Travel insurance is one of the cheapest ways to reduce the big risks of a trip. Some countries have also made it a condition of entry or of a visa. The official conditions in this article come from the pages of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA) and the UAE government portal (u.ae), checked on 24 October 2026.
Where it is an official condition
- The UAE, the Dubai tourist visa: according to GDRFA, health insurance valid in the UAE is a condition of the single and multiple-entry tourist visas.
- The UAE, the five-year multiple-entry tourist visa: according to u.ae, health insurance valid in the UAE for 180 days.
- Other countries: ask each country's official website; some set a minimum cover or a geographic scope for a visa.
Common cover
Policies differ; these are covers you usually see:
- emergency medical treatment and hospitalisation;
- emergency medical evacuation and repatriation;
- cancellation or curtailment of the trip for stated reasons;
- delayed or lost baggage;
- liability to others.
Ask before buying
- The countries covered: is your destination, and for the UAE the UAE itself, named expressly in the policy?
- The period: does it cover the whole trip? If you extend your visa, is the insurance extended too?
- The medical cover limit and the excess;
- pre-existing conditions: covered or not;
- sports and risky activities;
- the 24-hour emergency assistance number.
For a UAE visa
- The insured's name must exactly match the passport.
- The insurance's start and end dates must cover the visa's period.
- Have the insurance certificate in English and ready to show.
While travelling
- Keep the policy number and the emergency assistance number on your phone and on paper.
- In an emergency, call the insurer before large expenses; many policies require prior approval.
- Keep all receipts and medical reports.
Royal Golden does not sell insurance and this article does not recommend any insurer. This article is general information.
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)
- UAE government portal, tourist visa (updated on 1 October 2026) — https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/Types-of-visas/tourist-visa (checked on 24 October 2026)