Dubai Visa on Arrival for Indians with a Green Card or Overseas Residence

1. Check the passport and residence connection first

The current GDRFA Dubai service is for Indian citizens holding an ordinary passport and a qualifying US Green Card or a residence visa from the United Kingdom or a European Union country. The document must be valid for at least six months, and the passport or travel document must also have at least six months validity. A photo with a white background is listed. ICP’s June 2026 update says India remains eligible and adds Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Canada to the list of qualifying residence countries. The exact service card and the residence document you hold matter, so do not treat a different visa, passport type or expired permit as equivalent.

2. Choose the 14-day or 60-day route

For the Dubai GDRFA route, the visitor entry visa is for 14 days and may be extended once for a similar period. The issuance service lists a fee of AED 253 and an expected completion time of 48 hours. The approval email is the point at which you receive the electronic visa; an application or receipt is not permission to travel. The ICP 60-day service is a separate single-entry, non-extendable visa. It allows entry within 30 days of issue and stay for 60 days from entry. The service card lists AED 250 issuance plus AED 100 smart-services fees, a passport, photo and copy of the qualifying visa or residence permit, with a stated two-day completion duration. Confirm which channel covers your itinerary before paying.

3. Prepare a clean digital file

Scan the passport biodata page, the qualifying Green Card or residence permit, and a recent personal photo. Keep names and dates consistent across the files. If you apply through ICP, the card says UAE Pass login may be required; the GDRFA service directs applicants to smart.gdrfa.gov.ae, where you register, choose the service, enter data, pay and receive the result by email after approval. Do not upload a cropped or unreadable residence document. Check that the passport and qualifying document each show at least six months validity, and keep the confirmation number and payment record. Airlines and border officers can apply their own document checks, so verify the live requirements before departure.

4. Understand extension, fees and overstay risk

The GDRFA extension service is specifically for an Indian national holding one of the qualifying US, UK or EU documents valid for at least six months. It states a 14-day stay from approval, an extension fee of AED 600 plus 5% VAT, and possible AED 10 Knowledge, AED 10 Innovation and AED 500 inside-country fees. GDRFA warns that the total can vary by circumstances. The 60-day ICP route is non-extendable and publishes an AED 50-per-day fine after the permitted stay or entry-visa validity ends. The 14-day route may be extended once, but an extension is not automatic. Plan an exit or confirmed extension before expiry and never rely on an agent’s verbal promise.

5. Verify the result with the responsible authority

This is a visitor entry route, not a residence visa, work permit or guarantee of admission. GDRFA’s service description and ICP’s service card set the conditions, but an application can still require review and a traveller must have no restriction preventing entry. A 48-hour or two-day estimate is not a promise. Before you travel, compare the approved electronic visa with your passport, check the entry deadline and permitted stay, and contact GDRFA Dubai or ICP if a detail conflicts. Rules and fees can change; use the official service page on the day you submit.

Frequently asked questions