Vietnamese citizens can reach Dubai by one of two routes, and where you live decides which one applies. Most travellers from Vietnam need a visa approved online before departure, usually the 30-day Dubai tourist visa with one entry. Vietnamese nationals resident in Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, America, Britain or any European Union state, and holding a residence permit there, can instead obtain a 14-day or 60-day visa on arrival. Whichever route you use, six months of remaining passport life on arrival day is essential.
The guide that follows sets out the Dubai visa for Vietnamese travellers route by route, with the documents, costs and steps for each, plus the rules for families whose members fall into different groups.
Dubai Visa for Vietnamese Citizens: Two Routes, One Passport
Vietnam is not on the UAE's general visa-on-arrival lists, so the default position is a visa arranged before travel. In mid-year the UAE added Vietnam to a special arrival programme for nationals of a handful of countries who live in certain other countries. The UAE government's information on entry permits and arrival visas sets out how these categories work.
| Where the Vietnamese traveller lives | Route to Dubai |
|---|
| Vietnam | Visa approved online before the flight |
| One of the nine listed countries, with a residence permit | 14-day or 60-day visa on arrival, or a pre-arranged visa |
| Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, the Gulf or anywhere else | Visa approved online before the flight |
Dubai Visa Requirements for Vietnamese Citizens Based at Home
For a traveller based in Hanoi, Da Nang or Ho Chi Minh City, the Dubai visa requirements for Vietnamese citizens are simple: choose a visa, apply online and fly once it is approved. Because airline staff look for the approval at check-in, it has to be issued before you leave.
- A 7-day visa suits a short city break.
- The 30-day single-entry visa, priced at USD 120, covers most holidays and family visits.
- The 60-day single-entry tourist visa fits longer stays with relatives.
- A 14-day business visa is the right choice for meetings and trade fairs.
The visa cards below show the price and processing time for every option.
Side Trips: When a Vietnamese Dubai Visa Needs Multiple Entry
Leaving the UAE uses up a single-entry visa, however many days remain. If your itinerary includes a few days in another country before flying home through Dubai, choose the multiple-entry tourist visa for 30 days or the multiple-entry tourist visa for 60 days, so the second arrival is covered.
Vietnamese Residents of Japan, Korea and Other Listed Countries: Dubai Visa on Arrival
Vietnamese nationals living in one of the nine listed countries can collect a visa at Dubai passport control instead of applying in advance. Two versions are available:
- A 14-day visa for AED 100, which can be extended once after arrival.
- A 60-day visa for AED 250, covering a single stay and not extendable.
The qualifying document is a residence permit, not a tourist or student entry visa for that country. Carry the physical residence card, keep it valid for the whole trip, and make sure your passport has half a year or more left. Relatives can come under this arrangement as well, as long as each of them satisfies the same requirements. Because airlines check documents before boarding, confirm with your carrier how it handles this route.
Vietnamese Workers and Trainees in Japan Using the Dubai Arrival Visa
Japan is home to one of the largest Vietnamese communities abroad, many on trainee or skilled-worker status. Those with a valid Japanese residence card can generally use the arrival route, so carry the card itself rather than a copy. Before leaving Japan, also confirm that your re-entry arrangements, such as the special re-entry permit noted on departure, will let you return on schedule, as that is a Japanese rule rather than a Dubai one.
Vietnamese Students in Korea, Australia and Europe: Dubai Visa Options
Students holding a registered residence card in South Korea or a residence permit in an EU country usually fit the arrival route, but short-term study entries without residence registration may not. If your card expires within weeks of the trip, or your status is still being renewed, a pre-arranged visa avoids any doubt at the border.
Dubai Visa on Arrival for Vietnamese in the US, Germany and Canada
Large Vietnamese communities live in the United States, Germany, Australia and Canada, and many hold permanent or long-term residence there. A US green card or a German residence title normally qualifies; a US visitor or student visa does not. If your status in Australia, Canada or elsewhere is temporary or close to expiry, check it with us before relying on the arrival route.
Vietnamese Living in Taiwan, Malaysia or the Gulf: Dubai Visa First
Residence in Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Qatar or other countries outside the list does not qualify for the arrival route. Vietnamese workers and students in those places need a Dubai visit visa for Vietnamese passport holders approved before they fly, using the same online process as from Vietnam.
Arrival Route or Pre-Arranged Dubai Tourist Visa: Which Suits a Vietnamese Traveller
| Factor | Arrival route | Pre-arranged visa |
|---|
| Who can use it | Holders of a qualifying residence permit | Any Vietnamese citizen |
| Length | 14 or 60 days | 7, 30 or 60 days |
| Multiple entry | Not offered | Available for 30 and 60 days |
| Extension | Possible once for the shorter version; none for the longer | Depends on visa and status |
| Certainty before flying | Decided at the border | Approved before departure |
Even travellers who qualify for the arrival route sometimes prefer a pre-arranged Dubai tourist visa for Vietnamese passport holders, for example when they need multiple entry, when the residence card expires soon after the trip, or when a relative in the group does not qualify.
What to Upload: A Vietnamese Pre-Arranged Dubai Visa Checklist
- A colour scan of the Vietnamese passport's photo page, with six months of validity beyond arrival.
- A recent photograph on a white or very light background; the photo size guide for Dubai visas lists the specifications.
- Travel dates and, if available, a flight reservation.
- Where you will stay: the hotel name, or your relative's or friend's address in Dubai.
Additional papers are asked for only now and then; the full Dubai visitor visa requirements explains when.
Near-Expiry Vietnamese Passports: Renew First, Then Seek the Dubai Visa
A pre-arranged visa is issued against one passport number and cannot be moved to a new one. If your passport will expire within about eight months, renew it first, at the immigration office at home or through a Vietnamese embassy abroad, and only then apply. Travellers on the arrival route should likewise check that both the passport and the residence card stay valid well beyond the return date.
Family Name First: Writing Vietnamese Names on a Dubai Visa
Vietnamese names usually run family name, middle name, given name, as in Nguyen Van An, and the passport's machine-readable lines drop the diacritics. Put the family name in the surname box and the middle and given names together in the given-name box, both on the visa form and when booking flights, spelled exactly as in those coded lines. A mismatch between the visa and the ticket is one of the most common reasons for problems at check-in.
Five Online Steps to a Dubai Visa From Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City
- Confirm which route applies to you, based on where you live.
- Decide on the length of stay and whether re-entry is needed.
- Complete the online form with your passport details.
- Attach the photo-page image and your portrait.
- Pay online, receive the e-visa and check it against your passport.
Processing times are listed in working days on each visa card, so submit the file comfortably ahead of the flight. Urgent eligible trips can use express visa processing, and the Dubai visa status tracker shows each stage. Our guide to the visitor visa application explains the process in more depth.
After Approval: Checking a Vietnamese Dubai E-Visa
When the e-visa arrives, confirm that the surname, given names, passport number and date of birth match the passport exactly, and note the latest entry date printed on it. Keep both a printed and a digital copy for check-in, and remember that your allowed days are counted from landing.
Staying With Relatives Who Work in Dubai on a Vietnamese Visit Visa
A growing Vietnamese community works in Dubai in hospitality, retail and technical jobs, and many visits are family trips. If our service handles the application, your relative is not required to sponsor you; their address and phone number are simply added to the application. Parents planning a long stay should book the 60-day option at the outset, so no extension is needed later.
Vietnamese Families Using Different Dubai Visa Routes
It is common for a family to include one member living in Japan or Germany who qualifies for the arrival route and relatives from Vietnam who do not. In that case, apply in advance for those who need a visa, and make sure everyone's documents are confirmed before booking. Children need their own passports and, if applying in advance, their own visas. Spouses holding another nationality follow their own passport's rules instead. When only one parent accompanies a child, pack signed consent from the other parent along with a photocopy of their passport.
Vietnamese Exporters at Dubai Trade Fairs: The Business Visa Route
Vietnamese exporters of food, textiles, furniture and electronics often visit Dubai for trade fairs and buyer meetings. For these trips, apply for the 14-day business visa, and include the host company's details in the application. Employees on a qualifying residence permit abroad may use the arrival route for short business visits, but taking a paid job in Dubai is only possible once the hiring company has obtained a work permit.
Flying From Vietnam: Arrival With a Dubai Visa
Emirates flies nonstop from Ho Chi Minh City to Dubai in roughly seven hours, and departures from Hanoi are also available, either nonstop or with a connection, depending on the current schedule. Dubai is three hours behind Vietnam. On arrival, travellers with a pre-arranged visa have it matched to their passport, while those on the arrival route present their passport and residence card. Your permitted days count from the date you enter.
Changing Planes: Dubai Transit Visa Rules for Vietnamese Passports
Vietnamese travellers changing planes in Dubai do not need a visa if they stay in the transit area. For time in the city during a long connection, travellers without a qualifying residence permit should arrange the 48-hour Dubai transit option or the 96-hour Dubai transit option beforehand.
More Time in Dubai: Extending a Vietnamese Traveller's Dubai Visa
On a pre-arranged visa, our team can check whether a 30-day extension from within the UAE or a 60-day extension from within the UAE is possible. On the arrival route, the shorter visa allows one extension and the 60-day visa none, so plan its dates carefully.
Staying Too Long: AED 50 Fines on a Vietnamese Dubai Visa
Remaining in the country once your permitted days run out costs AED 50 per day, settled at the airport when you leave, with no grace period. Arrange any extension well before expiry.
Five Dubai Visa Errors Common Among Vietnamese Travellers
- Assuming a US visitor or student visa counts as a residence permit.
- Flying from Taiwan or Malaysia expecting a visa on arrival.
- Entering the family name in the given-name field.
- Choosing the 60-day arrival visa and then needing to extend it.
- Buying tickets for everyone while one relative's approval is still pending.
Advice on Your Dubai Visa for Vietnamese Passports
If you are unsure which route applies, our team can look at your passport, residence status and dates and recommend the simplest option, including telling you when no pre-arranged visa is needed. Our refund policy sets out what happens if plans change, and you can reach the Dubai Visitor Visa team about mixed-nationality groups, business trips or longer stays.
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