Standard stay
30 days
Visa on arrival, no pre-application
Maximum with extension
60 days
One extension permitted per entry
Daily overstay fine
AED 200
After 10-day grace period expires
British passport holders receive a free visa on arrival at any UAE airport, land border, or seaport — no prior application or embassy visit required. The visa is stamped into your passport automatically at immigration. No online forms are needed beforehand.
The standard grant is 30 days. This is 30 days from the date of arrival — not 30 days from when you choose to use it.
You can extend your tourist visa by a further 30 days without leaving the UAE — giving a total maximum stay of 60 days per entry. You can only extend once. Apply from day 15 onwards; do not leave it to the last 48 hours.
GDRFA Dubai app (ICA Smart Services)
Fastest option — apply digitally, usually approved within 24 hours. Available on iOS and Android.
Amer Centre (Dubai)
Walk-in typing centres handling all GDRFA paperwork. Around AED 600 total including fees. No appointment needed.
Travel agent or PRO service
Convenient if you'd rather not navigate the system yourself. Budget AED 500–800 all-in.
Overstaying a UAE visa is taken seriously. After your visa expires, there is a 10-day grace period. If you leave within those 10 days, no fine applies. After day 10, fines accrue at AED 200 per day.
Fines must be paid before you can exit the country — collected at the airport. In serious cases you may be detained. If you've overstayed significantly, pay the fine at an Amer Centre before reaching the airport.
A "visa run" means leaving the UAE briefly — typically to Oman, Bahrain, or Georgia — and re-entering to reset your tourist visa. This is technically permitted and commonly used by freelancers and remote workers who haven't yet set up formal residency.
Immigration officers have discretion to question repeated short-stay entries and may limit your stay or deny entry if they conclude you are living in the UAE without proper residency. It is a grey area, not a reliable long-term strategy.
Children travelling with only one parent are sometimes asked for a letter of consent from the absent parent, particularly if the child holds a different nationality or has a different surname. While not universally required, a notarised letter is good practice for solo travelling parents.
No vaccinations are mandatory for entry to the UAE as of 2026. The UAE recommends standard travel vaccines. Travel insurance is strongly advised — public healthcare for tourists is charged at full private rates, which can be significant.
Entry rules can change at short notice. Always check the UAE government's official portal at u.ae or contact your airline before travelling.
