The UAE has re-introduced the three-month visit visa, Khaleej Times can reveal. The three-month or 90 days visa was scrapped at the end of last year and a long-term 60-day visa was introduced for visitors willing to visit the country for a longer duration.

A call centre executive at the Federal Authority For Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) said that people who are willing to visit the UAE for 90 days can make use of the opportunity. “They should consult their travel agents who will help them in issuing the 90-days visit visa,” said the called center executive.

According to industry experts, this was reintroduced by the end of May 2023, allowing visitors to stay in the UAE for up to 90 days. However the visa can be extendable within the country at an additional cost based on the service provider.

Different types of entry permits

“There are two types of entry permits — a tourist visa or a leisure visa and a visit visa. A tourist visa is issued for 30 or 60 days. The visit visa is issued for 90 days,” said Subair Thekepurathvalappil, senior manager for inbound and outbound operations at Regal Tours Worldwide, adding that this extended visit visa complements the existing tourist visa options, which includes a 30-day or 60-day stay, offering travellers greater flexibility in planning their itineraries.

The 30-day and the recently introduced 60-day tourist visas have long been popular among visitors seeking shorter stays in the UAE, providing ample time to explore the country's iconic landmarks and indulge in world-class shopping and dining experiences.

Who can apply?

Residents are not aware of this three-month visa which has been reintroduced by the authorities, Libin Varghese, sales director at Rooh Tourism LLC, said.

Industry experts said that anyone can apply for this visa and it is valid for Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

“Currently, we have not received much inquiry about it, and visitors who prefer this entry permit are their family members residing in the UAE, as they want to spend a longer time. Take for instance, if a child who is studying in his home country visits UAE during vacations or parents of a resident,” said Varghese.

History

Subair said that a few years ago, there were only two types of entry permit in the UAE — a leisure visa which was issued for three months, and a tourist visa which was issued for 30 days. “But, recently, there were several changes that were introduced to visa procedures last year. The three-month visa could also be extended while staying within the country by paying the extension fee and it was very popular,” said Subair.

Visa fee

The fee for a 90-day-visit visa varies depending on your issuing travel expert, with a starting price of Dh1,500 and can go up to Dh2,000, which can even be extended within the country. “The exact details of extension has not been announced as the visa was introduced a few days ago,” said Varghese.

Documents required

According to Subair, one must submit the following documents if planning to apply for the long term visit visa:

Recent passport-size coloured photograph
Passport copy
Processing time
“Once a person applies for this newly introduced visa, it may take up to five working days. But we can even receive it in two days,” said Subair.