4 Ways to Renew Visit Visa in UAE, Dubai

A lot of people visit Dubai and the UAE and wish to extend their visa. People get confused between tourist visas and visit visas. There is a difference between these two visas and it is all discussed in detail in this blog, so make sure you take notes.

UAE Visit Visa Extension

Thankfully, the UAE government has a relaxed visa extension policy and allows travelers to extend their visa twice inside UAE without exiting the country. The Dubai visit visa is renewable for a maximum of two times. The extension can be done at a small fee. But keep in mind that if you undergo the extension process on the last day, you would have to pay a fine of AED 100, so plan the extension in advance.

For tourists who wish to stay in the UAE for more than 14 days, it is best to apply for a UAE visit visa. Family and business visas fall under this category, and the main requirement for getting a visit visa to the UAE is to have a sponsor. The sponsor can be any one of these –

1. UAE resident
2. Company   
3. Hotel licensed to operate in the UAE

The sponsor has to be a renewable few of AED 2000. The visit visa for UAE is valid for 6 days and can be extended for up to 90 days.

UAE Visit Visa Types

There are two main types of UAE visit visas –

• Single entry

For a single entry visa, you can choose a time period between 1 and 3 months, with a 30 + 10 and 60 + 10 days grace period beginning from the date of entry to the UAE.

• Multiple entries

Multiple entry visit visa is valid for 30 or 60 days. You can leave and enter the country on the same visa. There is no grace period for multiple entry visit visa, so in case it expires you would have to pay a hefty fine. Therefore, it is important to check visit visa validity.

UAE visit visa validity check

You can check the expiration validity of your UAE visit visa on the Federal Authorities of Identity & Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security website. Here is the official website – https://smartservices.icp.gov.ae/echannels/web/client/default.html#/fileValidity

What is the difference between a UAE visit visa and a tourist visa? 

Both visit visa and tourist visa are temporary permits for visitors to the UAE. But there is a slight difference between these two. The difference is mostly to do with who sponsors the visitor for their trip, the cost, and whether or not the visa is renewable.

You need to use the visit visa within 60 days of being issued to enter the UAE, otherwise it’ll expire and you would have to get a new visit visa issued. It can only be used for a single entry, and after exit the visitor must stay away from the UAE for 30 days before re-applying for a new visa. Pre-issued visit visa is valid for 30 or 90 days after issuing and is not renewable. Tourist visa and visit visa on arrival are valid for 30 days and can be renewed.

Tourist visa holders can only renew their visa twice, for a maximum duration of 60 days. If you want to renew it again, you’ll have to go back to your home country and return after one month.

New visa rules for the UAE

The UAE has revised their visa rules after the Covid – 19 protocols were eased by the government.

Previously, the UAE government allowed visit visas to be extended from within the country during the pandemic as travel rules became strict.

The new rules, which came into effect in December 2022, no longer allow visit visas to be extended from within the country and instead require tourists to exit the country and return should they wish to stay longer. 

How to secure a visa in the UAE?

It is really important to secure a visa before visiting the UAE. You need to have a valid passport for at least 6 months. As per the new directives valid from April 2016, residents of GCC countries will have to apply for the UAE visa before visiting Dubai.

4 ways to renew visit visa in Dubai

Here are the 4 ways through which you can renew your visit visa Dubai –

Visit the DNRD office

If you want to renew your visit visa Dubai without leaving the UAE, you can visit the Department of Naturalization & Residency and pay a fee of AED 500 to get your visit visa renewed.

Visa Run

You can leave and return to the UAE by booking a visa run. This can be done at various points in – Dubai, Sharjah, or Abu Dhabi to Muscat, Bahrain, and Doha.

Visa Flight

If you wish to renew your visit visa by flight, then keep in mind that the flight charges can be anywhere between AED 500 – 1000, excluding the visa charges. Upon landing, enter the departure terminal. You don’t need to exit the terminal, just take a flight back to the UAE. After the flight, go to the Dubai airport and get a new visa valid for 30 or 60 days.

Drive over the border

This is also a way to renew your visit visa. First, you need to get an exit stamp from the border. Get back in your car and drive to Oman border control. Keep the ticket that they hand over safely, as you have to present it when you go back to the UAE.

Then go to the immigration office to get an entry stamp and your new visa. You need to pay AED 6o to get the exit stamp to Oman. The entire process can take 3 – 4 hours, so keep that in mind. And if you do so on public holidays or over the weekend, it can take a little more time. 

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