It has been a long-standing misconception is that the process of a Dubai Visa involves dedicating a large amount of time and effort. However, that is no longer the case. The visa you needed to run to a consulate or an embassy for can simply be obtained online. This also applies to getting a Dubai Visa. However, that does not mean getting a Dubai Visa is a cakewalk. Even when you apply for a Dubai visa online, you may not have everything figured out. Even the littlest of nuances of applying for a Dubai visa can raise multiple questions that you may not have an answer for. This confusion can lead to mistakes in your application, which, in turn, can lead to rejection of Visa request. To help you avoid that, here is everything you need to know about a Dubai Visa and its application.

What is a visa?

A visa essentially means that the relevant travel authority of a foreign country has approved you for entry and stay in the country. The traditional medium of getting a visa is through a consulate or embassy of the country you wish to visit. However, many countries have made changes to their process facilitate online applications. Tenure of the visa depends on why you wish to enter the country. Hence, visas are usually divided into categories. While it may differ across different countries, the general categories offered are tourist visa, business visa, or transitory visa.

Importance of visa

The purpose of a visa is quite simple to understand. It serves as a declaration of your visit to the particular country and specifies your intention and duration of visit among many other things. It is granted after your application has been reviewed and provides sufficient proof that your stay in the country does not become a burden or threat to the country.

What are the different types of Dubai Visas?

You can apply for a Transit, Tourist or Visit Dubai Visa. These Visas will allow you to stay in the city-state ranging from 96 hours to 90 days. The type of visa you need to apply for depends on the purpose of your visit and duration of stay. Hence, you should have your trip planned out from your arrival in Dubai to the flight back home.

Eligibility for Dubai Visa

Here is a list of criteria that a candidate needs to fulfil to be eligible for a Dubai Visa:

  • You should have a valid passport
  • Your passport must be valid for at least the next 6 months after your trip and must have 2 blank pages
  • You should have confirmed return flight tickets to your home country at the time of the Dubai Visa application
  • You should have enough funds to cover your expenses during the trip
  • You should not have a criminal record

Documents required for Dubai Visa application

  • A scanned copy of both the first and last pages of your passport
  • Passport size colour photograph
  • Confirmed tickets for your return flight

What is the Dubai visa photo size requirement?

A photo may seem the simplest part of applying for a Dubai Visa online. However, its various nuances make it a very meticulous task. The Dubai visa photo requirements and guidelines are as follows:

  • Photo should be 45 mm x 35 mm in size
  • 70 to 80% of the photo should comprise of your face
  • The photo should be in colour
  • The photo should be taken against a plain white background
  • The photo should be taken within the last 3 months
  • You should not be wearing sunglasses, tinted, or coloured glasses in the photo. If you have prescription glasses, your need to ensure that your eyes are clearly visible in the photo.

Do you need visa for Dubai from India?

Yes, you need to apply for a Dubai visa. If you are an Indian looking to visit Dubai for a vacation, the most appropriate option for you is a Dubai tourist visa. Moreover, the visa type you need to enter Dubai will depend on factors like nationality, purpose of your planned visit and duration. Once your Dubai visa online application is approved, you will receive an approved visa copy via email or other digital media.

What are the advantages of applying for a Dubai Visa online?

People were applying for a Dubai visa much before the alternative of online application was introduced. Hence, the question begs to be asked: why should you apply for a Dubai visa online? While everybody knows that online applications for the visa offers advantages, few know what they exactly are. They include:

  • Requirement for minimal documentation
  • Cost-effective and convenient
  • Swift processing within 48 hours depending on whether the applicant qualifies the eligibility criteria and meets the documents requirement
  • No need to provide proof of hotel booking hotel, you are free to stay at the place of your choosing

Can my Dubai Visa get rejected?

While these instances are rare, there can be multiple factors that can lead to rejection of a Dubai visa online application. If you want to avoid such a situation or do things right in the next attempt, here are some of the things that you can do to:

  • Ensure that your passport is valid for least 6 months from the date of your planned arrival in Dubai
  • Ensure that all fields of the application are filled correctly and do not have factual or spelling errors
  • Ensure that your photo size is as per Dubai Immigration’s guidelines for Dubai visa
  • Every document you submit should be valid at the moment
  • Ensure that any previous visa that you were granted is not valid before you apply for a new one

However, you should know that the final decision about granting a Dubai visa is made by the Dubai Immigration authorities.

If you know your way around the internet and regularly make online transactions, the best way to get a Dubai visa is to apply online. It is a convenient and comfortable option that gives you a great deal of control over the process. All you have to do is log on to a website, fill in the application form, submit the documents, make the payments and you’re done.