How to obtain a 48 hours or 96 hours transit visa for Dubai
The visas must be applied through UAE-based airlines, even with a travel agent.
Dubai: The United Arab Emirates has introduced two transit visa options: one for 48 hours and another for 96 hours.
If you are not one of the nationalities eligible for a visa on arrival or a visa-free entry to the UAE, then you need a transit visa.
Here's how you can secure a transit visa and explore the city.
If you travel through the UAE with a layover and require a transit visa, you should know that only the UAE-based airlines you travel with can arrange it for you before your journey. If you have booked your trip through a travel agency, they may also be able to assist you in obtaining the visa, but the airline will still be responsible for processing it.
The airline agents can apply for your transit visa online using one of the following methods: the eChannels portal, the UAEICP app for Apple and Android, or the online channels provided by the relevant General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in each emirate.
According to Emirates Today, the 48-hour transit visa is free of charge, while the 96-hour transit visa requires a fee of 50 dirhams. It's important to note that once a 48-hour visa is issued, it cannot be converted into the 96-hour category. Both visas are non-extendable and non-convertible.
To be eligible for a transit visa, you must have a passport or travel document with a minimum validity of three to six months, depending on the duration of the visa. You must also provide a photo of yourself against a white background and proof of onward travel to a third destination. The validity of the visa starts from the moment you enter the UAE and expires either 48 or 96 hours later, depending on the type of visa you have. It is important to note that you must leave the UAE within the designated time frame.
No federal, local, or private entity can impose additional fees. However, a departure fee of AED 30 is levied on each passenger passing through the UAE's airports.