This website/business has no official affiliation with any state or federal government. We advise and assist clients with travel visa applications and charge a fee for our services.

Everything You Need To Know About A UAE Visa

united-arab-emirates-visa-image Citizens of the UK who hold a British citizen passport do need a visa to enter the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

But the good news is that you can get a visa on arrival (VOA) after landing at the airport when you are entering the nation for tourism, transit, or business purposes.

A UAE visit VOA arrives with a maximum stay period of up to 30 days. Once you exit the country, your visa is automatically terminated.

This means that you cannot use the same visa to re-enter UAE, even if it is still valid. You need to obtain a fresh VOA every time you seek to enter UAE borders.

If you wish to extend your stay in UAE, you can apply for an extension twice, while you are within the country’s borders. Each extension allows you an additional stay period of 30 days.

For further help, you should contact the UAE Immigration in Dubai (04-3980000) or in Abu Dhabi (02-4024500).

Passport requirements for availing a Visa on Arrival

Once you land in the UAE, you will need to present your passport for stamping the Visa on It should hold a minimum validity of 6 months from the date of entry into the UAE, provided your purpose of the trip is related to business or tourism. Remember that your passport should also have at least two blank pages for visa stamping.

However, if you are entering the nation only for transit and you do not have to pass through immigration, your passport can have a validity of 3 months.

Again, if you have a valid UK residence permit, your passport must have a minimum validity of 3 months from your date of arrival in the UAE.

Note: If your passport specifies another category of British nationalities such as British Overseas Citizen or British National Overseas, you shall need to obtain a visa from the nearest UAE Embassy before traveling to the UAE.

Additional requirements for obtaining a VOA at UAE airports

Just like the common requirements for availing a visa on arrival in any country, you need to carry certain mandatory documents to obtain one in the UAE as well. These include:

Proof of sufficient funds, which ensure that you have the required means to support your stay in the country. You can present this evidence in the form of cash, cards, or recent bank statements.
Remember to carry originals or copies of your onward/return airline tickets.
You may be asked to present proof that specifies the purpose of your trip.
Required documentation for the next destination

Confirm with your airline, before you travel, if they allow boarding without a visa. Sometimes, regulations change and you may not be aware of the new rules. A simple confirmation goes a long way in avoiding any unwelcome surprises after all your travel plans are final.

Seeking employment in the UAE

Do note that you are not allowed to engage in any remuneration-generating work on a visit visa on arrival. What you can do is, first enter the country on a VOA. Next, you can apply for a probationary work permit with the Ministry of Labour. This permit comes with a validity of 3 months and allows you to stay up to 60 days.

If you fail to follow this mandatory requirement and are discovered working on an ordinary visit visa, you may be jailed, fined, or even deported.

If you wish to extend your stay in the UAE beyond the granted period of 60 days, you need to contact the UAE Consulate in London, the Naturalisation and Residency Department in Dubai or visit the website of the UAE Federal E-Government Portal.

Another method of working in the UAE on a long-term basis is to apply for a residence visa once you enter the border on a visit VOA.

After you obtain the visa, you may be asked by your UAE employer to submit your passport with the company.

You may find this clause as part of the terms and conditions of employment. However, this is illegal and you can appeal to the Labour Department if such an incident happens in your case.

Note: All applications for a residence visa require a blood test. If you are tested positive for HIV, you shall be detained and eventually deported.

Once your said employment period is over, please ensure that you cancel your work visa before departing the UAE permanently. Failure to do so has severe penalties. You can be deported on the grounds that you are an absconder or arrested during your next entry into the country. Additionally, prior to exiting the country, even if you are in transit, remember to repay all your debts and resolve any ongoing cases against you. You must display your legal status in the UAE when you depart. If you are facing a case for a travel ban, legal proceedings, unpaid debts, or custody dispute, you can be refused exit from the UAE.

Medication Requirements

UAE immigration officials follow strict rules when it comes to the intake of medications. If you carry prescribed or over the counter medicines, you have to follow the UAE’s rules on whether these drugs are allowed within its borders.

Certain medications are classified by the UAE as narcotic, psychotropic, controlled or semi-controlled. If your drugs fall under any of these categories, you need to obtain prior approval from UAE authorities.

You can find a complete list of these regulates on the website for the UAE Ministry of Health.

It is advised that you get this approval in advance via an electronic application form available on the UAE Ministry of Health website. If you do not carry this approval, you shall need to present relevant documents. Sometimes, approval is not guaranteed after arrival and worse still, you might have to face prosecution under UAE law.

There are also limits on the number of medications allowed into the country. If your medicines do not fall under the classification above, you can bring a supply of 3 months. Otherwise, this quantity is reduced to a supply of 1 month.

Rules to be followed if you have previously traveled to Israel

If you have formerly visited Israel and your passport contains Israeli visas or stamps, you can enter the UAE if you are not traveling for work-related activities. If it is the latter, you will be subjected to further checks.

British nationals holding dual nationality of Israeli citizenship can sometimes be refused entry into the nation.