Immigration information

Depending on your nationality, you may or may not require a visa to enter the UAE.

Do I need a visa to enter the UAE?

• If you are a GCC citizen: no entry visa is required.
• If you are a citizen of one of the following countries, you will be issued with a free-of-charge visit visa upon entry: UK, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Finland, Spain, Monaco, Vatican, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, Poland, Slovenia, Slovakia, Czech Republic, Lithuania, Hungary, Latvia, Estonia, Malta, Cyprus, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria, United States, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.
• If you are a citizen of any other country, you will need to apply for a visa through your nearest UAE embassy. In some cases, your airline may be able to help you. An eye scan will be required at the airport.

Please note that visa requirements are subject to change. Always check with your travel agent or nearest UAE embassy before travelling.

Visitors with expired visas can be detained and/or fined.

How do I arrange a visa?

Visitors to the UAE requiring visas must have a local sponsor arrange their visa. If you are flying with Etihad Airways, a UAE visit visa may be arranged for you upon request.

Contact Etihad directly.

If you are not flying with Etihad Airways, you will need to contact a local sponsor. You will then need to have your UAE visa delivered to the airport by your sponsor so that you can collect it upon arrival. A 'Visa Delivery Services' office which is accessible by the public as well as arriving passengers, is located in the Arrivals hall of each terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport (view map). Your visa should be delivered a minimum of one hour before your flight lands.

Visas will not be accepted more than 48 hours before flight arrival. No refund will be granted.

e-Visa is now available for GCC Residence Permit Holders Traveling to UAE

Effective 24 May 2015, an online application and payment system for UAE visas has been introduced for expatriates residing in the GCC on residence visas. 

As per the new service launched by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, all GCC residence permit holders are now able to apply for an e-visa to visit the UAE. Visitors will no longer need to wait for visa processing at the airport upon arrival.

For more information please go to ‘GCC Individual Services’ at https://www.ednrd.ae/GCCIND/login.do