There is no doubt that the UAE is one of the world’s most famous tourist and business destinations in the world. attracts a large number of visitors. The UAE welcomed 15.93 million tourists in 2018 and plans to attract more in the coming years. With attractions like the Burj Khalifa and now the popular Dubai Expo, it’s obvious how tourists who visit UAE would not want to leave the country until they have seen and done everything UAE boasts. Since the UAE loves its tourists, the UAE visit visa application and the renewal process have been made very easy. However, following the proper protocol and meeting all conditions is critical.
Anyone wishing to stay in the UAE for more than 14 days will need a visiting visa. To make this work, you’ll need one of the following sponsors:
- A licensed travel firm.
- A friend or relative residing in the United Arab Emirates.
- Hotel in the United Arab Emirates with a license to operate.
What Is The Difference Between A Visit Visa And A UAE Tourist Visa In The United Arab Emirates?
Here are a few bullet points for you to easily understand the difference between a UAE tourist Visa and a Visit Visa.
Tourist Visa
- The term of Validity is 30 days but it can be extended up to 90 days.
- permits you to stay for 14 or 30 days with a 40-day extension
- solely valid for leisure and recreation
- Cannot be transferred into another type of visa
- are only valid for two months.
- The sponsor can be a friend, relative, hotel, or local agency in the UAE
Visit Visa
- valid for business meetings, seminar attendance, and other purposes
- allows you to stay for 90 days
- can be changed into a work visa
- are valid for up to 6 months
- the sponsor must be a UAE resident
There Are Various Types Of UAE Visit Visas Available
The 90-day visit visa is valid for 58 days from the date of issue and allows you to stay in the United Arab Emirates for up to 90 days from the day of entrance. AED 825 is the price for a 90-day visa.
E-Visa: Visitors to UAE can apply for a UAE visa online, which will be sent to the applicant’s registered email address once approved. For oneself, family members, and visitors, UAE nationals, UAE expatriate residents, GCC citizens living in the UAE, GCC residents, and guests will all need to apply for entry permits/visit visas.
Long-Term, 90-Day Multiple-Entry Visa: Unlike the eVisa, This is a multiple-entry visa with a validity of 58 days from the date of issue and only 90 days from the date of the first admission into the UAE. In Dubai, a 90-day multiple-entry long-term visa costs $1655.
This 30-day short-stay multiple-entry visa is valid for 58 days and allows you to stay for 30 days from the date of admission. In the United Arab Emirates, a 30-day tourist visa costs AED 305. The cost of an express 30-day tourist visa is AED 469.
30-day visa (GCC resident) and 30-day visa (accompanied GCC): The visa is valid for 60 days from the date of issue, and thus for 30 days from the date of entrance, unless extended for another 30 days.
How Do You Renew Your Visit Visa to the United Arab Emirates?
Now that we’ve established what a visit visa is, you have three alternatives for renewing your visit visa UAE:
Visit Arabiers’ office
You can visit any of the Arabiers’ branches and our travel consultants will set you up with a visa renewal procedure that doesn’t require you to exit the UAE. You can follow these steps:
- Visit office
- Submit necessary supporting documents required by the travel consultant. Documents can be submitted onsite or via WhatsApp or email.
- Await approval via email.
- The new UAE visit visa will be sent to you via WhatsApp or email.
Visa Renewal by road
Also known as Oman visa run, this method of working necessitates the use of a UAE border exit stamp. The procedure is quite easy to follow:
- Apply for an Oman Visa
- After your Oman visa has been approved you can choose to drive to the border or head to a travel firm and book a visa run package.
- The exit stamp in Oman costs approximately 60 AED.
- The final step is to travel back to the UAE border after your new visa has been issued.
Visa Renewal by Flight
A to A visa change allows you to stay lawfully in the UAE by transferring your existing visa to a new one and avoiding overstay fines. Local tour operators, in partnership with local airlines such as Air Arabia, Fly Dubai, and Jazeera Airways, regularly provide this service. Sharjah and Dubai airports are the only ones that make this operation possible. This visa renewal procedure allows you to fly to the closest Middle Eastern countries’ airports, such as Muscat, Salalah, and so on, and then re-enter the UAE once your new visa is approved.
It saves you both money and time. On the other hand, visa renewal from airport to airport is slightly more expensive than visa renewal from bus/own vehicle in Oman.
What Can Happen If I Overstay My UAE Visit Visa?
Overstaying your visit visa is frowned upon and can incur some hefty fines during exit. If a visa overstay is not renewed as described above, a cost of AED 100 per day will be charged starting 10 days after the visa expires. Article 12 of Federal Law Immigration and Residence Act No. 6 of 1973, as amended by Laws 7 and 13 of 1985, Law 13 of 1996, and Federal Legislative Decree No. 17 of 2017, reads as follows:
“Any foreigner entering the country with a visa or residence permit must leave the country on the expiry date of that visa or permission, either via cancellation or after the deadline, unless they have received a resident permit.
Unless he is issued a residence permit at that time, any foreigner who is exempt from the permission or visa requirement under Article 2 (2) within thirty days after his entry, a person who violates this Act must depart the country.”
Conclusion
Upon application and approval by the appropriate authority, all visiting and tourist visas can be renewed by 30 days twice. This does not require you to leave the country. Before the first expires, visitors and tourists can get a second renewal for AED 600 each.
However, the new renewal regulation does not apply to the following groups:
- Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries’ visitors and tourists.
- Nationals of the CCG are escorted by locals.
- Individuals who have been granted special permission to enter.
- 96-hour permits for special operations troops.
BIO:
Robeena Brown
Travel blogger & destination expert living in UAE and works for local tourism companies like Arabiers. If you have been looking forward to touring Dubai, getting a visa, extending stays and exploring the city you can follow her on social media.
