The country announced on Friday that, to improve relations between India and the UAE, Indian nationals with regular passports can now obtain a visa on arrival (VOA) at any entrance point in the UAE.
There are two options: a 60-day non-extendable visa or a 14-day extendable visa. This comes after initiatives such as introducing a pre-approved visa-on-arrival service earlier in 2023 and the five-year multiple-entry visa.
UAE Offers Visa-on-Arrival Options
Traveling to the United Arab Emirates will soon be simpler. According to recent news reports, all Indian travelers who possess passports will now be eligible for visa-on-arrival at all UAE ports of entry as part of an effort to deepen ties between India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to the new policy, this program is open to holders of Indian passports and those with green cards, permanent residency, or valid visas from the US, UK, or any EU country.
Under this scheme, travelers will have two choices for acquiring a visa. They can choose a 60-day non-extendable visa or a 14-day visa upon arrival that can be renewed for a further 14 days.
Visa Options
On arrival, eligible Indian travelers will have two options for getting a visa:
- 14-day Visa: Usually costs between AED 120 and 150 (about Rs 2,700 to Rs 3,400), and it can be extended for a further 14 days for the same price.
- 60-day Visa: This option is non-extendable and costs approximately AED 1,100–1,200 (roughly Rs 24,500–27,000.
However, following UAE legislation, they will have to pay the relevant costs. The Indian mission in the United Arab Emirates said on October 17 that passports must be valid for a minimum of six months from entry to be eligible for the visa-on-arrival option.
READ MORE: UAE Citizens with US Visas Get Faster Entry Starting in October
This declaration comes after previous initiatives to make travel easier for Indian citizens. One of the main airlines in the United Arab Emirates, teamed up with VFS Global in February 2023 to offer Indian passport holders a pre-approved visa-on-arrival service. Travelers can skip lengthy lines at immigration thanks to this arrangement, which was made to expedite the arrival process.
In the same month, Dubai also issued a five-year multiple-entry visa to Indian nationals. The introduction of this new visa option was part of a broader effort to improve India-UAE’s economic, tourism, and commercial relations. The initiative reflects Dubai’s commitment to forging closer ties with one of its largest and most important tourism markets.
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India continues to be a major travel destination for Dubai. 2.46 million overnight visitors from India visited the city in 2023, a notable 25% increase over pre-pandemic levels. The city-state’s Department of Economics and Tourism stated on February 22 that the increase in Indian visitors cemented India as the top source market for Dubai’s tourism sector.
The UAE is well-positioned to draw even more Indian tourists in the upcoming years thanks to these new visa regulations, enhancing the two countries’ cultural and economic ties.