Dubai Airport Visa Guide: Quick and Easy Process

An airport visa is the visa that you apply for while at the airport. Not to be confused with a transit visa, the Dubai airport visa is any type of visa that you apply for while at the airport to allow you entry into the country. 

Ther are different circumstances that may force you to apply for a visa while at the airport such as:

•    If you have utilized all the days for an on-arrival visa to Dubai
•    You realize that your prepaid visa to Dubai is expired

You can apply for this visa and get it while still at the airport if you choose to use a fast-tracking visa service.  
 

To apply for a Dubai visa while at the airport, you will need the following:

•    A scanned copy of your passport that is valid for a minimum of six months
•    A clear colored photograph of yourself

It is very easy to get an airport visa because of the minimal requirements.
 

Some nationals do not need to make advance visa arrangements before traveling to Dubai. This is because they belong to a category of countries that are eligible for a on arrival visa to Dubai.

The on-arrival visa is issued at the airport, when you arrive in Dubai. You only need to show your passport and identification and then your passport will be stamped with Dubai eVisa. 

Here are the countries that qualify for a Dubai on arrival visa:
 

If you enter the UAE and exhaust your days, you will need to either exit the country or get a visa change. When the visa expires while you are still in the country or moving from one emirate to the other, you will have to get another visa. 

If you are already in the airport and in a hurry, we recommend you get the express visa, which will be ready in just a few hours. This type of visa will come in handy to save you time and also save you from the inconveniences of an expired visa. 
 

Mostly confused with the airport visa, a transit visa is normally issued to travelers that are laying over in Dubai en route to another destination. A Dubai transit visa is valid for either 48 hours or 96 hours. 

If you have a transit visa, you can leave the airport and explore Dubai as long as you get back and fly out before the visa expires. You cannot extend this type of visa, so you must exit the country before its expiry. 

If you change your mind and decide to stay in Dubai, you may apply for a Dubai tourist visa while at the airport. This allows you to stay in Dubai for the specified period until the visa expires. 
 

Arabiers has made the application process for all Dubai visas, easy and seamless. Below is the step-by-step process to get a visa while at the airport:

i.    Make clear copies of your passport and take a passport sized photograph of yourself
ii.    Send these copies to the Arabiers team either through WhatsApp or email
iii.    We will send you a secure payment link where you will pay the visa fee
iv.    Sit at the airport waiting lounge for 2 to 4 hours as we process your express Dubai visa
v.    We will then send you the e-visa online via WhatsApp or email as soon as it gets approved

After getting your visa, you can then proceed to the immigration counter and get checked out. You can then leave the airport and go explore Dubai. 
 

The validity period for an airport visa differs depending on the specific type of visa you have applied for. If you apply for the tourist visa, it can be valid for either 30 days or 60 days. 
There are two types of Dubai tourist visa, a single entry visa and a multiple entry visa.  The single entry Dubai visa allows you to enter Dubai only once and anytime you leave the country it becomes invalid. 

A multiple entry visa on the other hand allows you to enter and exit the country several times within the visa’s validity period. 

When you continue staying in Dubai after your visa has expired, you are considered to be overstaying.  The government penalizes those who overstay their visas as a way of minimizing the cases of overstaying. 

You are charged a fine of AED 50 per day for every day you overstay in Dubai. You must pay the accumulated fine before you exit the country. 
The fine starts accumulating the day after your visa expires except for those who entered the country with 30 days on arrival visa. these visa holders are allowed a 10 days grace period, so their fines start accumulating 10 days after their visa expires.

To avoid incurring these fines, you should decide earlier before your visa expires whether you want to exit the country or extend your visa. If you want to apply for a visa at the airport and you had overstayed your previous visa, you first must pay the overstaying visa fines and the proceed to apply for a new visa.