UAE Tourist Visa Price in 2025: Real Costs, Hidden Fees

If you're planning a trip to Dubai or Abu Dhabi and trying to budget the visa, brace yourself — the sticker price you see on travel sites is rarely what you actually pay. The UAE tourist visa price depends on duration, entries, who issues it, and whether you tack on insurance or express service. Here's what the numbers actually look like.

Quick answer

The UAE tourist visa price in 2025 ranges from roughly AED 350 for a 30-day single-entry visa to about AED 1,000 for a 90-day multiple-entry. Add AED 100–150 in service fees if you apply through an airline or typing centre, plus optional insurance (AED 50–80). The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA) set the official rates. Most travellers pay AED 450–650 all-in for a standard 60-day tourist visa.

What the UAE tourist visa price actually covers

The Federal Authority (ICP) publishes the base government fee. That's the number you see on the official portal. It does not include the "service fee" charged by airlines, hotels, or typing centres — and those layer on quickly.

Current government rates as of 2025, set under Cabinet Decision No. 65 of 2022 on fees for entry and residence services:

• 30-day single entry: AED 350
• 30-day multiple entry: AED 650
• 60-day single entry: AED 650
• 60-day multiple entry: AED 1,300
• 90-day single entry: around AED 700–800 (commonly bundled by sponsors)

Add VAT at 5% on the service component. Add the Emirates ID and biometrics step if you're converting to residence later — different track, different fees.

Honestly, most clients get tripped up here. They Google "tourist visa Dubai" and land on a reseller charging AED 950 for what costs AED 450 direct. The portal is smartcheck.gov.ae for ICP, or gdrfad.gov.ae for Dubai.[1][2]

Where you apply changes the price

Same visa, different prices. That's the UAE for you.

Through Emirates or Etihad: Convenient if you're flying them anyway. Emirates charges around AED 350 for a 30-day single-entry plus a service fee, total landing near AED 470–520. You need a confirmed booking on their flight.

Through a UAE-based sponsor (hotel, friend, relative): Cheaper. A relative on a residence visa can sponsor a 30-day tourist visa for roughly AED 250–300 government fee plus a refundable deposit.

Through a typing centre or Amer service in Dubai: Amer centres (the official Dubai government service points) charge published rates with a transparent breakdown. Expect AED 100–250 in service fees on top of the government fee.

Direct via ICP smart services: Cheapest. You'll need a UAE host or use the eligible-nationality route. Some passports get visa-on-arrival, which is free for the visa itself but the entry stamp rules differ — check your nationality before you book.[3]

Pick the channel before you pick the visa type. The same 60-day multiple-entry can cost AED 1,300 direct or AED 1,650 through a reseller.

Hidden costs nobody mentions upfront

The visa fee is the start. Here's what else hits your card:

• Insurance: Mandatory medical insurance covering your stay. AED 50–80 for a 30-day cover, more for 60–90 days. Some packages bundle it, some don't.
• Refundable deposit: AED 1,000–3,000 held by the sponsor or typing centre, refunded once you exit on time. If you overstay, kiss it goodbye.
• Status change fee: If you're already inside the UAE on a visit and want to switch to a different tourist category without exiting, that's AED 600–700 extra.
• Overstay fines: AED 50 per day from day one after your visa expires, under Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 on Entry and Residence of Foreigners. No grace period.
• Express processing: AED 100–250 if you need the visa in 24 hours instead of 3–5 working days.

Watch out: The "free visa with hotel booking" promotions are real, but the hotel quietly factors AED 400–500 into your room rate. You're paying for it. Just not on a separate line.

How the 60-day extension works and what it costs

Already inside the country and want to stay longer? Tourist visas issued for 60 days can usually be extended twice, 30 days each time, without leaving the UAE.

Each extension costs AED 600 in government fees plus around AED 230 service fee — so figure AED 830 per extension. That's per Article 12 of the implementing rules under Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021.

Apply before the visa expires. Once it lapses, you're on overstay fines and the extension route closes — you'll need to exit, pay the fine at the airport, and re-enter on a fresh visa.

For longer stays, the 5-year multi-entry tourist visa (introduced in 2022) costs AED 650 government fee. It allows 90 days per visit, extendable to 180 days in any year. Worth it if you're a frequent visitor.[4]

If you're considering converting your stay into something more permanent, look at the UAE residence visa options — different process, different math entirely.

Refunds, rejections, and what you actually lose

Rejection rates are low for clean applications, but they happen. Common reasons: prior overstay record, incomplete documents, or a sponsor with their own immigration issues.

If your application is rejected, the government fee is typically non-refundable. The service fee from the airline or typing centre — sometimes refundable minus an admin charge, usually AED 50–100. Read the fine print before you pay.

A few practical points from handling these for clients:

1. Apply 3–4 weeks before travel. Standard processing is 3–5 working days but during peak season (November–February, Ramadan, summer holidays) it slips to 7–10 days.
2. Make sure your passport has 6 months validity beyond your entry date. This is the single most common rejection reason and it's avoidable.
3. Use a clear, recent passport-style photo with white background. Phone selfies get bounced.
4. If you have a previous UAE entry, declare it. The system sees everything anyway.

Costs at a glance (2025): 30-day single AED 350 govt + AED 100–150 service. 60-day single AED 650 govt + AED 150–250 service. 60-day multiple AED 1,300 govt + AED 200–300 service. Insurance AED 50–80. Extension AED 830.

Should you DIY or use an agent?

If you have a UAE host with their own UAE Pass, DIY through ICP saves you AED 200–300. The portal is in English and Arabic and it works.

If you're applying from abroad with no UAE connection, an agent or your airline is usually the path of least pain. The markup is real but so is the time you'd burn trying to figure out which sub-category fits.

Frankly, for a one-week holiday it's not worth optimising. For a 90-day stay with extensions, doing it properly through Amer or ICP direct will save you AED 600–800 over the course of the trip. That's a decent dinner in DIFC.

---

Sources:

[1] Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security — Tourist Visa Services, icp.gov.ae [2] General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai — gdrfad.gov.ae [3] UAE Government Portal — Entry visa fees and types, u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id [4] Cabinet Decision No. 65 of 2022 on fees for services of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship [5] Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 on Entry and Residence of Foreigners

Need this checked for your situation? Talk to a UAE-licensed lawyer →