Because of its rich cultural past, luxurious shopping malls, and spectacular buildings, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a popular travel destination for tourists from all over the world. You may be wondering how to apply for a UAE visit visa if you are a GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) resident or a Saudi Iqama holder. We'll walk you through the procedure step by step in this article.
Requirements
Valid Iqama: The Iqama must be valid for at least three months.
Profession: The applicant's occupation should be eligible for a visit visa to the UAE. Typically, this covers management, professional, and technical positions.
Passport: You must have a passport that is valid for at least six months from the day you wish to enter the UAE. Note: for GCC residents the validity of the Passport is only for 3 months as per the UAE Website. However, on the safer side, it is best to have validity for at least 6 months.
Photographs in passport size: It is necessary to provide a clean passport-sized photograph with a white backdrop.
Online Payment: you must have a valid credit or debit card.
Before Departure, you will need a valid Exit and Reentry visa from your Saudi Sponsor
How to Apply for an E-Visa to the UAE as a Saudi Iqama Holder
Below is a detailed guide on how to apply for a Dubai visit visa for Saudi Iqama holders via the GDRFA website.
First, go to the GDRFA website: https://smart.gdrfad.gov.ae
Choose "Individuals" then "Register now" to set up a new GDRFAD account if you don't already have one.
Click on the "Email" tab to register with your email id.
Enter a username of your choosing, followed by your First and Last Name, Date of Birth, Email address, and Password of your choosing.
To activate your account, enter the verification code sent to your email address.
Log in to your GDRFAD account after it has been activated.
Choose "New Application" then "NEW GCC Entry Permit" and finally "GCC Residents"
Choose "Apply"
Filling Out the UAE E-Visa Application Form for GCC Residents
The form has the following sections, we will cover them in detail.
Visa Details
GCC Resident Details
GCC Trip Details
GCC Sponsor Details
Passport Details
Applicant Details
Contact Details
Visa Details
Visa details: Select "GCC Residents"
GCC Residency Details
Residence Number: Enter your Iqama Number
Issue Country: Saudi Arabia
Issue Date: Iqama Issue Date
Expiry Date: Iqama Expiry Date
GCC Trip Details
Arrival Emirate: Dubai is selected by default
Port of Arrival: Select Dubai Airport if you are traveling by air, and select Hatta Border if you are traveling by your car.
Date of Arrival: Select the Date
Arriving from Country: Saudi Arabia
Arriving From: Riyadh/Dammam/Jeddah
Booking Reference Number: Enter your Booking Reference Number (It can be left blank)
GCC Sponsor Details
GCC Sponsor Type: Select "Establishment"
Sponsor name: Your Company Name as per your Iqama
Sponsor Address 1 & 2: Enter your Company Address
Passport Details
Passport Type: Select "Normal"
Passport Number: Enter your passport number
Current Nationality: Select your nationality
Previous Nationality: If you didn't have a previous nationality, select your current nationality
Search Data: Click on this for the system to fetch your information, if it does not fetch your information, you will have to enter your information manually.
Applicant Details
Mother Name EN: Enter your mother's name in English and click on the button next to it, to automatically fill in the Mother Name Ar in the next field.
Marital Status
Relationship with Sponsor: This field should be greyed if you have selected Sponsor Type as Establishment, sometimes it doesn't proceed to the next step till you have made a proper selection. In this case, scroll up to "GCC Sponsor Details" and change your Sponsor Type to "GCC Citizen" and Sponsor Nationality to "Saudi Arabia". Come back to this field and select Relationship as "Not Related"
Religion
Faith
Education
Position
First Language
Examine your application thoroughly before moving to next step
Contact Details
Contact Details: Enter your phone number and email address.
Address Within UAE: Enter an address within the UAE, such as a hotel address.
Address Outside the UAE: including your home address in Saudi.
Click "Continue"
On the next page upload the following documents:
Passport size photograph
Copy of Iqama
Copy of Passport
Note: Sometimes if there are further documents you will be notified.
Click "Continue"
Visa Fees Payment
Then, pay the cost using a debit or credit card. (AED 252.50 per person)
After Submission
Your electronic receipt will be sent to your email address after you have made the payment. You can track the status of the application through the GDRFAD Website.
Once approved you will be able to Print your Visa.
The GDRFAD may write comments if they require further documents, you can upload this and submit it again. There are no charges for it.
Print your Visa and bring it with you when you travel. When you arrive at the UAE border/airport, you must submit it along with your passport and GCC resident permit. If you are traveling by plane, you must also have a confirmed round-trip ticket to guarantee that your entry and exit from the UAE are pre-arranged. You can assure a pleasant and trouble-free travel experience by having these documents ready.
Validity
An e-Visa issued to a GCC resident is valid for 30 days from the date of entry and can be extended for another 30 days.
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Is the cost for children under 17 yrs also same as 252.50 Aed ??? And in how many days do we get our visa issued ?