Free UAE Transit Visa: Simple Steps to Apply and Requirements

Free UAE Transit Visa

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has recently offered long-transit travellers a free transit visa for those transiting through the main airports in the country. This new visa policy is expected to bring joy to millions of travellers who have a connection in either Dubai or Abu Dhabi. By this, the UAE is welcoming tourists into the country, and they can discover its wonders of modern architecture, futuristic structures, and cultural heritage all without needing to apply for a visa beforehand.

This hour transit visa is particularly beneficial in the UAE because India has the highest number of transit passengers. The free visa regime is part of a set of legislative measures targeted at the development of tourism, investments, and, correspondingly, the country’s economy. Passengers can now leave the airport and experience the lively cities of Dubai and Abu Dhabi and discover the finest that the UAE has to offer during transit.

Apart from the 48-hour visa, visitors can opt for an additional 48-hour visa, which makes their stay in the UAE up to a 96 hours transit visa for a reasonable charge. If you want to go shopping in the Dubai Mall, go for a desert safari, or spend a quiet evening on a dhow cruise, the free transit visa lets you do it all. This visa policy is aimed at enhancing transit travel through the UAE and transforming the layover into a vacation.

Background: The New Legislative Package

This revolutionary decision is part of a legislative package adopted by the UAE Cabinet headed by HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Dubai’s Ruler and the UAE’s Vice President and Prime Minister. The package is expected to increase the number of tourists, promote investment, and improve the economic situation in the country. The new changes include, but are not limited to, a free 48-hour transit visa, a six-month visa for job seekers, and a two-year visa for high-performing students. This step is believed to open new opportunities for the UAE and become the key to its status as a leading tourist destination.

The following are the most important benefits of the Free UAE Transit Visa

The introduction of the free transit visa brings several benefits that make travelling through the UAE more convenient and enjoyable:

Explore UAE Without Extra Cost: The greatest advantage is that the passengers may now visit Dubai or Abu Dhabi during their stopover without having to pay for the visa.
No Pre-Application Needed: The Dubai transit visa is an automatic visa that does not require the traveller to apply for it before travelling. This is an exceptionally convenient visa because it will be issued right at the airport upon the arrival of the clients.
Simplified Process: Hello to the time when visa application forms were countless pages long or when one had to provide as many documents as possible, including bank statements, sponsor information, and financial security assurances. The only documents that the UAE requires are a valid passport, a confirmed onwards flight ticket, and a passion to travel!
Time to Explore: This two-day layover will give you a taste of some of the must-see sites in the UAE, including sights in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

The requirements of the Free Transit Visa

To qualify for the free UAE transit visa, travellers must fulfil the following requirements:

Proof of Transit: You must be transiting or else have a connecting flight, and you must present a valid ticket for the next destination.
Valid Passport: Make sure that the passport has at least six months’ validity from the intended date of your exit from the UAE.
Proof of Onwards Travel: A confirmed air ticket to the next destination is required to show that you are a transit traveller.

If you fulfil these conditions, you will be issued a free 48 hours transit visa as soon as you arrive at the airport, and you’ll not be required to complete any form or pay for it.

How to Get the UAE Transit Visa

Upon arrival in the UAE, go to the special express desks at the passport control zone. Here, you will be required to show your onwards flight ticket as evidence of your travel and a passport in any case. Once you confirm this with the authorities, they will grant you a transit visa that will enable you to leave the airport and tour the city. It is a favourable visa to visit the UAE without having to go through a long process of applying for a visa.

Free Transit Visa & Its Duration & Extension

The free transit visa is granted for 48 hours, but the good news is that it can be renewed! If a person desires to stay longer in the UAE, he or she can extend the visa for another 48 hours and make it 96 hours for just AED 50. This extension effects all the travellers who are not visa-waiver (such as GCC citizens or anyone coming from over 30 countries that can get a visa on arrival).

If you will be in the UAE for longer, then you may have to look for other types of visas, such as the tourist or business visa.

Ways to Spend Your Spare Time in UAE

If you have 48 hours on your hand, there is a lot you can do and see in the UAE, its architecture and culture inclusive. Here’s a list of activities and experiences to consider during your short stay:

Visit Iconic Landmarks: Visit a structure that has set the record as the tallest building in the world, Burj Khalifa, and have a look at Dubai from the observation deck. Visit the Palm Jumeirah, one of the artificial islands, and see the kind of hotels and villas that are found there. You should not visit the Dubai Mall, which is the largest shopping mall in the world and has an ice rink, an aquarium, and the Dubai Fountain.
Cultural Experiences: Visit Old Dubai to tour the souk area, including the Gold Souk and Spice Souk. Go to the Dubai Museum in order to get acquainted with the historical background of the city. For a more cultural experience, go for a multilingual traditional city tour or take a dinner dhow cruise in Dubai Creek or Abu Dhabi Corniche.
Adventurous Activities: The UAE is well known for its adventure activities, which are mostly done out doors. You can ride the waves on flyboarding, wakeboarding, or even go scuba diving in the crystal-clear waters. If you want to have an adventurous tour in the desert, go for a Desert Safari that includes dune bashing, camel riding, henna painting, BBQ dinner, and live shows like Belly dancing and Tanoura.
Explore New Attractions: If you have already visited all the most famous places, there are new places to go to, for instance, the Dubai Frame, Laguna Water Park, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Louvre Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. Abu Dhabi.

Exploring Beyond Dubai: Other UAE Highlights

While Dubai is a global tourist destination, there is so much to see in Abu Dhabi. See the Grand Mosque, one of the biggest and most stunning mosques globally, or discover the cultural sights of Saadiyat Island, the future home of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and other budding art museums. If you want to have a more serene time, you should go to Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, or Fujairah emirates as each has its own tourist attractions and beautiful landscapes.

Conclusion

The new free UAE transit visa policy is a great chance for tourists to visit Dubai and Abu Dhabi during their stopover without the need to apply for the visa and pay additional money. An easy process, a 48-hour window to visit the best landmarks and cultural attractions, and an opportunity to extend the stay at a minimal cost make this initiative an additional value for the UAE’s tourism offer. If you are just in transit in the UAE on your way to the other country, then it is high time you enjoyed the free time you have in this fast-developing and vibrant country.