The photo has been used for illustrative purposes.

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship and Ports Security issues two types of transit visas, including a transit visa for 48 hours, which is free of charge, and another for 96 hours for only Dhs50.

The UAE Digital Government confirmed that only national airlines in the UAE can arrange and coordinate obtaining a transit visa for foreigners, and the visitor must apply for and obtain a visa before coming and entering the country.

Transit visas are issued in two types, for a specific period for each: one for 48 hours and the other for 96 hours.

In the event of applying for a 48-hour transit visa, it cannot be extended from 48 to 96 hours. The 48-hour transit visa is issued free of charge to transit tourists passing through the state on a continuous journey to another destination.

In order for the traveller to be able to travel within the UAE, he must coordinate in advance with the airline he is traveling on and submit a transit visa application before arriving in the UAE. The validity of the transit visa is 48 hours before entering the country, and the visitor must leave the UAE within 48 hours of access.

How to apply

Only national airlines in the UAE can arrange to obtain your transit visa before your trip, and if your trip is through a travel agency, the agency can also help you obtain the visa through the associated airline.

The digital government indicated that agents of national airlines can submit transit visa applications for their traveling clients through the smart channels for residency and citizenship (E-channels), the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security, or the smart application (UAEICP) on the Apple and Android platforms, or via All electronic channels or smart applications provided by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in the relevant emirate.

4 conditions

The digital government has set 4 conditions to be able to obtain a visa, which are: “The validity of the passport or travel document must not be less than three months before entering the UAE, the provision of a personal photo with a white background, the traveler must have a travel ticket to continue his journey, and the traveler must be heading to a country other than the country he came from.”

The authorities indicated that a departure fee of Dhs30 is collected for each traveler through sea and land ports, with the exception of travelers who are citizens of the country and citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and those arriving to the country by tourist ferries through sea ports, stressing that no federal, local or private entity may impose additional fees on Transit visa.