Visa

The categories given below identify whether an individual requires a visit visa before arrival or whether one can be issued at the airport or entry point.

AGCC Citizens - Citizens of the Arab Gulf Co-operation Council (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE) do not need a visa.

AGCC Residents - AGCC expatriate residents may obtain a non-renewable 180 days visa upon arrival. Residents must have at least months validity on their passport and residence visa.

UK Citizens - Residents of the UK with the right to abide in the United Kingdom may obtain a free visa on arrival, valid for 60 days from the date of entry.

Selected Countries - Citizens of the following 33 countries are given a visit visa upon arrival to the UAE. It is valid for 60 days from the date of entry: France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Finland, Malta, Spain, Monaco, Vatican, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Should your passport come from a country not among the above four categories, there are three ways to get a visa to the UAE.

• Obtain a visa through the UAE embassy in your country. Contact information is available here. In addition to your passport, passport photographs and application form, you will need to submit a letter from Zayed University stating that you will be attending the conference. Send us a message at wagl@zu.ac.ae with your full name, mailing address, passport nationality and passport number, and we will send you this letter right away. Expect the embassy to take about three weeks to complete the visa process. Call beforehand to get details.
• The hotel which you are staying can apply, on your behalf, for a visa. When making your hotel reservation you will need to send a clear passport copy (photo page) and a completed visa request form. Visa costs vary between hotels but are usually priced at around 300-400 AED, which you must pay upon checkout.
• If you are flying on Emirates Airlines, they can arrange a visa for you. Contact them at least two weeks prior to your flight to make arrangements.

For a comprehensive guide to UAE visa regulations, see the Ministry of Information Web site.

Remember, visa regulations are subject to change, so you should check directly with the nearest UAE embassy to confirm details.

If you encounter a problem, contact us at wagl@zu.ac.ae and we will help you.