UAE 48 and 96-Hour Transit Visa for Indians: Fees in INR

The fees, documents and timings below are as published on the official sources, checked on 15 October 2026. For tourist, work and residence options, see our UAE visa guide for Indian travellers.

What do the 48-hour and 96-hour transit visas cost in INR?

VFS Global publishes these fees in rupees, and states that its visa fees are inclusive of service charge and tax. There is no separate VFS service charge on top.

The visa fee is non-refundable under any circumstances. If you cancel, VFS also lists a cancellation charge of INR 3465 per visa. On a 48-hour visa, that charge is higher than the INR 1085 visa fee itself, so confirm your routing before you apply.

The 48-hour visa is the cheapest UAE entry option on the VFS list. If your layover is longer than two days but no more than four, the 96-hour visa still costs well under the 30-day tourist visa.

Who can apply through VFS Global?

VFS Global in India handles Dubai visas for travellers flying Emirates, and the visa category is selected based on your Emirates ticket itinerary. If you are flying another airline, this route does not apply; UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas, and outside the VFS route visas are arranged by UAE airlines, hotels or licensed travel agents, or applied for online with ICP or GDRFA Dubai.

You must also qualify under one of three eligibility criteria:

• Criteria I, travel record: at least one trip in the last 3 years, or a valid visa for the USA, UK, Schengen, EU, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Canada or Japan.
• Criteria II, financial record: Form 16 or ITR for the last 2 years showing gross income above INR 2 lakhs a year, or investments of INR 5 lakhs or more in bank or post office fixed deposits. In some cases a USD 1000 refundable security deposit is accepted.
• Criteria III, family invitation: an invitation from an immediate family member residing in the UAE.

Emirates cannot sponsor unaccompanied minors or students. They are considered only when travelling with their parents.

Which documents does a UAE transit visa need?

1. The offline visa application form, fully filled.
2. A confirmed onward Emirates ticket, with your name and UAE entry and exit highlighted in yellow.
3. A valid visa for the country you are travelling to after the UAE.
4. A confirmed hotel booking for the transit stay, with the confirmation number, your name and check-in and check-out dates highlighted.
5. A coloured recent photograph, 2 x 2 inches, on a plain white background. Polaroid photos and ordinary printer prints are not accepted.
6. A coloured copy of the passport front cover and bio page, valid at least 6 months at the time of travel.
7. Proof of one eligibility criterion from the list above.

VFS does not accept names with special characters such as brackets. If your passport shows a name that way, raise it before your appointment.

Applications are submitted at a VFS centre after booking an appointment. VFS lists centres in Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi and Pune; the Thiruvananthapuram centre is temporarily closed.

How long does processing take, and is Express worth it?

Normal processing takes 5-6 working days from the date of submission, excluding Saturday, Sunday and UAE holidays. Express processing is offered for the 48-hour and 96-hour transit visas and the 30-day and 60-day tourist visas, with a decision within 48 hours from submission.

Express makes sense when your trip is under a week away. Otherwise the normal fee is the cheaper choice: INR 1085 instead of INR 3225 for 48 hours, and INR 4305 instead of INR 6440 for 96 hours. Remember that the 48-hour transit visa is valid for 30 days from issue, so apply close enough to your flight that the transit falls inside that window.

Can you skip the transit visa with a US, UK or EU visa?

Often, yes. Indian ordinary passport holders who hold a valid US visa or Green Card, a UK or EU visa or residence permit, or a residence permit from Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, Singapore or New Zealand can get a 14-day visa on arrival at any UAE entry point for AED 100. GDRFA Dubai asks that the qualifying visa or permit be valid for at least 6 months, and your passport must also be valid for at least 6 months.

For a short layover, that visa on arrival costs far less than paying for a VFS visa you do not need. Indians without a qualifying document still need a visa arranged before travel: the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs marks India as "Visa Required". If you are unsure whether your connection needs any visa at all, confirm with Emirates before you apply, since the VFS category is chosen from the ticket itinerary.

Mistakes that waste the transit visa fee

• Applying with a non-Emirates ticket. The VFS route is built around the Emirates itinerary.
• Hotel dates that do not match flight dates. VFS asks for check-in and check-out dates that match your flights.
• Forgetting the onward visa. The transit checklist requires a valid visa for your destination.
• Changing plans after applying. The fee is gone, and cancellation costs INR 3465 per visa.

A verifiable hotel booking covers the transit-night requirement without prepaying a room. Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters for visa files, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or contact us.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 96-hour UAE transit visa cheaper than a 30-day tourist visa?

Yes. Through VFS Global the 96-hour transit visa costs INR 4305, while the 30-day tourist visa costs INR 7735. Both fees include the service charge and tax.

Is travel insurance required for a UAE transit visa from India?

VFS does not list travel insurance among the mandatory documents. You still need the onward visa, a confirmed hotel booking, a highlighted Emirates ticket and proof of one eligibility criterion.

Do I need an appointment to submit a UAE transit visa at VFS?

Yes. VFS asks applicants to fill the offline form and submit it with the mandatory documents at a visa application centre after booking an appointment.

Can a student travelling alone get a UAE transit visa through Emirates?

No. VFS states that Emirates cannot sponsor unaccompanied minors and students; they are considered only if travelling with their parents.