UAE Visa on Arrival for Indians 2026: Who Qualifies and Fees

Published 2026-10-24 · 7 min read · By the Travlys visa team

Holding a US, UK or EU visa, or a residence permit from six other countries, can get you a UAE visa on arrival. Here is who qualifies, what it costs in AED and what to do if you don't.

Yes, many Indians can get a UAE visa on arrival, but only with the right supporting document. If you hold an Indian ordinary passport and a valid US visa or green card, a valid UK or EU visa or residence permit, or a valid residence permit from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea or Singapore, you can get a 14-day visa for AED 100, extendable once. Everyone else needs a UAE visa approved before flying.

At a glance: Who: Indian ordinary passport holders with a qualifying US, UK, EU or six-country document. Stay: 14 days (AED 100), extendable once by 14 days (AED 250), or a 60-day single-entry visa (AED 250 issuance fee) that cannot be extended. Validity: passport and supporting document valid for at least 6 months. Where: UAE entry points, or apply online in advance through ICP or GDRFA Dubai. Overstay fine: AED 50 per day.

Who qualifies for the UAE visa on arrival

The UAE's Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) sets the rules. Its service page for Indian nationals says you need an ordinary passport plus one of these:

• United States: a valid US visa (any category, including a B1/B2 visit visa) or a US green card.
• United Kingdom: a valid UK visa or UK residence permit.
• European Union: a valid visa or residence permit issued by an EU member state.
• Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea or Singapore: a valid residence permit only. A visitor visa from these six countries does not count.

The six-country residence route has applied to Indians since 13 February 2025, according to the UAE Embassy in New Delhi. In June 2026, ICP extended the same scheme to six more nationalities and confirmed India stays on the list.

Validity rules

• Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months.
• GDRFA Dubai also asks for the US visa, green card or UK/EU residence document to be valid for at least 6 months.
• Expired documents are not accepted, even if they expired last week.
• Accompanying family members must meet the same conditions. Each person needs their own qualifying visa or permit.

Is the UK still on the list?

This is the one point where sources disagree. In early July 2026, Business Standard and a press release carried by ANI and The Tribune reported that Indians whose only document is a UK visa or UK residence permit would lose visa-on-arrival access. None of them named an effective date.

As of 24 October 2026, the official pages say otherwise. ICP's announcement of 25 June 2026, ICP's 60-day visa service page and GDRFA Dubai's service page all still list the United Kingdom. We did not find any official notice removing it, and we could not find an official correction issued on 7 October 2026.

If a UK document is the only one you hold, do not leave it to the airport counter. Apply online in advance through GDRFA Dubai or ICP, or get a regular UAE tourist e-Visa.

How long you can stay: 14 days or 60 days

• 14-day visa: stay up to 14 days from entry. You can extend it once, inside the UAE, for another 14 days. That gives you up to 28 days in total.
• 60-day visa: stay up to 60 days from entry. ICP issues it as single-entry and it cannot be extended. ICP lists it as an online service, and you must enter within 30 days of issue.

Pick the 60-day option only if you really need more than 28 days. For most holidays and business trips, the 14-day visa is enough and cheaper.

Fees in AED

• 14-day visa: AED 100.
• One 14-day extension: AED 250. ICP also lists an AED 100 application fee for all visa extensions.
• 60-day visa: AED 250 issuance fee. ICP's online service page adds an AED 100 smart services fee, so plan for about AED 350.
• Overstay: AED 50 for each day past your permitted stay.

If you apply online through a government smart channel, extra service charges may show at payment. Pay only on icp.gov.ae or gdrfad.gov.ae, or through a consultant you trust.

Where you get it

The UAE Embassy in New Delhi says the visa on arrival is available at any UAE entry point. That includes the international airports in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. You can also apply online before you fly. GDRFA Dubai's smart channel lists an expected completion time of 48 hours, and the approved visa is emailed to you.

Applying in advance costs you a little time, but your airline sees an approved visa at check-in and you skip the arrival counter.

If you don't qualify

No US, UK or EU document, and no residence permit from the six other countries? Then you need a UAE visa approved before travel. The usual route is a tourist e-Visa filed online. Travlys files 14, 30 and 60-day UAE e-Visas from ₹2,500, in single or multiple-entry where available.

If you are only changing planes, look at a transit visa instead. The UAE issues 48-hour and 96-hour transit visas, which your airline arranges with your ticket.

Tips before you fly

• Carry the original US visa, green card or residence card in your passport or wallet. Do not rely on a photocopy or a phone photo.
• Check both expiry dates: your passport and your supporting document. Six months from your arrival date is the safe line.
• Book a return or onward ticket and keep your hotel booking handy. Officers can ask for them.
• Airlines check your visa status before boarding. If your case is borderline, apply online first.
• Approval at the counter is at the officer's discretion. Qualifying on paper does not guarantee entry.
• Track your stay. The 14 days count from the date you enter the UAE, and the fine is charged for every extra day.

How Travlys helps

We check whether your US, UK, EU or residence document qualifies before you book, and if it doesn't, we file your UAE e-Visa. 14, 30 and 60-day e-Visas start at ₹2,500, delivered as a PDF to your inbox. Travlys has filed 5,000+ visas with a 98% approval rate. Message us on WhatsApp at +91 82009 18967 with your travel dates and passport details.

Last checked: These rules were checked on 24 October 2026 against the ICP, GDRFA Dubai and UAE Embassy New Delhi sources listed below. UAE visa rules change often. Confirm on icp.gov.ae or gdrfad.gov.ae before you book flights.