Visas and residence
Visit and tourist visas for the UAE: family, friends, business
A visit visa lets someone enter the UAE for a short stay without becoming a resident. Citizens and residents can host relatives or friends, tourism companies sponsor tourists, and some visitors can apply without a host to explore business. The length of stay and the entry options depend on the type. Caliph helps you choose and apply.
At a glance Fact sheet
- Issued by
- ICP, or GDRFA Dubai for visas issued in Dubai
- Relative or friend visit
- Single or multiple entry, for 30, 60 or 90 days
- Tourist visa
- Single or multiple entry for 30 or 60 days, sponsored by a tourism establishment
- Long-term tourist visa
- Five-year multiple-entry visa, self-sponsored and open to all nationalities
- Business exploration
- Single entry for 60, 90 or 120 days, with no host or sponsor needed
- Does not allow
- Employment. Working in the UAE needs a work permit
Overview
People call every short stay a visit visa, but the UAE issues several different permits and each has its own sponsor. A relative or friend is hosted by a citizen or a resident. A tourist is sponsored by an airline, a hotel or a licensed travel agency. An investor looking at the market can apply alone. The first job is to match the visa to the real purpose of the trip.
Some nationalities receive a visa on arrival or enter visa-free, so the first check is whether your visitor needs a visa at all. If they do, your own status matters. For a family or friend visit, the authority looks at the host's residence, monthly income and relationship to the visitor, and asks for a refundable deposit.
This service suits residents who want to bring someone over: a founder inviting parents for the winter, a partner flying in to see the business, a relative coming for a wedding. Your consultant confirms the right type, checks that you qualify as host and submits the file through the ICP or GDRFA Dubai channels.
How Caliph helps with visit visas
The right visa type from the start
Family visit, tourist, long-term tourist and business exploration visas have different sponsors and papers. We match the type to the reason for the trip.
Host conditions checked first
For relatives and friends, the authority looks at your residence, income and relationship. We check all three before anything is submitted.
Single or multiple entry, explained
If your visitor will leave and come back, a multiple-entry visa may suit better. Your consultant sets out the options that exist for that visa type.
Extension and exit dates tracked
Many visit visas can be extended from inside the UAE, up to a total stay set by the authority. We tell you the last date to extend or leave.
A route to residence if plans change
If a visitor decides to set up a company or accepts a job, we explain how the move to a residence visa works.
What the visitor and the host need
- The visitor's passport copy, valid for at least six months
- A recent colour photo of the visitor
- Proof of the relationship for family visits, such as a marriage or birth certificate
- A short explanation of the reason for the visit
- The host's Emirates ID and proof of income, such as a salary certificate or employment contract
- Health insurance that is valid in the UAE
- A return or onward ticket, where the visa type asks for one
- The visitor's national identity card, for certain nationalities
The list changes with the visa type and the visitor's nationality. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
How a visit visa application works
Check whether a visa is needed
Some passports get a visa on arrival or visa-free entry. We check this for your visitor first.
Choose the visa type
We agree the purpose, the length of stay and whether single or multiple entry fits.
Collect the documents
Your consultant lists what the visitor sends and what you provide as host.
Submit the application
The file goes in through the ICP smart services, or through GDRFA Dubai and the Amer centres for Dubai.
Pay the deposit, if required
Family and friend visits carry a deposit. It is refunded after the visitor leaves or the visa is cancelled, provided the residence rules were followed.
The visitor travels on the e-visa
The visa is issued electronically. We remind you of the date by which the visitor must enter and the date to leave or extend.
Good to know
- UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas. They come through airlines, hotels and licensed travel agencies, or online through ICP and GDRFA Dubai.
- ICP added new visit visa categories in 2025, including one for people attending conferences, exhibitions and similar events, sponsored by a public or private organisation.
- A visit visa is not a work permit. Under the UAE labour law, nobody may work in the country without one.
- Residents of GCC countries apply online for an e-visa before they travel.
Questions people ask
What types of visit visa does the UAE offer?
The main ones are the visit visa for a relative or friend, the tourist visa sponsored by a tourism establishment, the five-year multiple-entry tourist visa, the jobseeker visit visa and the visit visa to explore investment opportunities. ICP also lists visas for medical treatment, study and events. Each has its own sponsor rules and length of stay.
Can I sponsor my parents or a friend to visit me in the UAE?
Yes, if you are a UAE citizen or a resident with an active file. ICP sets a minimum monthly income for resident hosts. It is lowest for close family, higher for more distant relatives and highest for friends. You also show proof of the relationship and pay a refundable deposit. Caliph checks the current figures against your salary before you apply.
How long can a visitor stay on a UAE visit visa?
A visit visa for a relative or friend is issued for 30, 60 or 90 days. A tourist visa through a tourism establishment is issued for 30 or 60 days. Business exploration and jobseeker visas are issued for 60, 90 or 120 days. Many types can be extended, within a maximum total stay decided by the authority.
Is there a multiple-entry visit visa?
Yes. GDRFA Dubai lists multiple-entry versions of both the relative or friend visit visa and the tourist visa. There is also a five-year multiple-entry tourist visa that you apply for yourself, without a host. It asks for proof of a minimum bank balance over the last six months, health insurance and a ticket, and allows up to 90 days per visit.
Can a business visitor come to the UAE without a sponsor?
An investor or entrepreneur can apply for the visit visa to explore investment opportunities, which needs no host or sponsor. It is a single-entry visa. The applicant shows financial means that suit the planned activity, or experience in the same field abroad, and meets the deposit set by the authority. It suits founders who want to see the market before they set up.
Can a visitor work or move to a residence visa while in the UAE?
A visitor cannot work on a visit visa. If they receive a job offer or set up a company, the employer or the new company applies for a work permit and residence visa. Whether the change can be made without leaving the country depends on the case, so ask your consultant before the visit visa runs out.
- UAE Government portal: tourist visa
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP): issuance of a visa
- GDRFA Dubai: visit visa for a relative or friend
Reviewed by Caliph Business Solutions on . Rules differ by activity and by authority. Your Caliph consultant confirms what applies to you.
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