Do Aruba citizens need a visa for Dubai?
Not before you fly. Arubans hold Dutch nationality and travel on Dutch passports, and the UAE gives Dutch citizens a free visit visa on arrival. In practice, the Dubai visa for Aruba citizens is a stamp in your passport at immigration, at any UAE airport. It lets you stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period.
That means a Dubai tourist visa from Aruba is not something you arrange in advance. The rule appears on the visa page of the UAE Embassy in The Hague, the UAE's mission to the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which includes Aruba. Visa-on-arrival lists can change, so check again shortly before you travel.
Living in Aruba on another passport
The rule follows your passport, not your address. Around a fifth of Aruba's residents are not Dutch nationals, and the largest groups are Colombian, Venezuelan and Dominican. Colombia is on the UAE's 90-day visa-on-arrival list, for example, but Venezuela is not. The embassy also notes that foreign spouses of Dutch citizens may need a visa before departure, depending on their nationality. If someone in your household needs a Dubai visa from Aruba, our guide on how to apply for a Dubai visa walks through the steps.
Checks before you leave Aruba
- Six months of passport validity. You need at least six months from the day you enter the UAE. To be safe, count the six months from your planned return date instead.
- Time for a new passport. Residents apply for Dutch passports at Censo, the island's civil registry office. Passports are shipped from a supplier in the Netherlands, and the Government of Aruba has warned that this can lengthen waits.
- A return ticket. According to the UAE Embassy in The Hague, all visitors should have a valid return ticket.
- Transit rules on the way. A US connection means clearing US immigration, even just to change planes. Aruba's airport has US preclearance, so this happens before you board. Confirm your ESTA or US visa status first. Canada has its own transit rules.
- A plug adapter. Aruba mostly uses US-style sockets at around 120 to 127 volts, while the UAE uses British-style Type G sockets at 230 volts. Check that your chargers are rated 100–240 V.
Getting from Aruba to Dubai
There are no non-stop flights between Aruba and the UAE. From Queen Beatrix International, the island's only airport, typical one-stop routes connect in Amsterdam or at a North American hub such as New York or Toronto.
Dubai is eight hours ahead of Aruba all year, as neither observes daylight saving time. Between the time change and the long journey, you will land at least a calendar day after you leave, so book your first hotel night for the arrival date. If someone joining a last-minute trip needs a pre-arranged visa, the Dubai express visa application is designed for urgent requests. Approval and timing always rest with UAE immigration.
Florins, dollars and dirhams
Dubai uses the UAE dirham (AED). The Aruban florin and the dirham are both fixed to the US dollar, at Afl. 1.79 and AED 3.6725 per dollar. One florin is therefore worth about two dirhams, and the rate barely moves. For a quick estimate, halve a dirham price to get florins. Exchange margins still vary, so compare before changing cash.
From trade winds to desert heat
Aruba stays warm all year, usually between 27°C and 32°C, with steady trade winds. Dubai swings much more. From about June to September, daytime highs regularly pass 40°C, with high humidity near the coast. Winter days sit in the mid-20s, but January nights can fall to around 14°C, cooler than Aruba normally gets. Pack a light layer for evenings and chilly air-conditioned malls. November to March is the most comfortable time for outdoor sightseeing.
Embassy and consular help
For official questions about UAE entry, contact the UAE Embassy in The Hague. Its consular section takes enquiries at Hagueemb.Cans@mofaic.gov.ae.
During your trip, Dutch missions in the UAE assist Arubans as Dutch nationals. There is a consulate-general in Dubai and an embassy in Abu Dhabi, with contact details on NetherlandsWorldwide.
Dubai Visitor Visa is a private visa application service, not a government office or embassy, so we cannot provide consular assistance.
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