One of the first questions before a trip to Dubai is: how long does the visa take? The official answer is short, but good planning needs a few more points. The information in this article comes from the official pages of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA) and the federal ICP, checked on 24 October 2026.
The official time
- For single and multiple-entry tourist visas, GDRFA Dubai gives the expected time as 48 hours.
- The ICP gives the service time for issuing a visa as two days and, in its FAQ, "48 hours after all requirements are met".
- The ICP says the visa is sent by e-mail and can be downloaded immediately after issue.
Where the real time comes from
The official time is counted from when the complete application is registered. Before that:
- preparing the documents: a standard photo, a legible passport copy and, for Iranian nationals, the national card;
- checking the documents and fixing problems;
- payment;
- registration of the application through a licensed tourism establishment.
Any document that needs correcting holds the whole process back.
What can make it longer
- a low-quality photo or passport scan;
- a different name on the form and in the passport;
- further checks by the authorities;
- public holidays and busy travel seasons.
The UAE authorities take the final decision and may need more time. Nobody can guarantee a visa.
The entry deadline
According to the ICP, the holder of an entry permit must enter the UAE within 60 days of its issue. So you do not need to get the visa in the last days; you can apply a few weeks earlier.
Suggested timing
- Apply at least one to two weeks before the trip, especially in busy seasons.
- Buy a non-refundable ticket after the visa is issued, or choose a ticket that can be changed.
- Check the issued visa against your passport details: name, passport number and date of birth.
In Royal Golden's visa section, the application's status at each step is shown in your account, and the official visa is also placed there once issued.
This article is general information. Decisions on issuing visas and their timing rest with the UAE authorities.
Sources
- GDRFA Dubai, issuance of a single-entry tourist visa — https://gdrfad.gov.ae/en/services/f9e586fe-0642-11ec-0320-0050569629e8 (checked on 24 October 2026)
- GDRFA Dubai, issuance of a multiple-entry tourist visa — https://gdrfad.gov.ae/en/services/f9e586fb-0642-11ec-0320-0050569629e8 (checked on 24 October 2026)
- ICP UAE, issuance of a visa (service time, entry deadline) — https://icp.gov.ae/en/services-details/?serviceid=64afe3c1035448005bd52e60 (checked on 24 October 2026)
- ICP UAE, FAQ (time and delivery of the visa) — https://icp.gov.ae/en/faq/ (checked on 24 October 2026)