Do you need a transit visa for a layover in the UAE?
When a transit visa is not required for a layover in the UAE
โ If your layover lasts less than 24 hours and you do not plan to leave the airport's transit zone.
โ If your layover is in Dubai and the connection time between flights is more than 4 hours.
When you will have to leave the transit zone
When you purchased 2 separate airline tickets from two different airlines that are not part of the same alliance. Consequently, your luggage will not be checked through to the final destination, and you will have to collect it and check it in again, which will require you to leave the transit zone.
โ Layover with an airport change.
โ Layover duration exceeding 24 hours.
How to obtain a transit visa
All travelers can obtain a transit visa for the UAE upon arrival, directly at the airport.
It is permitted to obtain a visa for the UAE upon arrival at all border crossing points of the Arab country.
A transit visa is valid for stays in the UAE for up to 96 hours or 4 days and is issued for 2 months, during which you must use it. It is significantly cheaper than a tourist or visitor visa.
Obtaining a visa for the UAE upon arrival requires adherence to the following key conditions:
You must have a standard international passport. Before traveling to the UAE, it is recommended to check the document's validity period. The passport must be valid for at least six more months from the start date of your trip.
A personal international passport is required for all citizens without exception who will travel to the territory of the United Emirates. For children listed in their parents' passports, separate identity documents will have to be obtained in advance. A child will not be allowed to cross the border based on an entry in a parent's passport.
If any Arab state is indicated as the place of birth in a Russian citizen's international passport, an original birth certificate must be carried.
If the place of birth is any Middle Eastern country, the original birth certificate must be supplemented with a translation into Arabic or English. The translation must be certified.
If a child is traveling to the UAE
Upon entry into the country, children and young people under 21, in addition to their international passport, must submit the originals of the following documents:
โ if the young tourist is traveling only with a parent โ a birth certificate, translated into English and notarized;
โ if the young traveler is making the journey without parents โ a birth certificate, translated into English and notarized, as well as a consent to travel, translated and certified;
โ if the young citizen and the accompanying parent(s) have different surnames โ a birth certificate, translated into English and notarized.
There will be no need to pay for the UAE visa. The entry document is issued completely free of charge, without any fees.
If you have little time in Dubai but want to visit and see as many interesting places as possible, we recommend booking a city tour in advance.