Dubai Transit Visa: Everything You Need to Know

The UAE welcomes visitors from throughout the globe, such as those from formerly prohibited nations. Although many foreign visitors focus on Dubai, others also travel to neighboring emirate cities such as Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Ras al Khaimah, etc. For anyone whose schedule contains a halt in Dubai, has to know these are by far the most recent UAE transit visa restrictions. Based on their citizenship, one might have to file for a Dubai Transit Visa if they chose to stop in the UAE on their journey to another location.

Following is a guide to help you when you are applying for a Dubai transit visa:

When do you need a Dubai Transit Visa:

You will require a UAE transit visa for a stopover in Sharjah, Dubai, or any other province in the UAE if:

• You are not excluded from UAE Tourist Visa or are not qualified for a UAE Visa On Arrival
• Your onward flight is within the following 48 or 96 hours.

Citizens hailing from countries like Afghanistan, Niger, Iraq, Yemen, and Somalia are not permitted to apply for a UAE Transit visa. 

Exemption list:

Citizens of the following countries are exempted from the Dubai Transit visa. This means that you can enter the UAE without the requirement of applying for a Dubai Transit visa. The list of countries is as follows:

1. Saudi Arabia
2. Kuwait
3. Bahrain
4. Oman

Citizens of the countries listed above have the liberty to move freely within the UAE with only their ticket and your passport. Citizens of Mexico can live in the UAE for 180 days without a Dubai visit visa. Nationals and citizens of the following countries may enter UAE for up to 90 days within any 6-month given period, without the formalities of Dubai visa service:

1. Montenegro
2. Russia
3. Switzerland
4. All EU member states except UK and Ireland
5. Iceland
6. Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
7. Honduras
8. Liechtenstein
9. Norway

If you don’t have a Dubai visitor visa, the nationals of the following listed countries can enter UAE for up to 90 days:

1. Seychelles
2. Solomon Islands
3. Nauru
4. Chile
5. Serbia
6. Brazil
7. Argentina
8. Paraguay
9. Barbados
10. Uruguay

The nationals of the following listed countries can enter the UAE for up to 30 days without a Dubai visitor visa:

1. Ukraine
2. Macau
3. China
4. Japan

Documents required for Dubai transit visa:

The following Dubai Visa Document Requirements can serve as a checklist to waive off the requisites and help make sure of the fact that you do not miss anything while applying for a transit visa for a hassle-free trip:

• Passport as your main ID proof. It should not have an expiry date of the next three months from your subsequent date of traveling.
• A few passport-size photographs. They must be recent and should comply with the UAE visitor visa requirements as subjected by the embassy officials. 
• A valid flight ticket with all flight details.
• If the halt is up to 96 hours, you may also show a hotel reservation.

List of countries applying for a visitor visa on arrival

Given below is a list of countries and their citizens who are obligated to obtain a visa on arrival despite the Dubai visa types. 

• Andorra: It is valid for up to 30 days
• Australia: It is valid for up to 30 days
• Brunei: It is valid for up to 30 days
• Monaco: It is valid for up to 30 days
• Mongolia: It is valid for up to 30 days
• New Zealand: The validity goes up to 30 days
• San Marino: It is valid for up to 30 days
• Singapore: It is valid for up to 30 days
• Mauritius: It is valid for up to 30 days
• United Kingdom: The validity goes up to 30 days
• United States: It is valid for up to 30 days
• Vatican City: It is valid for up to 30 days
• Canada: It is valid for up to 30 days
• Kazakhstan: It is valid for up to 30 days
• Malaysia: It is valid for up to 30 days
• Hong Kong: It is valid for up to 30 days
• Ireland: It is valid for up to 30 days
• Costa Rica: It is valid for up to 90 days
• Bahamas: It is valid for up to 90 days
• El Salvador: It is valid for up to 90 days
• Maldives: It is valid for up to 90 days
• South Korea: It is valid for up to 90 days

COVID rules and regulations

Depending on how and where you embark from, you may have to undergo and submit a negative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing report, a few hours before the flight and then another check following arrival, according to the Emirates travel requirements page apart from the regular Dubai Visa Document Requirements.

Visitors flying via Dubai from the countries listed must submit a negative COVID-19 PCR test report for a test conducted not over 72 hours prior to departure, and also fulfill any other conditions imposed by their ultimate destination: 

• Bangladesh
• Ethiopia
• India
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka
• South Africa
• Uganda
• Vietnam
• Zambia
• Indonesia

Make sure you carry a hard copy of the certificate. The certificate must be legitimate, valid, and certified by the embassy. Other antibody tests and home testing kit results are not valid. The tests must be conducted from verified laboratories. The list of verified laboratories is also available on the Dubai transit visa website of the embassy. The certificate needs to be in English or Arabic only. There are chances of the certificate being nullified unless verified by the destination of origin. Ensure that you do not rely on the electronic versions of reports, as they will not be entertained by the immigration department at the airport during your Dubai visit visa. 

Dubai Transit visa time for restricted countries

If you are flying from one of the aforementioned countries:

• Bangladesh
• India
• Nigeria
• Pakistan
• Sri Lanka
• South Africa
• Uganda
• Vietnam
• Zambia

You must depart the terminal if your transit time exceeds 10 hours. If anyone is unable to produce proof of their intention of leaving the terminal for a transit lasting more than 10 hours, they would not be allowed to board at the departure point.