The five-year multiple-entry visa lets eligible travellers visit the UAE without a local sponsor, with stays of up to 90 days and an option to extend.
Frequent visitors to Dubai can apply for a five-year multiple-entry tourist visa that allows them to visit the UAE repeatedly without requiring a local sponsor or host.
The visa is available to applicants who meet the eligibility requirements and allows stays of up to 90 days on each visit. The stay can be extended for another 90 days, provided the total time spent in the UAE does not exceed 180 days in a single year.
The visa is issued through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA Dubai). It is designed to give regular visitors greater flexibility while removing the need for a UAE-based guarantor or host.
Here is what travellers need to know about eligibility, documents, cost, permitted stays, and the application process.
What Is the Dubai 5-Year Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa?
The Dubai five-year tourist visa is a self-sponsored, multiple-entry visa valid for five years from the date of issue.
Applicants do not need a guarantor or host in the UAE. Once issued, the visa allows multiple trips to the country during its validity period, subject to the applicable stay limits.
Visitors can remain in the UAE for up to 90 consecutive days at a time. The stay can be extended for another 90 days, provided the total stay does not exceed 180 days in one year.
Importantly, GDRFA Dubai states that the year is calculated from the traveller’s first entry into the UAE, rather than from January 1 or the visa’s issue date. Unused days cannot be carried forward to the following year.
Who Is Eligible?
The five-year multiple-entry tourist visa is intended for foreign visitors who meet the prescribed requirements.
GDRFA Dubai requires applicants to demonstrate that they have sufficient financial resources, valid health insurance, and the necessary travel documentation. The visa is not restricted to a particular nationality under the service description, although applicants must satisfy the applicable requirements.
Documents Required
Applicants must provide the following basic documents:
- A recent personal photograph
- A passport copy with at least six months’ validity
- A six-month bank statement
- Valid health insurance in the UAE
- A return or onward travel ticket
The financial requirement is particularly important. Applicants must provide evidence of a bank balance of at least $4,000, or the equivalent in another currency, during the six months preceding the application.
The authorities may request additional information or documents depending on the application and the applicant’s circumstances.
How Much Does the Five-Year Visa Cost?
GDRFA Dubai currently lists the total cost at approximately AED 3,713.
The published fee structure includes:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application fee | AED 100 |
| Issuance fee | AED 500 |
| Financial guarantee | AED 3,000 |
| Guarantee service fee | AED 21 |
| Collection and return of guarantee | AED 20 |
| Knowledge Dirham | AED 10 |
| Innovation Dirham | AED 10 |
| Service fee | AED 52.50 |
| Total | AED 3,713.50 |
The exact amount can vary depending on the circumstances of the application or any additional services required.
The AED 3,000 financial guarantee is refundable under the applicable conditions once the visa is cancelled or the visitor exits the UAE, provided there are no residency violations.
How Long Can You Stay in Dubai?
The visa allows a stay of up to 90 days per visit.
An extension of another 90 days may be granted, but the total period spent in the UAE cannot exceed 180 days in one year. The unused portion of the allowance does not roll over into the following year.
The permitted annual period is calculated from the date of the traveller’s first entry, rather than the calendar year.
Travellers are responsible for monitoring their own entry and exit dates to avoid exceeding the permitted stay.
When Does the Visa Become Valid?
The first entry must generally take place within two months of the visa’s issue date. GDRFA Dubai states that this entry-validity period can be extended for another two months.
After the first entry, the visa operates as a multiple-entry visa for the remainder of its five-year validity, subject to the applicable stay restrictions.
How to Apply for the Dubai 5-Year Tourist Visa
Step 1: Create a GDRFA Account
Go to the GDRFA Dubai smart services platform and log in using UAE Pass or a username.
Applicants who do not already have an account can register through the platform by providing the requested personal information and completing the verification process.
Step 2: Select the Five-Year Tourist Visa
After logging in, search for the relevant tourism service and select the option for a five-year multiple-entry tourist visa.
GDRFA Dubai lists the service as “Issuing a multi-entry tourist visa (5 years)”.
Step 3: Complete the Application
Enter the requested passport, personal, contact, and travel information.
Applicants should ensure that the information matches their supporting documents before proceeding to payment.
Step 4: Upload the Documents
Upload the required photograph, passport copy, six-month bank statement, health insurance, and return or onward ticket.
The bank statement must demonstrate the required $4,000 balance during the six months before the application.
Step 5: Pay the Fees
Pay the applicable fees and financial guarantee through the available online payment process.
GDRFA Dubai provides digital access to the service 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Step 6: Receive the Visa
Once the application has been approved and the visa issued, the electronic visa can be received digitally.
GDRFA Dubai lists an expected completion time of 48 hours once the required conditions and documents have been fulfilled.
How to Keep Track of Your Stay
Because the five-year visa allows multiple visits, keeping track of time spent in the UAE is important.
Visitors can use their entry and exit records to calculate how much of their permitted stay they have used. This is particularly important for travellers making several trips during the same year.
The annual 180-day ceiling applies even when the visits are split into multiple trips, and unused days cannot be transferred into the following year.
What Makes the Five-Year Visa Useful?
The main advantage is flexibility.
Frequent tourists, family visitors, and other regular travellers can avoid applying for a new tourist visa for each trip, even when travelling without a UAE-based sponsor or host.
The requirement to demonstrate a $4,000 bank balance and to provide insurance and travel documentation means the visa is intended for visitors who can meet the defined financial and travel conditions.
For eligible travellers who regularly visit Dubai, the five-year multiple-entry visa offers a longer-term alternative to repeatedly arranging shorter tourist visas.
The key points to remember are simple: the visa is valid for five years, each stay can last up to 90 days, an extension may take the stay to 180 days in a year, and the applicant must meet GDRFA Dubai’s financial, insurance, and documentation requirements.
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Tourists enjoy the lively atmosphere at Al Seef in Dubai, one of the city’s popular heritage and waterfront destinations.
Virendra Saklani/Gulf News
