Emirates E-Visa For Indian Nationals

A UAE visa for Indian citizens is required before travel unless you qualify for visa on arrival through a foreign visa or residence permit. Standard Indian passport holders need an approved e-visa; Air India, IndiGo, Emirates and flydubai will not issue a boarding pass without it. This page covers who needs the visa, who qualifies for visa on arrival, the fees, the documents, processing time — and the single most common mix-up we hear from Indian travellers: whether you need an Emirates airline ticket to get an "Emirates visa".

Everything below applies to tourist and visit visas. Work, freelancer and residence visas follow different routes and are linked near the end.

Do Indian Citizens Need a Visa for the UAE?

Yes, in the standard case. India is not on the UAE's visa-free list, so an ordinary Indian passport on its own does not get you in. The exception is visa on arrival: Indian passport holders with a valid visa, residence permit or permanent resident card from the United States, an EU member state, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore or South Korea are stamped in at the airport for 14 days, extendable once. UK documents were on that list for years; reports in mid-2026 indicate the UAE has withdrawn them — if you hold only UK documents, apply for an e-visa rather than gamble at the airport. Full eligibility on visa on arrival for Indians.

Everyone else applies in advance through a UAE-based sponsor — a resident relative, a hotel, an airline, or a licensed agency such as Emirates Visa. We sponsor and file the application; UAE immigration decides it.

Do You Need to Fly Emirates to Get an Emirates Visa?

No. "Emirates visa" is used for two different things: the UAE entry permit itself, and the visa desk Emirates airline runs for its own passengers. The airline's desk only serves travellers with both Dubai legs on an Emirates ticket under one booking, applied for several working days ahead. That excludes anyone flying Air India, IndiGo, Vistara, flydubai, Air Arabia, SpiceJet or a codeshare, and anyone who has not booked a flight yet.

The UAE visa for Indian citizens is the same permit either way. It is issued by GDRFA or ICP, linked to your passport number, and checked at the same border. Emirates Visa is an independent licensed agency, not affiliated with Emirates airline, the UAE Embassy in India, ICP or GDRFA — we sponsor and file the same permit whoever you fly with, and you never have to buy a flight or hotel from us. Airline-desk applications do not process faster; every application goes to UAE immigration.

Applying from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore or Anywhere in India

A UAE visa for Indian citizens is applied for online and the process is identical from every Indian city. You pay in rupees by UPI, NetBanking or an Indian card; the INR amount is the USD price converted at the day's rate, so it moves a few hundred rupees with the exchange rate. VFS Global centres in major cities accept in-person submissions for the same visa at a higher service charge; there is no processing advantage. Indians living abroad — in the US, UK, Gulf or Singapore — apply on Indian-passport rules and add a copy of their residence permit.

UAE Visa Fees for Indian Citizens

The UAE visa for Indian citizens fee depends on how long you want to stay and whether you need single or multiple entry. Every figure is the total price per person in US dollars and matches our homepage; the cheapest options are the 48 Hour Transit at $90 and the 7 Days Single at $99, and the standard 30 Day Single is $120.

INR equivalents — 30-day single from ₹10,500, 60-day single from ₹29,500 — are on the Emirates visa price page, which is the reference for every rupee figure on this site. The price bundles the GDRFA government fee (non-refundable once submitted), VAT, our sponsorship and filing fee, and travel insurance where required. Flights, hotels and overstay fines are not included. Since February 2026 the UAE charges AED 50 per day of overstay with no grace period — see our overstay rules guide.

Extensions are separate: the 30 Days Visa Extension is $420 and the 60 Days Visa Extension $600, both processed in one to two days and applied for before the current visa expires — see UAE visit visa extension. Express processing is available as an add-on through the express visa service.

Be careful with agents quoting far below these figures or offering a "free visa with Emirates ticket" — there is no such thing. Government fees cannot be discounted, and a suspiciously cheap visa is often never filed. Verify any visa you receive with our visa status check guide.

UAE Visa Requirements for Indian Citizens

To be eligible for a UAE visa for Indian citizens through a sponsor, you need:

• A Indian passport valid for at least six months from your planned entry date, with clear blank pages.
• No UAE immigration ban or unpaid overstay fines from a previous trip.
• A confirmed return or onward ticket.
• Proof of accommodation — a hotel booking, or a host's details if staying with a UAE resident.
• Applicants under 18 travelling without both parents may need a no-objection letter — see UAE visa policy for children.

A bank statement is not routinely required for Indian tourist visas, but for 60-day visas it is sometimes requested. A PAN card copy is commonly asked for during KYC but is not always mandatory. Handwritten passports are not accepted.

Documents Required for a UAE Visa from India

Upload clear colour scans or phone photos. Blurred or cropped passport pages are the single most common reason an application is sent back.

1. Passport bio page — the full page with all four corners visible.
2. Passport-size photograph — plain background, face fully visible; specifications on Dubai visa photo size.
3. Confirmed flight ticket — return or onward.
4. Accommodation proof — hotel booking, or your host's Emirates ID copy and tenancy contract.
5. PAN card copy — commonly requested for KYC.
6. Residence permit — only if you are applying from outside India.

You never send your physical passport. The visa is electronic and linked to your passport number. The full list is on documents required.

UAE Visa for Indian Citizens: Which Visa Type to Choose

30 Day Visa — Single ($120) or Multiple ($220)

The standard choice for holidays, shopping and short family visits. Single entry suits a straight return home; multiple entry is for travellers who plan to leave the UAE and come back within the 60-day validity — a side trip to Oman, for example. The stay is counted from the day you land. See 30 days Emirates visa.

60 Day Visa — Single ($320) or Multiple ($420)

Popular with Indians visiting family working in the UAE and with business visitors attending Gulfood, GITEX or Arab Health. Both can be extended once from inside the country.

14 Day Business ($100) and 7 Days Single ($99)

The 14 Day Business is the fastest option at one to two days and suits exhibitions and meetings. The 7 Days Single is the cheapest but takes three to four days to process.

Transit Visas — $90 and $100

For a layover on the way to a third country when you want to leave the airport: 48 hours or 96 hours. Single entry, valid to enter within 14 days, not extendable. All visa categories are explained on Emirates visa types.

Not Covered on This Page

A work visa is sponsored by a UAE employer — see Dubai work visa and employment visa. The freelancer visa and UAE Blue Visa are residence categories with their own fees. Working on a visit visa is illegal.

How to Apply for a UAE Visa from India Online

The process is fully online and takes about ten minutes. You can apply from Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad or anywhere with an internet connection.

1. Select your nationality and country of residence, then choose the visa type.
2. Fill in the form and upload your documents, including your PAN card copy.
3. Choose standard or express processing and pay online.
4. An adviser reviews the file against current entry rules before it is filed with UAE immigration.
5. Track the status on the Emirates visa status page.
6. Receive your e-visa by email. Print a copy and carry it with your passport.

Air India, IndiGo, Emirates and flydubai all require OK to Board on flights from India; without it you will be turned away at check-in. The full walkthrough is on how to apply.

Processing Time for Indian Applicants

Standard processing is one to two working days for 14-day, 30-day, 60-day and transit visas, and three to four days for the 7-day visa, counted from the day UAE immigration receives a complete file. Working days are Monday to Friday in the UAE. Apply at least five working days before departure, or use express if your dates are close. Approval and timing rest with UAE immigration, not with any agency; typical delays are explained on Emirates visa delay.

Dubai Visa vs UAE Visa for Indians

A UAE visa and a Dubai visa are the same kind of document with a different issuing authority. A visa sponsored from Dubai is issued by GDRFA Dubai; one sponsored from Abu Dhabi, Sharjah or another emirate is issued by the federal ICP. Every visa we file is valid across all seven emirates. Landing at Dubai International, a GDRFA-issued visa keeps status checks and extensions in one system; landing at Sharjah on Air Arabia or IndiGo, either authority works — confirm the sponsor's emirate before you pay.

Why Indian Applications Get Rejected

Refusals of a UAE visa for Indian citizens are uncommon when the file is complete. The issues we see most often:

• Passport validity under six months at the date of travel.
• Name mismatch between the passport and the application form.
• Previous overstay in the UAE with fines still unpaid.
• Poor-quality scans where the passport number or photo is unreadable.
• Single-name passports entered inconsistently on the form.
• Wrong visa type — applying for a tourist visa when the real purpose is job hunting.

If refused, the government fee is not returned; our service fee follows the refund policy. Full list on Dubai visa rejection.

Official rules are published by GDRFA at the GDRFA Dubai official portal.