourist has this visa, the stay in UAE, including Dubai, can’t exceed 90 days upon arriving in the Emirates.
UAE Tourist Visa (Multi entry – 90 days)
If you apply for this visa, its processing may take between 5 and 6 working days. Therefore, Fridays and Saturdays aren’t applicable.
If issued on a certain day, it remains valid up to 58 days from that date. If a tourist has this visa, the stay in UAE, including Dubai, can’t exceed 90 days upon arriving in the Emirates for the first time.
Nevertheless, its multi-entry nature allows you to use it again for another entry to Dubai. The number of entries is indefinite and for as long as it remains valid.
Regardless of the different periods, the validity period starts counting on the date of issuance. On the other hand, counting the length of your stay starts from the day you arrive in Dubai.
How is a Visit Visa Different from a Tourist Visa?
It is no secret that people travelling to Dubai often face this confusion. Most of them can’t differentiate between visiting and tourist visas.
As the name suggests, a tourist visa applies to tourists visiting Dubai for leisure. However, anyone visiting for business, including meetings and seminars, needs a visit visa.
A visit visa is ideal if you want to stay in Dubai for over 14 days. After all, its validity can be 30 or 30 days.
However, it would be best to have a resident, relative or sponsor residing in Dubai to get the visit visa. Its fee is also quite expensive.
On the other hand, a tourist visa has a cheaper fee. Its validity ranges from 14 to 30 days.
Unlike its visit counterpart, you can’t convert your tourist visa to a work or resident visa. A local hotel, friend or travel agency can sponsor you to get one.
A tourist visa is applicable if citizens of your country can’t enjoy visa-free entry to Dubai. The same applies if no one can sponsor your visit visa.
It is important to note that some people can apply for a visa on arrival. If you don’t belong to a country where residents enjoy this privilege, you must apply it in advance.
