A Dubai eVisa is a common name for a UAE visa that you arrange online before travel. For most tourists, the actual visa is a 30-day or 60-day tourist visa. The visa is sent through the online visa channel after approval.

Not every traveller needs one. Some passports get visa-free entry or visa on arrival. GCC citizens use their own entry rules. GCC residents who are not citizens can use a separate online visa route if they meet the current rules.

Quick answer: Check your passport first. If you need a visa before travel, you can choose a 30-day or 60-day tourist visa and pick single or multi-entry based on your trip. GDRFA lists 48 hours as the expected service time, but this is not a promise that every case will finish in 48 hours.

What Is a Dubai eVisa?

The term Dubai eVisa tells you how the visa is handled. You apply online, send your files online and get the visa through the same digital route after approval.

GDRFA does not list one standard tourist product called “Dubai eVisa.” Instead, it lists tourist visas by stay length and entry type. The main short-stay options are 30 days and 60 days.

This means an eVisa is not a special low-cost visa. It is usually a normal UAE tourist visa handled online.

Who Needs a Dubai eVisa?

Your passport is the first thing to check. Do not pay for a visa until you know the rule for your own passport.

Some travellers can enter without an advance visa. Some get a visa when they arrive. Others need a visa before they board the flight.

GCC citizens do not need a UAE entry visa. A GCC resident who is not a citizen may need the separate GCC resident visa route.

You can check the current rule on the official UAE visa entry page.

Dubai eVisa Types for Tourists

The right visa depends on how long you will stay and how many times you will enter the UAE.

30-Day Single Entry

This is a good fit for one short trip. You enter the UAE once and leave before the stay ends.

60-Day Single Entry

This works for a longer holiday or family visit. You still enter only once.

30-Day Multi-Entry

This can help if you plan to leave the UAE and come back during the same trip. For example, you may visit Dubai, travel to Oman, and then return to Dubai.

60-Day Multi-Entry

This gives more time for a trip with more than one UAE entry. It can fit a longer plan with nearby countries.

See our Dubai Visitor Visa Types guide if you want a full side-by-side view.

Dubai eVisa Fees in 2026

GDRFA publishes the current UAE fee for each short tourist visa. VAT is added to the base fee.

VisaBase FeeWith 5% VAT
30-day single entryAED 252AED 264.60
60-day single entryAED 352AED 369.60
30-day multi-entryAED 300AED 315.00
60-day multi-entryAED 500AED 525.00

These are UAE visa fees. A private visa service may charge more for help, file checks, support or other paid services.

GDRFA also says the final amount can change in some cases. Check the live GDRFA tourist visa service before you pay.

Dubai eVisa online application and tourist visa guide

Dubai eVisa Requirements

The main GDRFA tourist visa list is short. You need a personal photo and a passport copy. Some passport holders also need a national ID copy.

GDRFA also says your passport must be valid for at least six months. You need a ticket to leave the UAE or continue your trip. You also need health cover that is valid in the UAE.

A bank statement is not listed as a standard rule for every 30-day or 60-day tourist visa. Do not copy the bank rule from the five-year visa and use it for every short tourist visa.

Documents to Prepare

Keep the file simple. Start with your passport copy and photo. Add the extra ID only if your passport group needs it.

Keep your return or onward ticket ready. Keep your health cover ready too. If your visa channel asks for more proof, send the exact item it asks for.

Use real files and clear scans. Do not edit a bank file, work letter or travel paper just to make the case look stronger.

How to Apply for Dubai eVisa Online

  1. Check if you need a visa before travel.
  2. Pick 30 days or 60 days.
  3. Pick single or multi-entry.
  4. Scan your passport clearly.
  5. Prepare a recent photo.
  6. Add the extra ID if your passport group needs it.
  7. Check your return or onward ticket.
  8. Arrange health cover for the UAE.
  9. Type your passport details with care.
  10. Upload the files.
  11. Read the full price before you pay.
  12. Save the case number.
  13. Reply fast if more proof is requested.
  14. Check the visa after approval.

Before You Upload Your Passport

Open the scan first. Make sure the full page can be seen. The name, photo and passport number should be clear.

Do not crop the page too close. Do not use a dark image. If the scan is hard to read, make a new one.

Type the passport number slowly. Check it again before you move to the next step.

Before You Upload Your Photo

Use a recent photo. Keep your face clear. Follow the photo size and background rule shown by the visa channel.

Do not use a group photo. Do not use a photo with strong filters. A simple image is best.

Dubai eVisa Processing Time

GDRFA lists 48 hours as the expected time for its short tourist visa service. The same time is shown for the current single and multi-entry services.

This is only an expected time. A case can take longer if a scan is poor, data is wrong or more proof is needed.

Do not plan a non-refundable flight around a fixed 48-hour promise. Leave time for a new scan or another check.

Standard vs Express Visa Service

A private provider may offer a faster service. This may mean a faster file check or faster handling before the case is sent to the UAE system.

It does not mean the UAE must approve the visa in a set number of hours. No private company controls the final decision.

Our Dubai Express Visa page explains the faster service options that may be offered.

Dubai eVisa for GCC Residents

The GCC resident route is different from a normal tourist visa. It is for a person who lives in another GCC state but is not a citizen of that state.

GDRFA says this visa can allow a stay of up to 30 days. It may be extended once.

Your passport must have at least six months left. Your GCC residence permit must have at least one year left. Your job type is also checked under the current route.

GDRFA lists a fee of AED 250 + 5% VAT. It also lists 48 hours as the expected time.

Check the official GCC resident visa service before you apply.

What About the UAE 5-Year Tourist Visa?

The five-year visa is a very different route. It is made for people who plan many UAE trips over several years.

A stay can be up to 90 days. The UAE may approve more time, but the total can reach no more than 180 days in the same visa year.

The year starts from the first UAE entry. It does not start on 1 January. Days you do not use do not move to the next year.

See our UAE 5-Year Tourist Visa guide for the full rules.

Dubai eVisa vs Visa on Arrival

A person who can use visa on arrival may not need to pay for a visa before travel. This is why the passport check should come first.

The UAE also widened a special visa-on-arrival route on 25 June 2026. It now covers six more passport groups when the traveller also holds a valid residence permit from one of the listed countries.

If this may apply to you, read our Dubai Visa on Arrival guide before you pay for an advance visa.

Simple Example: One Short Holiday

Suppose you plan a seven-day Dubai trip. You will enter once and fly home from Dubai. If your passport needs a visa, a 30-day single-entry visa may fit well.

Check your passport first. Then check the travel dates. Keep the passport copy, photo, ticket and health cover in one folder.

Simple Example: Dubai and Oman

Suppose you fly to Dubai, go to Oman, and then return to Dubai. A single-entry visa may not fit that plan.

Check a multi-entry visa before you pay. Count how many times you will enter the UAE, not how many flights you have in total.

Simple Example: A Longer Family Visit

A longer family trip may need more than 30 days. In that case, compare the 60-day option with the real trip dates.

Do not buy more days just because the longer visa sounds safer. Pick the stay that fits your plan.

How Do You Receive the Visa?

After approval, the visa is sent through the visa channel you used. Save the file on your phone. Keep another copy in email or cloud storage.

Open the file at once. Check your name, passport number, visa type and dates.

Do You Need to Print the Visa?

Keep a digital copy that works without internet access. A paper copy can also be useful at check-in.

Follow the current rule from your airline and visa channel. Do not keep the only copy in checked baggage.

Dubai eVisa Validity vs Stay Length

These two dates are not the same. One tells you when you can use the visa to enter. The other tells you how long you can stay after entry.

Read both dates on the visa. Do not count your stay from the day you paid unless the visa says that is the correct date.

A single-entry visa is for one entry. A multi-entry visa lets you enter more than once under its own rules.

Can a Dubai eVisa Be Extended?

Some tourist visas can be extended. It is not automatic. The UAE office must allow the extra stay.

Apply before your current stay ends. Do not wait until the last day.

Our Dubai Visa Extension Guide explains the current process.

After You Submit the Form

Save the case number and receipt. Check your email and phone for any new request.

If a new scan is needed, send it as soon as you can. A slow reply can make the case take longer.

Do not start the same visa through many channels at the same time unless you have a clear reason.

After Your Visa Is Approved

Check every detail. Look at the name, passport number, stay type and dates.

If you see an error, report it before travel. Do not wait until the airport.

Keep the visa, ticket and health cover easy to reach during the trip.

Common Dubai eVisa Mistakes

Avoid these mistakes: a wrong passport number, a name that does not match the passport, a dark scan, the wrong entry type, or a poor photo.

Also check the ticket and health cover. Do not use fake files. Do not send the same case through several sites at the same time.

Never pay because someone promises guaranteed approval. The final visa decision stays with the UAE.

How to Avoid Paying for a Visa You Do Not Need

Check the passport rule before you pay. A friend’s visa rule may not be the same as yours.

If you can enter visa-free or use visa on arrival, an advance tourist visa may not be needed.

Use the current UAE rule for your passport. Check first. Pay second.

Final Dubai eVisa Checklist

Before you apply: check your passport rule, stay length and entry type. Get the passport copy, photo, ticket and health cover ready.

Before you pay: read the full price and refund rule. Make sure no one is selling a false approval promise.

After approval: check the visa, save the file and keep your travel papers ready.

Plan Your Dubai eVisa Application

A Dubai eVisa is best seen as an online UAE visa process, not one fixed tourist product. Start with your passport. Then choose the stay length and entry type that fit the trip.

Use current UAE fee and document rules. Do not use the five-year visa rules for a short 30-day or 60-day trip. Do not buy a visa before checking if another entry route already applies.

Ready to check your Dubai visa route?

Choose the visa that matches your passport, stay length and number of entries.

Find Your Dubai Visa Option

Last reviewed: 25 August 2026. UAE visa fees, passport rules, document lists and service times can change.