UAE VISA APPLICATION

[Suraj Handa]

It doesn't matter whether you are going to lie on a Dubai beach or visit shops in Abu Dhabi, a visa to the UAE for Russians requires the provision of a certain set of various papers.
 The requirements, of course, are somewhat milder than those for a Schengen visa, but you still have to provide photos, an application form, and other documents for a visa to the UAE.
 At the same time, you can apply for a visa to the UAE only through an intermediary, since the embassy issues entry visas to the UAE only to holders of diplomatic and service passports of citizens of the Russian Federation.
Many people think that a visa to the UAE on their own is unrealistic, and in fact, they are right, but this is not entirely true. Self-registration of a visa to the Emirates differs little from a visa through a travel agency.
So, for self-registration, you need a so-called sponsor - a hotel or an airline. Otherwise, you must contact the travel agency. 
An exception is the issuance of a visa through the Dubai Visa Application Center (if you are flying to Dubai), where everything happens according to the standard scheme, but there the sponsor is "Emirates", that is, the airline vouches for you. 
However, more recently, another exception has appeared - the UAE visa center has opened (within the framework of the visa center for Asian countries), making it much easier to apply for a visa to the UAE on your own.

Types of UAE visas

Visas to the UAE are divided into three types: guest, tourist, and transit.

Visitor visa to the UAE (Visit Visa)

Issued to tourists wishing to stay in the country for more than 14 days, or to family members of persons living in the UAE on long-term visas.
 A visa is issued through a "guarantor", which can be any UAE resident, company or hotel licensed to operate in the UAE. The duration of stay on a visa is 90 days.

UAE transit visa (Transit Visa)

This type of visa is popular among those tourists who intend to visit the UAE on their way to other countries (mainly Southeast Asia, Africa, Australia). 
Also, this type of visa is convenient for those who have a long connection at the airport.
The duration of stay in the country on this visa is 96 hours.

Tourist visa in the UAE (Tourist Visa)

This type of visa is the most popular, it is suitable for those who visit the Emirates on purpose as part of a tourist trap. The visa is issued for up to 30 days.

UAE visa cost

On February 1, 2017, the Asian Visa Application Center stopped issuing visas to the UAE for Russians. In accordance with the new rules, citizens of the Russian Federation can stay in the UAE without a visa for up to 90 days. The cost depends on the type of visa and the service through which it is issued. Below is the cost of various types of visas in the UAE as of 2021.

Visa type
Dubai Visa Application Center
UAE Visa Application Center
Visa Application Center for Asian Countries
Tourist visa in the UAE
90 $
105 $
7000 RUR
UAE transit visa
10-30 $
60 $
4400 RUR

If the children are entered in the parents' passport, then a visa is opened for them free of charge. If the child has his own passport, then he will have to open a visa for him under normal conditions.

UAE visa documents

From 2020, all passengers arriving in the UAE must have a negative coronavirus test certificate ( list of laboratories approved by Rospotrebnadzor). You will also have to fill out a health declaration and sign a quarantine commitment  (issued on board). 

Submitting documents in the traditional way

When applying for a tourist visa through the United Arab Emirates Visa Application Center in Moscow or via
Dubai Visa Application Center must provide the following package of documents.

• The original passport (must be valid at the end of the trip for at least six months) + a copy of the last spread (with a photo).
• Original Russian passport + copies of completed pages.
• Application form - visa application
• Round-trip air ticket (if electronic, then confirmation received by e-mail).
• Receipt of paid visa fee.
• One photo (color, 3.5 × 4.3 cm, should be taken no more than six months ago, the face should occupy 80% of the image).
• Copies of valid and used visas (if you have an old passport, you need to attach a copy of its first page and copies of pages with previous visas and stamps).
• Permission to travel abroad from a parent/spouse, a copy of a document with a photo of the parents/spouse.
• Documents confirming financial solvency (2NDFL form, certificate from the place of work indicating the position and size of salary, bank statement).

Submission of documents for a transit visa

There are several ways to get a transit visa to the UAE.

• The first is to collect the same set of documents as for a tourist visa, and having paid the appropriate fee, take them to the United Arab Emirates Visa Application Center in Moscow or to the Dubai Visa Application Center. You can also
• The second is to issue a " Stop in Dubai "from Emirates with the help of accredited agents in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
• The third is to apply for a visa through the Sharjah Visa Application Center, which is the official partner of Air Arabia.
• The fourth is to get a visa directly at the airport upon arrival, having booked a stop in Dubai already there, paying the visa fee, and a hotel. However, in this case, there is no guarantee of obtaining a visa.

UAE e-Visa by yourself

Thanks to the UAE Visa Center that opened in early 2012, you can now apply for a visa to the UAE on your own, without sponsors (that is, for example, you don't have to fly to Dubai with Emirates). In addition, all this can be done without leaving home: visa processing - online, payment is possible in cash, by cards, bank transfer or transfer from legal entities. " Visa Center Sharjah " also provides similar services.
The first thing to do is register. Then proceed with filling out the questionnaire. After that, prepare the following documents:

Color copy of the passport page with the applicant's data and photograph (in good quality, without light, the file size must be more than 900 × 2000 pixels)Color photograph on a light background (jpeg format, 200–400 × 257–514 pixels)Round trip ticket or booking (confirmation email or copy)One of the following documents: certificate of employment in English (on company letterhead, stamped and signed by the responsible person, indicating salary - at least 34,000 rubles) / copy of a bank account (for the last 6 months with a turnover of about 10,000 $) / Schengen / American / British visa obtained within the last 5 yearsAn electronic questionnaire completed on the website or a completed questionnaire
The term for consideration of tourist visas is 3-4 working days, transit visas - 2-3 working days. 
The service center fee is added to the consular fee for the type of visa you need. 
You can pay for the services of the center by bank transfer according to the invoice, which will be issued after filling out the visa application form, or online by credit card (VISA, MasterCard).

Terms of issuing a visa to the UAE

A tourist visa to the UAE is issued within 3-4 working days (excluding Friday and Saturday), but it is worth pledging at least 5 working days before departure.
A transit visa at the airport is issued in half an hour (filling out a questionnaire, scanning the retina).
 A visitor visa may take a little longer to process than a tourist one.

Useful addresses and documents

• Application form - visa application
• UAE Embassy in Moscow
• United Arab Emirates Visa Application Center in Moscow
• Dubai Visa Application Center in Moscow
• Dubai Visa Application Center in St. Petersburg
• Website of the UAE Embassy in Russia
• Dubai Visa Application Center website
• UAE Visa Application Center Asia Visa Application Center

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