Dubai is one of the most popular destinations in the Middle East for its rich culture, tradition, and modernity. The city is evolving into a bustling metropolis. Combined with high-end infrastructure, tourist attractions, and convenient facilities, visitors are attracted to enjoy an unforgettable holiday. Many travelers make it their destination for business and personal reasons as well. Citizens of other countries need to obtain a Dubai visa that will allow them to stay for 30 days or 90 days, depending on the type of visa they have applied for.
If you want to stay in the city after your visa expires or your work visa or employment visa gets canceled by your employer, then worry not! The laws for renewal or extension of the Dubai tourist visa or visit visa have eased in recent years. According to the new visa policy that came into effect in October 2018, visa holders can extend their visas up to two times for a maximum period of 30 days at a time. It means a visitor can stay for 60 days without leaving the city. Whether you have a 30 days single entry tourist visa, a 30 days or 90 days multiple entry visa, or a 90 days long-term visit visa, you can easily apply for a Dubai visa extension. You do not need to leave the country for this. Extension of visas provides job seekers, tourists, and small business owners more time to spend job seeking, networking, and sightseeing.
Who Cannot Apply for a Dubai Visa Extension?
The Dubai Visa Extension is available only for expats having a 30 days or 60 days visa. People under the following categories will not be able to enjoy this facility.
1) Residents of GCC countries (countries from the Gulf Co-operation Council).
2) People accompanying the nationals of GCC
3) People visiting the United Arab Emirates on special permits
4) Tourists who have a 96 hours’ permit
Documents Required for Dubai Visa Extension
1) Scanned copies of your passport’s first and last page
2) Your passport should be valid for six months
3) Scanned copy of your old or existing tourist or Dubai visit visa
4) Latest Passport size photograph against a white background
5) Return airline ticket copy
6) If your residence visa gets canceled by your employer, you must attach your residence visa and Emirates ID. (If you have a guarantor, you need to attach their passport copies too).
Four Ways to Extend Your Visa
1) You can visit the DNRD (Department of Naturalization and Residency) office. Pay 500 AED to renew your Dubai visa if you do not want to leave the United Arab Emirates.
2)You can leave and return to the UAE by booking a visa run. This visa run can be done from Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Muscat, Bahrain, Doha, or Kish Island.
3) You can renew your visa by flight. Once you have landed, enter the departure terminal at the airport and take a flight back to UAE. After the flight, you can go to Dubai airport and get a new visa valid for 30 days or 60 days.
4) Another way to get your visa extended is to drive over to the border. For this, you need an exit stamp from the UAE border. Drive to Oman border control. Get an entry stamp from the immigration office and a new visa. Drive back to the UAE border and get an entry stamp and a new visa.
How Can You Apply for Visa Extension?
Extension of tourist visas can be applied either online or offline.
Extension of Visa Through Online Channels
ICA (Federation Authority for Identity and Citizenship)
Through this website, an individual can apply for either a new visa or renew it at least three days before their visa expires. The process starts after you register yourself on the portal.
GDRFA (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs)
Through the GDRFA, you can apply for extensions and applications in each emirate.
Extension of Visa Through Offline Channels
GDFRA provides offline channels for the extension of visas. You can apply for an extension either at the individual level or through travel agents.
At the Individual Level
You can visit the GDFRA office directly for an extension. It would be best if you could visit the office 48 hours before your tourist visa or visit visa is about to expire. After submitting your passport and paying fees at the counter, your visa extension will be stamped immediately.
Through Travel Agents
It would be best if you contact your travel agent three days before the expiry of your visa. This service is available on all working days, i.e. from Sundays to Thursdays.
Fees for Visa Extension
A visitor to Dubai wanting to extend their visa can do so by paying a visa extension fee of 600 AED. You can apply for the second renewal before the expiry of the first renewal by paying an additional 600 AED. And for those unable to renew their tourist visa or visit visa or have their visa extension denied, get a ten days’ grace period. After the grace period, they can extend their stay in the city by paying a fine of 200 AED on the first day and 100 AED per day on the following days of their stay. For a residence visa, the grace period is 30 days, after that, you will have to pay 125 AED on the first day and 25 AED on the following days.
Processing Time for Visa Extension
It usually takes approximately three to four working days to process your visa extension after you submit all the essential documents. If you need it urgently, you can avail yourself of the express visa services, and your request will be processed and approved in a day or two.
Conclusion
The Dubai Visa Extension policy is a blessing for people visiting the city in search of jobs or visiting their relatives and friends. The cost of extending your visa may seem a bit high, but you would be saving money on flight tickets. With the renewal of your tourist/visit visa made so easy, take the opportunity of savoring the picturesque landscape and have a hassle-free stay in this glitzy city. The visa rules are subject to change often. Keep up with the latest information available on UAE Immigration Services website.