UAE visit visa requirements: documents, sponsors and conditions
The documents, sponsor conditions and government fees the ICP and GDRFA Dubai service cards state for UAE visit and tourist visas, including the resident-sponsor salary tiers for relatives and friends, the financial guarantee and what the airline channels add.
The short answer
A UAE visit visa is always filed by a sponsor or host, unless you qualify for a self-sponsored category. Tourism establishments, airlines and hotels sponsor tourist visas; a UAE resident sponsors a relative or friend if their monthly salary meets the tier for the relationship, which the ICP card sets at AED 4,000 for first-degree relatives, AED 8,000 for second and third degree and AED 15,000 for friends. Every applicant needs a passport valid for six months, a photograph and valid UAE health insurance, and the sponsor lodges a refundable financial guarantee.
Key facts
- Passport
- Valid for at least 6 months (u.ae; ICP card)
- Resident-sponsor salary tiers
- AED 4,000 first degree; AED 8,000 second and third degree; AED 15,000 friends (ICP Issuance of a Visa card)
- Financial guarantee (ICP)
- AED 1,000 single entry; AED 2,000 multiple entry; refundable after exit or cancellation if no violation
- Tourist visa sponsor
- An establishment working in the field of tourism; only accredited tourism offices can issue it (GDRFA Dubai)
- Health insurance
- Valid UAE health insurance is a condition on the ICP card; GDRFA Dubai lists insurance of AED 40, 60 or 90 by duration for relative/friend visits
- National ID copy
- Required for nationals of Iraq, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan (GDRFA Dubai cards; Emirates)
What this page covers
This page collects the conditions and documents that the ICP and GDRFA Dubai service cards and the UAE Government portal state for pre-arranged visit visas: tourist visas, visits sponsored by a resident relative or friend, and the self-sponsored jobseeker, business-exploration and 5-year tourist categories. It does not cover residence; for that, read Live in the UAE.
The single most useful thing to understand is that a visit visa has a sponsor. Who that sponsor is determines the documents, the fee and the guarantee. If you are a visitor, most of what follows is about what your sponsor must show.
Who sponsors what
The table sets out each sponsor type against the visa it can file and the condition the official page attaches.
| Sponsor or host | Visa they can file | Condition stated on the official page |
|---|---|---|
| Tourism establishment, hotel, travel agent, airline | Tourist visa, 30 or 60 days, single or multiple entry | GDRFA Dubai: the host 'should be one of the establishments working in the field of tourism'; 'only accredited tourism offices in the emirate can issue this kind of visa'. u.ae: apply 'through airlines, hotels and travel agents'. |
| UAE resident, first-degree relative (father, mother, spouse, son, daughter) | Visit visa for a relative, 30, 60 or 90 days | Minimum monthly salary AED 4,000 with proof of kinship (ICP) |
| UAE resident, second-degree (siblings, grandparents, grandchildren) or third-degree (uncle, aunt, cousins) | Visit visa for a relative, 30, 60 or 90 days | Minimum monthly salary AED 8,000 with proof of kinship (ICP) |
| UAE resident, non-relative | Visit visa for a friend, 30, 60 or 90 days | Minimum monthly salary AED 15,000 (ICP) |
| UAE-based airline | Transit visa, 48 or 96 hours | Must be processed and approved before entering; single entry; not extendable (u.ae) |
| Licensed and registered UAE hospital | Patient and companion entry permit | Medical report, sponsor letter, insurance and a security deposit (GDRFA Dubai) |
| No sponsor (self-sponsored) | 5-year tourist visa; jobseeker visa; business-exploration visa | Bank balance of USD 4,000 over the last six months (5-year tourist); skill level 1–3 or top-500 graduate (jobseeker); solvency, talent or high qualification (business); financial guarantee (u.ae) |
| Applied for online by the traveller | GCC-resident entry permit | GCC residency valid at least 1 year from arrival; profession on the approved list; passport 6 months (u.ae) |
Documents and who issues them
The GDRFA Dubai relative/friend card and the ICP Issuance of a Visa card list the following. Items marked "sponsor" are produced by the host, not the traveller.
| Document | Issued or provided by | Which visas |
|---|---|---|
| Passport copy, valid at least 6 months | Traveller's passport authority | All |
| Personal photograph | Traveller | All |
| Valid UAE health insurance | Insurer; GDRFA Dubai lists AED 40/60/90 by duration on the relative/friend card | All pre-arranged permits (ICP condition) |
| Return or onward ticket | Airline | Tourist visas (ICP condition); 5-year tourist visa (u.ae) |
| Tour programme statement | Tourism sponsor | Tourist visa (ICP document list) |
| Marriage contract or birth certificate proving kinship | Civil authority of the country of issue; attestation as required | Relative visits, by degree (GDRFA Dubai; ICP 'proof of kinship according to the degree') |
| Salary certificate, employment contract or partnership contract | Sponsor's employer or company | Relative and friend visits (GDRFA Dubai) |
| National ID card of the country of origin | Traveller's national ID authority | Nationals of Iraq, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan (GDRFA Dubai; Emirates) |
| Attested qualification certificate | Awarding institution, attested | Jobseeker visit visa (u.ae) |
| Proof of investment | Traveller | Business-exploration visit visa (GDRFA Dubai) |
| Bank statement showing USD 4,000 or equivalent over the last six months | Traveller's bank | 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa (u.ae) |
| Copy of GCC residence permit or electronic extract | Issuing GCC state | GCC-resident entry permit (GDRFA Dubai) |
How a sponsored visit visa runs
- Confirm the category and the authority. Dubai sponsors file with GDRFA Dubai; sponsors in the other six emirates file with ICP.
- Sponsor gathers their own proof. Salary certificate or contract, and kinship documents for relatives.
- Application is filed. Through ICP smart services with UAE Pass, the ICP app, the GDRFA website, Dubai Now, an Amer centre (Dubai) or a typing centre; airlines file for their own passengers.
- Fees and the financial guarantee are paid. The guarantee is refundable after exit or cancellation "provided that no residency violations have been committed" (ICP).
- Permit issued. Service cards state 48 hours (GDRFA Dubai) and 2 days (ICP) for the issuance step.
- Enter within 60 days of issue. The stay period starts on arrival. Extensions, where allowed, are requested from the issuing authority before expiry.
Official fees the service cards state
Government fees differ between ICP and GDRFA Dubai. Channel prices from airlines, hotels and agencies include handling and are not government fees.
| Item | ICP (six emirates) | GDRFA Dubai |
|---|---|---|
| Visit visa issuance, single entry | AED 100 per month | Relative/friend: AED 200 / 300 / 400 plus VAT for 30 / 60 / 90 days |
| Visit visa issuance, multiple entry | AED 200 per month | Relative/friend: AED 300 / 500 / 700 plus VAT |
| Tourist visa, single entry | Priced as a visit permit per month | AED 252 (30 days) / AED 352 (60 days) plus 5% VAT; no security deposit |
| Application fee | AED 100 | Included in the card total; Knowledge Dirham AED 10 and Innovation Dirham AED 10 added |
| Smart service fee | AED 100 | Not listed as such |
| Financial guarantee | AED 1,000 single entry; AED 2,000 multiple entry; AED 20 deposit fee | AED 1,000 deposit (plus AED 20 service, AED 40 collection); AED 2,000 for multi-entry relative/friend |
| Application from inside the UAE | Not listed on the visa card | AED 500 |
What the airline channels add
Airlines sell visas to their own passengers and add their handling. Emirates' online service covers only itineraries entirely on Emirates tickets, with VFS processing fees. flydubai works through its travel shops and says residents applying for family need "a valid UAE residence with minimum 3 months of validity". Emirates' ticket offices also sponsor visits against published deposits: AED 4,000 for a wife, children, parents or parents-in-law; AED 5,500 for siblings and dependants; AED 7,000 for in-laws; AED 10,000 for friends and other relatives. These are airline-channel terms, not ICP or GDRFA fees.
Check before you apply
- Does the sponsor's salary certificate show the tier for the relationship? The friend tier (AED 15,000) is more than three times the first-degree tier.
- Is the kinship document attested where the authority expects it? Grandparents and cousins need the chain of documents that proves the degree.
- Does the traveller's passport have six months left on the intended date of entry, not the date of application?
- Is the health insurance valid in the UAE for the full stay?
- For Iraqi, Pakistani, Iranian and Afghan nationals: is a copy of the national ID card ready?
- Will the traveller enter within 60 days of the permit's issue date?
Next step
If a resident will sponsor you, send us the relationship, the sponsor's emirate and salary band and the intended length of stay. We will confirm which authority and service card applies and list the documents in the order the sponsor will be asked for them. For Dubai-specific services, read Dubai visit visa.
Any "starting from" figure is an indicative price for our service and excludes government and third-party fees, which vary by activity, visa count and jurisdiction. Government fees shown are official charges from the cited pages at the review date. Your exact, itemised quote is confirmed free of charge in a consultation, with nothing hidden.
Frequently asked questions
What salary does a UAE resident need to sponsor a visit visa?
The ICP Issuance of a Visa card states AED 4,000 per month for first-degree relatives, AED 8,000 for second- and third-degree relatives and AED 15,000 for friends, with proof of kinship according to the degree.
Is the financial guarantee refunded?
Yes, as the ICP card puts it, after the visa has been cancelled or after the visitor has exited the UAE, provided no residency violations have been committed. GDRFA Dubai lists a collection or reimbursement fee alongside the deposit.
Do I need a return ticket?
A return ticket is listed as a condition on the ICP card for visit permits, and the 5-year tourist visa requires 'a ticket showing continuing or return journey'.
Can a hotel sponsor my tourist visa?
The u.ae tourist page names airlines, hotels and travel agents as channels. GDRFA Dubai requires the host to be an establishment working in the field of tourism and says only accredited tourism offices in the emirate can issue the visa.
What is the tourist visa government fee in Dubai?
GDRFA Dubai's single-entry tourist card lists AED 252 for 30 days and AED 352 for 60 days, plus 5% VAT, with no security deposit. The price a hotel or agency charges includes its own handling and is not stated officially.
Which nationalities need to submit a national ID copy?
GDRFA Dubai's tourist and relative/friend cards list an identity card for the country of origin for nationals of Iraq, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. Emirates' page lists a national ID card for Pakistan.
Official sources and review
The rules on this page were checked against the official pages below. We re-check every 30 days and after any announced change.
- ICPIssuance of a Visa — service card (all entry-permit types)Checked 4 September 2026
- GDRFA DubaiVisit visa for a relative or friend, one entryChecked 4 September 2026
- GDRFA DubaiMulti-entry visa for a relative or friendChecked 4 September 2026
- GDRFA DubaiIssuance of a single-entry tourist visaChecked 4 September 2026
- UAE Government portal (u.ae)Tourist visaChecked 4 September 2026
- UAE Government portal (u.ae)Check if you need a visa to enter the UAEChecked 4 September 2026
- Emirates (airline visa channel)UAE visa information — EmiratesChecked 4 September 2026
- flydubai (airline visa channel)Dubai visas — flydubaiChecked 4 September 2026
Government fees, thresholds and processing times change without notice. Where an official page does not state a figure, we say so rather than estimate. Nothing here is legal advice or a decision of any UAE authority.
Immigration UAE is a brand of Cosmos Immigration, a private immigration and business-services consultancy. It is not affiliated with the Government of the UAE, ICP, GDRFA, MOHRE or any UAE government authority.
Have a sponsored visit checked
Send the relationship, the sponsor's emirate and salary band and the length of stay. We will list the documents in the order the authority asks for them.
No private firm can guarantee the outcome of a UAE visa, residency or licensing application. Decisions rest solely with the relevant UAE authority.