How do Indians get a Dubai visa, and what does it cost?

Most Indians planning Dubai ask the same thing first: how much is the visa, and can it be done on arrival? The official answer is that an ordinary Indian passport holder applies for a tourist visa before flying, usually through an airline, a licensed travel agent or a hotel, and that visa on arrival is limited to Indians with a US visa or qualifying foreign residence. This guide sticks to figures read on the official UAE and Dubai government pages, and flags what is not published.

Exchange basis: AED 1 = about INR 25.9 (open.er-api.com, 24 October 2026: USD 1 = INR 95.04 = AED 3.6725). Rupee amounts are rounded; your bank or forex card will add its own margin.

Dubai visa for Indians: the official picture

Question	Answer	Source
Do Indians need a visa?	Yes, in advance	UAE Government portal (u.ae)
Who issues it?	The visa is issued by the UAE immigration authorities (ICP, or GDRFA for Dubai) on application by an airline, tourism agent or hotel	u.ae
Single-entry tourist visa, 30 days	AED 200 plus 5% VAT (about INR 5,430)	GDRFA Dubai service page
Single-entry tourist visa, 60 days	AED 300 plus 5% VAT (about INR 8,150)	GDRFA Dubai service page
Visa on arrival	Only for Indians with a valid US visa or qualifying foreign residence, applied for online first	GDRFA Dubai
Passport validity	At least 6 months	GDRFA Dubai, u.ae
Also needed	A ticket to continue or leave the UAE, and medical insurance valid in the UAE	GDRFA Dubai
Visa free	None listed for Indian passport holders	u.ae, GDRFA Dubai

How the Dubai tourist visa works for Indians

The UAE Government portal explains the structure plainly: UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas. The visa is applied for on your behalf by a UAE-based airline, a licensed travel agent, or a hotel, and submitted to the immigration authorities (ICP or GDRFA Dubai). The GDRFA single-entry tourist visa page adds that only accredited tourism establishments in the emirate can sponsor this kind of visa.

What that means for you:

1. Choose a route: an airline (Emirates, Etihad and flydubai are listed on u.ae, usually on condition that you fly with them), a licensed agent, or a hotel you will stay in.
2. Send the documents: passport copy and a photo, as the GDRFA page lists. Passport validity must be at least 6 months.
3. Show onward travel and insurance: GDRFA lists a ticket to continue your journey or leave the UAE, and medical insurance valid in the UAE, as conditions.
4. Wait about two days: the expected completion time on the GDRFA page is 48 hours.

The u.ae page also warns that you should check whether an agent is genuine, and avoid sending copies of your documents or paying until you are 100 per cent sure.

Official fees

The GDRFA Dubai service card for a single-entry tourist visa lists:

• 30-day visa: AED 200
• 60-day visa: AED 300
• Plus 5% VAT
• No security deposit on this type of visa
• Additional charges if the person is already inside the UAE: Knowledge Dirham AED 10, Innovation Dirham AED 10, and a fee of AED 500

The multiple-entry card lists AED 300 for 30 days and AED 500 for 60 days, plus VAT. These are the government fees. Airlines and agents add service charges that we could not read on an official page, so check the official portal or your airline for the price you will pay. The cards also state that the total amount “may vary depending on the circumstances”.

Is there a Dubai visa on arrival for Indians? (Dubai visa on arrival kaise milta hai?)

Only for specific groups, and not at a walk-up counter. The GDRFA Dubai service for Indian passport holders with a US visa or foreign residence describes it like this:

• Who: Indian citizens with an ordinary passport and a US green card, or a residence visa in the UK or an EU country. A newer GDRFA service for citizens of certain countries resident outside the UAE widens this to a valid US visa, and to residence permits in the US, EU, UK, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand or Canada. It says Indian nationals holding a valid US visa may benefit in the same manner as residence permit holders.
• Document validity: the visa or residence document must be valid for at least 6 months, and the passport too.
• How to apply: register and apply online on the GDRFA Dubai smart services portal (smart.gdrfad.gov.ae), pay the fee, and receive the approved visa by email. The expected time is 48 hours.
• Stay: the older GDRFA card gives 14 days, extendable once for a similar period. The newer card lists 14 days (extendable once) and also 60 days (not extendable), and says the visa can be used to enter within 30 days of issuance. The page does not say which category gets which stay, so check it when you apply.
• Fee: the older GDRFA page lists “Fees 253” with no currency label shown on the page, and the newer card shows no fee. We therefore cannot quote this fee with certainty. Check the portal.

If you only have an Indian ordinary passport and no qualifying document, plan on the tourist visa route above.

Extending your Dubai stay

• Tourist visa: GDRFA lists an extension fee of AED 600 plus 5% VAT (about INR 16,300 with VAT), with extensions possible by decision of the issuing authority up to 120 days in total.
• Indians with a US visa or qualifying residence on the 14-day visa: GDRFA lists a service to extend for the same period, at AED 250 plus 5% VAT and AED 10 each for the Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams (about INR 7,300 in total). The page labels the fee “Work visa fee”, which looks like a labelling slip, so confirm the amount on the portal.
• Overstay: the u.ae page states that there is a fine for overstaying. Do not risk it.

The 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa

GDRFA also lists a 5-year multiple-entry tourist visa without a sponsor in the UAE. The conditions include a passport valid for at least 6 months, a ticket to continue or leave the country, valid health insurance, and a bank balance of USD 4,000 or equivalent over the six months before applying. You can stay up to 90 days per visit. The GDRFA fee breakdown shows a total of AED 3,713 (about INR 96,100), which includes a AED 3,000 guarantee amount. This is a heavy up-front cost, so it suits frequent visitors, not a one-off holiday.

A short Dubai plan (assembled from public information)

Four nights is enough for the classics. This is a plan built from well-known attractions, not a diary.

• Day 1: Arrive, check in, and walk Downtown. The Burj Khalifa views and the evening Dubai Fountain show are the obvious first night. Book observation deck tickets on the official site in advance.
• Day 2: Old Dubai: the Al Fahidi historical district, an abra boat ride across Dubai Creek, then the spice and gold souks.
• Day 3: A desert safari in the afternoon with a dune drive, sunset and a camp dinner. Check what food is included if you are vegetarian.
• Day 4: Beach time at Jumeirah, or the Museum of the Future. Evening shopping, then fly home.

Cost of a 5-day Dubai trip from India (INR, estimates)

Item	Cost (per person)	Where the number comes from
Tourist visa, 30 days	AED 210 with VAT, about INR 5,430	Official GDRFA fee (agent or airline charges extra)
Hotel, 4 nights, private room shared by 2	INR 16,000 to 48,000	Our planning range
Food, 5 days	INR 6,000 to 14,000	Our planning range
Metro, taxis, ride-hailing	INR 3,000 to 6,000	Our planning range
Attractions and a desert safari	INR 8,000 to 20,000	Our planning range
SIM or eSIM, small extras	INR 1,500 to 3,000	Our planning range
Total without flights	about INR 40,000 to 100,000

These are budgeting ranges, not quotes. For your own dates and group size, use our trip cost calculator. To compare Dubai with places Indians can visit without a visa right now, see our visa-free countries for Indians tool.

Vegetarian food in Dubai

Dubai is one of the easiest big cities for vegetarians from India. Bur Dubai, Karama and Deira have many Indian vegetarian restaurants, and most malls have a vegetarian-friendly counter. Fully vegetarian places are easy to find on food apps. At desert safari camps, ask beforehand about a vegetarian menu. Jain travellers should carry a printed note listing no onion, garlic or root vegetables, and confirm before ordering.

Quick checklist before you fly

• Passport valid for at least 6 months from your arrival date
• Visa approval on your phone and printed
• Confirmed ticket to continue or leave the UAE, and medical insurance valid in the UAE
• Check with your airline or agent for the final visa charge, not just the government fee
• If you plan to use the US-visa route, confirm your document validity is at least 6 months and apply online beforehand
• Travel insurance (strongly recommended)

Planning more Asia trips? See our Malaysia visa guide and our Sri Lanka visa guide.