The rule that trips people up
Indian nationals get visa-on-arrival in the UAE only if they hold a valid US visa, US Green Card, UK visa, or EU residence permit — not on the Indian passport alone. Without one of those, you'll need to apply for a UAE tourist visa in advance through an airline or an authorised agent, which typically takes 3–4 working days.
"Indian nationals get visa-on-arrival in the UAE only if they hold a valid US visa, US Green Card, UK visa, or EU residence permit — not on the Indian passport alone."
What the visa-on-arrival covers
Eligible travellers get a 14-day visa on arrival, extendable by another 14 days. It's stamped free of charge at Dubai and Abu Dhabi airports for qualifying passengers, making the UAE one of the fastest international trips to plan from India when you meet the criteria.
If you don't qualify
A standard 30-day or 60-day UAE tourist visa can be processed in advance without needing a US, UK or EU visa first — we handle this end-to-end for travellers booking with us, so it's one less thing to chase before departure.
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