Applying for a Dubai tourist visa is about to get simpler. Dubai has announced that tourist visa applications will be accepted directly through the official Visit Dubai website, the same place visitors already use to browse attractions, book tickets and plan an itinerary. The change was announced on 1 November 2026 and is due to be rolled out during November.
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What is changing
At the moment a visitor plans the trip on one site and applies for the visa somewhere else, through an airline, a hotel, a travel agent or the immigration portal. The new service puts the application on the Visit Dubai platform itself, so trip planning and the visa sit in one place instead of being spread across several websites and apps.
Two Dubai tourist visa options were confirmed in the announcement:
- Single-entry tourist visa.
- Multiple-entry tourist visa.
Dubai also said it intends to add more visa categories to the platform later. The service is being delivered jointly by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, the Department of Economy and Tourism, and Digital Dubai, under a shared digital channels initiative.
Who still decides your application
This is the part that matters most for anyone applying. The Visit Dubai website becomes the place you submit from, but the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai remains the authority that examines applications and issues the visa. The rules on documents, sponsorship and eligibility are still immigration rules, not tourism-website rules, so a smoother form does not change who qualifies.
What has not been announced yet
Dubai has been clear that detail is still coming. As of today, the following has not been officially published:
- The fees for each Dubai tourist visa type on the new channel.
- Validity periods and the permitted length of stay per option.
- Processing times.
- The exact day in November the service goes live, and the direct application page.
Figures have been circulating in some travel coverage, but none of them appear on an official Dubai government page yet, so treat any fee you see quoted as unconfirmed until the service is live.
A loyalty card for repeat visitors
Announced alongside the visa service is a tourism loyalty membership that Dubai describes as the first of its kind at city level anywhere in the world. It is aimed at people who come back repeatedly, and members get access to exclusive benefits, experiences and services. Membership conditions and the full benefit list have not been published.
How to apply in the meantime
Until the new channel opens, nothing about the current process changes. Citizens of many countries still get a visa on arrival, GCC nationals do not need one, and everyone else applies through the existing routes: the GDRFA Dubai channels, an airline, a hotel or a licensed agent. The Visit Dubai website is where the new service will appear.
If you are already in the country on a visit visa and your plans have changed, our guide to the visit visa extension fee in the UAE explains the cost and the steps. Travellers should also note the recent change letting UAE citizens use e-gates at German airports.
