Dubai has launched a 5-year visa option for Indian nationals, recognizing them as a significant contributor to the emirate’s tourism sector.
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The visa processing period is estimated to be between two to five business days, granting Indians a 90-day stay upon entry. This stay can be extended once, allowing for a maximum duration of 180 days within a year, as per the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism.
Dubai Visa Requirement
Applicants are required to provide a valid passport with a minimum validity of six months, six months’ worth of bank statements demonstrating funds of at least INR 330,000 ($4,000), health insurance coverage, return flight tickets, and a passport-sized photograph.
Dubai Visa For Indian Passport
In 2023, Dubai received a total of 17.15 million international visitors who stayed overnight.
Among them, nearly 2.5 million overnight guests came from India, marking a 27% surge compared to pre-pandemic levels and a 39% increase from the 1.8 million tourists recorded in 2022.
Bader Ali Habib, the regional head of proximity markets at Dubai’s Department of Economy and Tourism, emphasized the significance of the Indian market for Dubai’s objectives, stating that India will continue to be crucial in realizing the D33 Agenda’s aims, solidifying Dubai’s status as a center for commerce, investment, and tourism.
The air route connecting India and Dubai stands out as one of the busiest. Indian airlines are actively seeking to enhance connectivity to Dubai, with carriers like Indigo and Air India Express now offering services to smaller cities such as Surat. Indigo alone operates approximately 108 direct flights per week to Dubai from 13 Indian cities.
Under the bilateral air service agreement signed between the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and India in January 2014, airlines from both countries are permitted to collectively operate up to 66,000 seats per week between Dubai and various Indian cities. This allocated quota has been fully utilized by airlines from both India and the UAE.
Dubai recognizes that implementing a more streamlined visa process is crucial to incentivize greater numbers of Indian tourists to explore the emirate. – Peden Doma Bhutia
Dubai Visa On Arrival
Earlier in the current month, Emirates Airline, headquartered in Dubai, collaborated with VFS Global to launch a pre-arranged visa-on-arrival program catering to Indian passport holders possessing valid six-month visas for the US, US Green Cards, EU Residencies, or UK Residencies.
This fresh initiative offers a 14-day single entry visa, granting travelers the convenience of skipping queues upon their arrival in Dubai, thereby simplifying entry procedures.
