An Indian passport holder can get a UAE visa on arrival only when they also hold one of three things: a valid US visa, US residence permit or green card; a valid visa or residence permit from the UK or an EU member state; or a valid residence permit from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea or Singapore. Eligible travellers choose between a 14-day visa for AED 100, which can be extended once for another 14 days, and a 60-day visa for AED 250, which cannot be extended. These are the fees the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) lists as of September 2026.
If you hold none of those documents, the visa on arrival is not an option and you need a visa arranged before you fly. Our separate guide to the Dubai tourist visa for Indian passport holders covers that route, including fees, documents and processing.
Quick facts: UAE visa on arrival for Indian nationals
Who qualifies for UAE visa on arrival with an Indian passport
Eligibility rests on the second document in your bag, not on your Indian passport alone. The UAE has widened the list twice: residence permits from six more countries were added on 13 February 2025, according to the UAE Embassy in New Delhi, and ICP restated the full list when it extended the scheme to six further nationalities in June 2026. India remains on that list.
The documents that make an Indian eligible
You need an ordinary Indian passport with at least six months of validity, plus one of the documents below. Diplomatic and official passports follow different rules.
| Issuing country | What counts | What does not count |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Valid visa (for example B1/B2 or F1), residence permit or green card | Expired visas; an ESTA is not available to Indian passports anyway |
| United Kingdom | Valid visa or residence permit | Expired visas or permits |
| EU member states | Valid visa or residence permit issued by an EU country | Visas from Schengen states outside the EU (Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein) are not named by ICP; check with your airline |
| Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Singapore | Valid residence permit only | Tourist, visitor or transit visas from these countries |
Conditions to check before you book
- Your Indian passport must be an ordinary passport valid for at least six months.
- The qualifying visa or permit must be valid on arrival. GDRFA Dubai asks for the green card or residence visa to have at least six months left, and the UAE Embassy in New Delhi describes the US visa route as needing a valid US visa of at least six months. Treat six months as the safe minimum.
- You must not have any restriction or ban on entering the UAE, such as an unresolved overstay from an earlier visit.
- Carry the original document. For a US or UK visa that means the passport containing the visa; for a residence permit, the physical card.
- ICP's wording covers eligible nationals "and their family members", but airlines check each traveller individually. If a spouse or child does not hold their own qualifying document, confirm with the airline or arrange a tourist visa for them in advance.
14-day or 60-day visa on arrival: fees and limits
Eligible Indian travellers pick one of two durations. The choice matters because only the shorter one can be extended.
| Option | Stay | Fee (ICP) | Extension | Suits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14-day visa | 14 days from entry | AED 100 | Once, for 14 more days (maximum 28 days) | Short holidays, stopovers, weekend family visits |
| 60-day visa | 60 days from entry, single entry | AED 250 | Not extendable | Long family visits, extended trips |
The 60-day visa can also be applied for in advance on the ICP smart services portal, which needs a UAE Pass login. ICP lists that online service at AED 350 in total (AED 250 issuance plus an AED 100 smart services fee), with about two days' processing, a 30-day window to enter after approval and an AED 50 daily fine for overstaying.
For arrivals into Dubai, GDRFA Dubai also runs an online "visa on arrival for citizens of the Republic of India" service on its smart portal. It lists a 14-day visa, extendable once, at AED 253 with 48-hour processing, and names the US green card and UK or EU residence visas as the qualifying documents. It is useful if you want written approval before you fly, but it is not required if you meet the conditions and take the airport route.
How the visa on arrival works at the airport
There is no application for the standard 14-day visa. The checks happen twice: once when you board in India or elsewhere, and again at UAE immigration.
Our Dubai airport entry checklist covers customs limits, medicines and what else officers may check once your visa is sorted.
Extending a UAE visa on arrival
The 14-day visa can be extended once, for another 14 days, which takes the maximum stay to 28 days. Apply before the visa expires. ICP handles extensions through its smart services channels and lists AED 250 for extending a 14-day visa. If you entered through Dubai, GDRFA Dubai offers a matching extension service for Indian nationals with a US visa or green card or UK or EU residence; its fees are shown at the point of application.
The 60-day visa cannot be extended. If you need longer than 60 days, you must leave and qualify for a new visa, and a fresh entry is always at the immigration officer's discretion. For the general extension process and processing times, read our guide on how to extend a UAE visit visa from inside the country. Staying past your last permitted day costs AED 50 a day, as explained in our page on UAE overstay fines and how to clear them.
Mistakes that get Indian travellers refused
- Relying on a visitor visa from the six newer countries. For Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Singapore, only a residence permit counts.
- Travelling on a document that is about to expire. A US visa or permit with only a few weeks left can be questioned at check-in. Six months of validity avoids the argument.
- Assuming any Schengen visa works. ICP names EU member states. A visa issued by Switzerland or Norway is not clearly covered.
- Bringing family members without their own document. Each traveller is checked individually by the airline.
- Taking the 60-day visa and then needing more time. It cannot be extended, so choose it only if 60 days is enough.
- Carrying an old unpaid fine or overstay record. Any restriction on entering the UAE overrides visa on arrival eligibility.
If you do not qualify for visa on arrival
Most Indian passport holders fall into this group and need a tourist visa arranged in advance through a UAE-licensed tourism company, a UAE airline or a travel agent. The UAE Embassy in New Delhi states that its missions do not issue tourist visas on ordinary Indian passports. Fees, documents and timelines are set out in our guide to getting a Dubai tourist visa from India. If your trip is for work, study or joining family, see our overview of UAE visa types for Indian citizens instead.
FAQ: UAE visa on arrival for Indians
Only some can. An ordinary Indian passport holder qualifies if they also hold a valid US visa, US residence permit or green card, a valid UK or EU visa or residence permit, or a valid residence permit from Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea or Singapore. Indians without one of these documents need a pre-arranged tourist visa before flying.
No. ICP lists a fee of AED 100 for the 14-day visa and AED 250 for the 60-day visa. Older articles describing a free visa on arrival for Indians are out of date.
Yes. ICP lists a valid US visa as a qualifying document, alongside a US residence permit or green card. Your Indian passport needs at least six months of validity, and the UAE Embassy in New Delhi and GDRFA Dubai both refer to the qualifying document also having at least six months left, so treat six months as the safe minimum.
No. For Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Singapore, only a valid residence permit counts. A tourist or visitor visa from those countries does not make an Indian passport holder eligible.
You can choose a 14-day visa, which can be extended once for another 14 days, giving a maximum of 28 days. The alternative is a 60-day visa, which cannot be extended.
ICP names visas and residence permits issued by EU member states. A Schengen visa issued by an EU country fits that wording. Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are in Schengen but not in the EU, so confirm with your airline before relying on a visa issued by one of them.
Apply before the 14 days run out through ICP smart services, or through GDRFA Dubai if you entered via Dubai. ICP lists AED 250 for extending a 14-day visa. The extension is allowed once, and the 60-day visa cannot be extended at all.