UAE Tourist Visa for Indians: Requirements and Process

This guide follows the route VFS Global publishes for India. VFS describes itself here as trusted by Emirates and the Government of Dubai, and it handles Dubai visas for travellers on Emirates flights. All fees and processing times below are as published on the official VFS sources, checked on 10 October 2026. Our UAE visa page for Indian travellers sets out every visa type available on this route, including transit.

Does the VFS route fit your trip?

Check three things before you collect a single document:

• Your airline. The route serves travellers flying Emirates, and the visa category is selected on the basis of your Emirates ticket itinerary.
• Your purpose. The visas on this route are Dubai transit and tourist visas. Work, residence and other UAE visa categories are not handled here.
• Who is travelling. Emirates cannot sponsor unaccompanied minors or students; they are considered only when travelling with their parents.

If you are flying another airline, this guide does not describe your route. Outside this route, tourist visas are arranged by UAE-based airlines, hotels or licensed travel agents, or applied for online with ICP or GDRFA Dubai; the UAE's embassies do not issue tourist visas. Confirm which channel applies to your booking before you pay anyone.

Choosing a 30-day or 60-day tourist visa

The published fees include the service charge and tax, so there is no separate VFS charge to add at the counter. Validity of 58 days runs from the date of issue, which means the visa has to still be valid on the day you fly; applying too early can waste it. The processing page lists express handling for the 60-day tourist visa, but the fee table we saw gives an express price only for the 30-day tourist and the transit visas, so confirm the 60-day express cost with VFS before you count on it. If you intend to leave the UAE and return during the trip, look at the multi-entry options rather than the single-entry tourist visas.

Meeting one of the three eligibility criteria

Every applicant must qualify under one criterion, and the proof goes into the file:

1. Travel record: you have travelled at least once in the last 3 years to, or hold a valid visa for, the USA, UK, Schengen, EU, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Canada or Japan.
2. Financial records: 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 FDs. In some cases a USD 1000 refundable security deposit applies instead.
3. Family invitation: an invitation from an immediate family member residing in the UAE.

If you have no qualifying travel history, the second criterion relies on tax and savings papers rather than past trips. Keep the Form 16 or ITR copies legible and make sure the gross income figure is easy to find.

Documents VFS asks for on a tourist file

• The offline visa application form, fully filled in.
• A confirmed return or onward Emirates ticket, with your name and the UAE entry and exit highlighted in yellow.
• A recent colour photograph, 2 x 2 inches, on a plain white, shadow-free background: front-facing, face centred, neutral expression, eyes open, no hair or frames covering the face. Polaroid photos and ordinary printer prints are not accepted.
• Colour photocopies of the passport front cover and bio page. The passport must be valid for at least 6 months at the time of travel, and names with special characters such as brackets are not accepted.
• A confirmed hotel voucher showing the confirmation number, your name and the check-in and check-out dates highlighted, matching the flight dates. No more than two hotel bookings; for a 60-day single-entry visa the stay must cover 31 days or more.
• Proof of the eligibility criterion you are using.
• If staying with family or friends: the host's tenancy contract (Ejari) or title deed for a home with two or more bedrooms, plus the host's UAE resident card.
• Newly married couples: a marriage certificate or notarised affidavit; if travelling immediately after the wedding, an NOC from parents with photo ID, the wedding card and a photograph.

Travel insurance is not listed among the mandatory documents on this route. Note the difference from many other visas: here the checklist asks for a confirmed Emirates ticket, not a flight reservation, because the ticket itself decides the visa category.

The process, from Emirates ticket to visa

1. Book your Emirates flights; the itinerary determines the visa category.
2. Choose the visa type from the table above and check the 58-day validity against your departure date.
3. Confirm which eligibility criterion you meet and collect the proof.
4. Fill in the offline application form and put together the mandatory documents.
5. Book an appointment at a VFS centre: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi or Pune. Thiruvananthapuram is listed as temporarily closed.
6. Submit the file at your appointment and pay the fee for your visa type, choosing express where your category offers it and your dates are tight.
7. Track the application and travel while the visa is valid.

How long it takes, and what happens after issue

Extensions are handled at Emirates Commercial Visa Services, DXB Terminal 3. Because the fee is never refunded and cancelling costs extra, settle your dates and visa type before you submit.

Before you hand over the file

• Check that your name reads identically on the passport, ticket, hotel voucher and form.
• Highlight the UAE entry and exit on the ticket and the dates on the hotel voucher, as the checklist asks.
• Use a proper studio print for the photo, not a Polaroid or a home printer copy.
• Count your passport validity from the travel date: at least 6 months is required.
• If a child or student is travelling, make sure a parent is on the same trip; Emirates cannot sponsor them alone.

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). On this Emirates route the ticket itself must be confirmed, so ask before you order anything. WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Is travel insurance required for a Dubai tourist visa through VFS?

Travel insurance is not listed among the mandatory documents on the VFS route for Emirates passengers. You can still buy cover for your own protection, but it is not part of the published checklist.

Is there a separate VFS service charge on top of the UAE visa fee?

No. VFS states that the published visa fees are inclusive of service charge and tax. For example, Tourist : 30 Days is INR 7735 in total, or INR 9870 with express processing.

What photo size is needed for the UAE tourist visa?

A recent colour photograph of 2 x 2 inches on a plain white, shadow-free background. Polaroid photos and ordinary printer prints are not accepted.

Can I stay with relatives in Dubai instead of a hotel?

Yes, but the file then needs the host's tenancy contract (Ejari) or title deed for a home with two or more bedrooms, and the host's UAE resident card. An invitation from an immediate family member residing in the UAE can also serve as your eligibility criterion.