Thinking to explore Dubai? But don’t know the complexities of obtaining VISA for Indian Tourists visiting Dubai? Then you have landed at the right place.
We recently did a 6 days Dubai trip with kids. And obtained our Dubai VISA for Indian Tourists. So, let me outline all the details for you here –
Table of Contents
Types of Dubai Tourist VISA for Indians
There are different types of Dubai Tourist VISA for Indians. So, the first step in the process of obtaining Dubai VISA is to understand what kind of VISA you can go for. The simplest Dubai VISA for Indian Tourists is a 7 days single entry VISA for tourists. This is followed by 14 days VISA and 30 days VISA. I would highly recommend the 14 days Dubai VISA for Indian Tourists. Since, it can be quickly obtained, has less processing fee and 14 days is more than idle time to spend in Dubai.
PS: Indian Passport holders who have valid US Visa need not apply for a Dubai Tourist VISA beforehand. They can enjoy a VISA free entry to Dubai.
Documents required for Dubai Tourist VISA for Indians
The documents required for Dubai Tourist VISA for Indians are fairly simple.
- A passport with minimum 6 months validity from the date of arrival in Dubai.
- Scanned copy of a passport size photograph (with white background, 3.5cm X 4.5 cm), with face covering 80% of the overall picture.
- A scanned copy of PAN Card
And that’s all. This means, you can easily apply for the VISA. And then upon obtaining the VISA, you can go ahead and make rest of your bookings like flights and hotels. This is more convenient for families, particularly those with kids. Unlike Singapore VISA, Schengen VISA and other such VISA processes where you need to book everything in advance including your flight. And if VISA gets stuck, you can be in a soup.
How to apply for Dubai Tourist VISA
The whole application process of Dubai Tourist VISA is online. And , it is fast and hassle free.
There are several online tour agencies like Makemytrip.com or websites like Musaafir which have the option to apply for Dubai Tourist VISA online. Of course they charge a little processing fee. But, I personally found it to be a safer option to apply for Dubai Tourist VISA. Since I could see a lot of websites that almost appear as the genuine Dubai VISA website. However, I couldn’t be sure of their authenticity. In case you are aware of the direct website of Dubai VISA portal, kindly leave a link in the comment box below.
What is the time taken to process Dubai Tourist VISA
Once again, the time taken to process Dubai Tourist VISA is really fast. For instance, we got our VISA within 48 hours of applying. And this seems to be the case with most people. As long as your documents are sorted and your picture is as per the guideline and there are no past legal issues with your visits, the process will be really fast.
However, most of the agencies keep a timeframe of 5 working days to obtain the Dubai VISA for Indian Tourists. I guess, the VISA processing time could be longer in the peak tourism season. From the months of December to March. And it is possible that the VISA processing takes more time around this time of the year.
Nevertheless, to be on the safer side, I would say, go ahead and apply for your Dubai VISA at least one week in advance. Anyways, it doesn’t require you to book flights or hotels or make any other arrangements. And once you get the VISA you can go ahead and do rest of your bookings.
Is there an expiry to the Dubai VISA for Indian Tourists
Yes, there is an expiry to the Dubai VISA for Indian Tourists. Particularly, if you are going for a short term Dubai tourism VISA, then the validity will also be very limited. For instance, when we applied for our 14 days Dubai VISA for Indian Tourists in the beginning of April, and the VISA which we got was valid till end of May. Almost for 2 months. So, once you obtain the VISA, make your rest of the travel plans accordingly.
Can I obtain Dubai VISA through travel agents
Yes, most of the travel agencies in India will handle your Dubai VISA application for you if you are going for a Dubai Trip package with them. In fact, we also went through a travel agency this time. Since, we made this trip plan at the very end moment. And hence we couldn’t spare time for finding the best possible accommodation and flights etc.
However, the package was completely customisable. And as such, I was able to dictate what all activities I wanted to include in my Dubai trip plan. Also, I could specify what kind of hotel or accommodation I was keen on. And fortunately, the agency took care of everything smoothly. We found them through traveltriangle.com and they are named
If you have time at hand, then I will highly recommend planning your Dubai trip on your own. As booking everything is very smooth. And this way, you can keep your itinerary flexible. Booking your activities on the go. Moreover, if you are visiting in shoulder season, you don’t even need to book all activities in advance. Since there is not much rush. As we visited Dubai during the month of Ramadan, in the week of Eid. It turned out to be a holiday week. And as such, we didn’t find much crowd anywhere we went. Which made the trip all the more fun.
Last but not the least, here’s my complete guide to visiting Dubai. Which will provide you all the resources to plan your own Dubai Trip hassle free. Do give it a read.
As a part of this trip, stayed in one of the best areas in Dubai for staying for Indians. Also, we visited the Dubai Mall wherein we also visited the Dubai Aquarium and underwater zoo. Scaled the height of Burj Khalifa, saw the Dubai Fountain. Visited the Heritage Village Dubai, went to Legoland Dubai. Also did a day trip to Abu Dhabi. And took a desert safari from Dubai.