UAE Visa for Indians 2026: Types, Fees and How to Apply

The UAE system looks unusual from India because the embassy is not where you apply. This guide maps every route an Indian passport holder is likely to use in 2026, as published on the official sources, checked on 2026-10-15. For a shorter summary, see our UAE visa page for Indians.

Do Indians need a visa for the UAE?

Yes, with one exception. 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, extendable once. Everyone else needs a visa arranged before travel.

According to the government portal u.ae, UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas. Instead, tourist visas are arranged by UAE airlines, hotels or licensed travel agents, or applied for online with ICP or GDRFA Dubai. For Emirates passengers, VFS Global in India handles Dubai visas. Work, study and residence visas are applied for by the UAE employer, university or sponsor.

Which UAE visa type fits your trip?

Indians resident in a GCC country have another option: a GCC-resident eVisa applied for online before arrival, valid 30 days from issue for a 30-day stay and extendable once. Their GCC residency must be valid for at least 1 year, the passport for at least 6 months, and the profession must be on the approved list.

How do you apply through VFS Global for an Emirates itinerary?

1. Book your Emirates flights. VFS selects the visa category from your Emirates ticket itinerary, and you need a confirmed return or onward Emirates ticket with your name and UAE entry and exit highlighted in yellow.
2. Check which eligibility criterion you meet (next section).
3. Fill the offline visa application form.
4. Book an appointment at a VFS centre: Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, New Delhi or Pune. Thiruvananthapuram is temporarily closed.
5. Submit the form with the mandatory documents and pay the fee, which includes service charge and tax and is non-refundable.
6. Wait for the decision: 5-6 working days from submission, excluding Saturday, Sunday and UAE holidays, or within 48 hours if you paid for express processing where offered.

Which eligibility criterion will you use, and what proves it?

VFS applicants must qualify under one of three criteria:

• Criteria I, travel record: travel at least once in the last 3 years to, 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 with gross income above INR 2 lakhs a year, or INR 5 lakhs or more invested in bank or post office FDs. In some cases a USD 1000 refundable security deposit is mentioned.
• Criteria III, family invitation: an invitation from an immediate family member living in the UAE, plus the host's tenancy contract or Ejari (or title deed) for a home with two or more bedrooms and their UAE resident card.

All applicants also need a coloured passport-size photo, 2 x 2 inches, on a plain white background (Polaroid or ordinary printer prints are not accepted); a colour copy of the passport cover and bio page, valid at least 6 months at travel; and a confirmed hotel voucher whose dates match the flights, with no more than two hotel bookings. Names with special characters such as brackets are not accepted. Newly married couples add a marriage certificate or notarised affidavit, and those travelling immediately after the wedding add an NOC from parents with photo ID, the wedding card and a photograph. Emirates cannot sponsor unaccompanied minors and students.

How do work, study and residence visas work for Indians?

A standard work visa starts with a UAE employer registered with MOHRE. The employer, not the worker, obtains the work permit and entry permit; working without a MOHRE work permit is illegal under Article 6 of the UAE Labour Law. You must enter within 60 days of the entry permit's issue and complete residence formalities, including a medical fitness test for those 18 and over and an Emirates ID application, within 60 days of entry. The standard work visa is valid for two years and renewable.

Longer, self-sponsored options exist for higher earners. The 5-year Green visa for skilled workers needs a bachelor's degree and a monthly salary of at least AED 15,000; freelancers need annual income of at least AED 360,000 over the previous two years. The 10-year Golden visa covers, among others, skilled professionals earning at least AED 30,000 a month and investors with at least AED 2,000,000.

Students are sponsored by an accredited UAE university, which applies for the study entry permit, or by a parent resident in the UAE. A parent sponsor needs a minimum monthly income of AED 3,000 plus employer-provided housing, or AED 4,000 without housing. Students may stay 180 days after completing their studies.

What changed in UAE visa rules recently?

• 13 February 2025: visa on arrival extended to Indians with residence permits from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Singapore.
• 29 September 2025: ICP added four visit visa categories and set minimum sponsor incomes for friend and relative visits: AED 4,000 for first-degree relatives, AED 8,000 for second or third-degree relatives and AED 15,000 for friends.
• 25 June 2026: ICP opened its entry visa scheme, previously available only to Indian nationals, to more nationalities: the 14-day visa costs AED 100 and the 60-day visa AED 250, with an overstay fine of AED 50 per day.

The VFS route asks for confirmed Emirates tickets and hotel vouchers, so reservations do not replace them there. For other visa files, Yatra For Fun's India office in Gurugram prepares flight reservations, hotel bookings, travel itineraries and cover letters, with packages from INR 1,000 (flight reservation) to INR 3,000 (reservation, hotel, itinerary and cover letter). WhatsApp +91 95230 91018 or use our contact page.

Frequently asked questions

Can the UAE Embassy in New Delhi give me a tourist visa?

No. UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas. Tourist visas are arranged by UAE airlines (VFS Global for Emirates passengers), hotels or licensed travel agents, or applied for online with ICP or GDRFA Dubai.

What photo size is needed for a UAE visa through VFS?

A coloured, recent photo of 2 x 2 inches on a plain white, shadow-free background, with a neutral expression and eyes open. Polaroid photos and ordinary printer prints are not accepted.

Can I extend a 60-day UAE visa from ICP?

No. ICP lists the 60-day visa for eligible Indians as single entry and non-extendable, and you must enter within 30 days of issue. The 14-day visa on arrival, by contrast, can be extended once.

How long can an Indian student stay in the UAE after graduating?

Students on a UAE student residence visa may stay 180 days after completing their studies. The residence duration otherwise follows the length of the study programme.