A UK visit visa, called a tourist visa in the UAE, is officially the Standard Visitor visa. It covers tourism, visiting family or friends and some short business activities. It is not a work visa and it does not give the right to settle in the UK.
Do you need a visa or an ETA?
It depends on your passport, not on your UAE residence. GOV.UK says most visitors need an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) or a visa, depending on nationality and the purpose of the trip. You usually need an ETA rather than a visa if you are from Europe, the USA, Australia, Canada or certain other countries. An ETA costs GBP 20 (about AED 95) and is applied for online. Citizens of other countries usually need a visitor visa.
Check your own passport with the GOV.UK tool before you plan anything. The rest of this guide is about the visit visa.
Documents required for a UK visit visa
GOV.UK says you must have a passport or travel document valid for the whole of your stay. Everything else is evidence: the Home Office publishes a guide to the supporting documents you can provide to show your trip is genuine. This is the minimum we put in almost every UAE-resident file:
- Passport. Valid for the whole of your stay, with 2 blank pages. Add your previous passports if they show your travel history.
- UAE residence visa and Emirates ID. They show where you live and work, and your link to the UAE.
- Bank statements. Your personal statements, usually the last 3 to 6 months. They should show where your money comes from. The Home Office guide says not to use statements older than 1 year, and lists credit card statements among the documents not to use.
- Proof of your job. An employer letter or NOC on company letterhead with your role, salary and length of employment. If you are self-employed, your business registration and recent invoices.
- If someone else pays. Their bank statements and proof of their job, and a document showing your relationship, for example a family link or an employer.
- Proof of your ties to the UAE. Whatever applies to you: a DEWA bill, your Mulkiya, property documents, family here.
- Certified translations. Any document that is not in English or Welsh needs a translation that can be independently verified, with the translator’s details.
Additional documents depend on your profile: see the next section. The official checklist is generic, so a document that matters for one traveller can be useless for another.
What changes with your profile
Open the situation that matches yours.
Employed in the UAE
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Bring a letter from your employer on company letterhead with your role, salary and length of employment. The salary on the letter should match the income you declare on the application and the deposits in your bank statements.
Self-employed or business owner
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Bring your business registration and recent invoices that show ongoing activity. The caseworker looks at how your income appears in your accounts, so keep your statements consistent with the activity you declare.
Someone else pays for your trip
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The sponsor is whoever pays. The Home Office looks for a sponsor with enough funds to support themselves and their dependants, and for proof of your relationship. If a family member or your employer pays, include their statements and a short letter saying what they cover.
Visiting family or friends in the UK
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An invitation letter is not mandatory, but it helps explain the purpose of the visit. Include your host’s address and how you know each other. Your own funds and ties to the UAE still carry the file.
Travelling with children
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Each child has their own application and pays their own fee. If a child travels with only one parent, we usually add a consent letter from the other parent.
Previously refused, by the UK or another country
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Declare every refusal, from any country. An undeclared refusal is the kind of detail that creates a bigger problem than the refusal itself. See our case on a refusal from another country to declare.
Bank statements and proof of funds
- The official guidance gives no fixed minimum amount. The question is whether your funds fit the length and cost of your trip.
- Statements should show where the money comes from. Avoid statements older than 1 year, and do not use credit card statements as evidence.
- What you declare on the application form (income, spending) must match the statements. A mismatch is a common reason for a refusal: see our case on a form that did not match the bank statements.
- A large deposit just before you apply, with no explanation, can raise questions. If your income is in another currency, convert it clearly.
How to apply for a UK visit visa from Dubai or Abu Dhabi
- Step 1. Prepare and check your documents.
- Step 2. Apply online on GOV.UK, not earlier than 3 months before you travel, and pay the fee.
- Step 3. Book your appointment at a visa application centre as part of the online application. Fingerprints and a photo are taken there. Allow time to attend, as the centre could be in another country.
- Step 4. Provide your documents as the application asks, with certified translations where needed.
- Step 5. Wait for the decision. GOV.UK says you will usually get it within 3 weeks. You get your passport back the same day as your appointment.
There is nothing to print or post: the application is online and your only visit in person is the appointment for your fingerprints and photo.
UK visit visa cost from Dubai and Abu Dhabi
GOV.UK charges GBP 135 per person for a Standard Visitor visa of up to 6 months (about AED 640 at current rates). Longer visas cost more: GBP 506 for 2 years, GBP 903 for 5 years and GBP 1,128 for 10 years. Each family member needs their own application and pays the fee.
Our service fee is separate: AED 950, AED 1,400 or AED 2,500 depending on how fast you need your appointment, or AED 650 per person for 2 or more applicants travelling together (Couple & Family). See the pages for our UK visit visa service and the full cost.
How long it takes, and how long you can stay
GOV.UK says you will usually get a decision within 3 weeks of applying online, proving your identity and providing your documents. Plan beyond that, and do not book non-refundable travel before you have the visa.
A Standard Visitor visa allows a stay of up to 6 months. The length of each visit and the duration of the visa are decided by the authorities.
Common mistakes that lead to a refusal
- An income or spending figure on the form that does not match the bank statements.
- A large or unexplained deposit just before applying.
- A previous refusal from any country that is not declared.
- Missing documents from the person who pays for the trip.
- Documents not in English or Welsh, sent without a certified translation.
- Weak evidence of your reasons to return to the UAE.
- Inconsistent details between the form and the supporting letters.
A refusal means a new application and a new fee, and a record that has to be declared next time. Visa approval always remains at the discretion of the UK authorities.
Want us to check your file?
The official checklist is generic. We check which documents your own profile needs, make sure the form and the statements tell the same story, and check the file is consistent before it is submitted. See our UK visit visa service for the packages.
Official sources
Rules and fees can change, so check the official pages before you apply: