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Visa Services

Australian passport holders (regular)

  • Holders of regular (non-diplomatic) Australian passports can enter the UAE without obtaining a visa in advance. 
  • Australians may obtain a free multiple-entry Visit Visa of 30 days’ validity (with an additional 10-day grace period) on arrival at any UAE international land, air or sea port. This visa does not permit the holder to undertake paid or unpaid employment in the UAE.
  • Visitors who exit the UAE and return to the country within the validity of their 30-day Visit Visa will not be granted a new visa. For example, if you exit the UAE on the 10th day of your Visit Visa and return on the 25th day, you will not receive a new visa on arrival, and must exit the UAE again within 5 days. Fines apply for overstaying a visa.
  • If a visitor wishes to remain in the country for longer than 30 days, they may extend their visa for an additional 30 days by contacting the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in the UAE at least three days prior to their visa expiry (fees apply).
  • Notes: Australian citizens with criminal records who wish to visit the UAE should contact the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs at https://www.dnrd.ae/en/form/contact-us to check their eligibility.
  • Organizers of exhibitions, festivals, conferences and other events must ensure that participants obtain visas under the conditions specified in the relevant section below.
    Australian passport holders (official and diplomatic)
  • Visitors to the UAE travelling on official and diplomatic passports require a prearranged visa to enter the country. Applicants should submit the following documentation to the

Consulate-General of the UAE:

  • Passport of at least 6-months’ validity from the proposed date of entry to the UAE
  • Confirmed ticket for return travel to the UAE (or ticket for onward travel to another destination)
  • A Third Person Note (TPN) from the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade issued by one of its Australian State Offices, the purpose of the visit, date of departure from Australia, date of entry and departure from the UAE, duration and type of visa required (single or multiple entry, valid for 1, 3 or 6 months), and the sponsoring entity (Australian Embassy or Consulate in the UAE).
    If the applicant is a member of the Australian Defence Force, they must submit a letter of support from the UAE Military Attaché Office in Canberra, located at 20 Pindari Crescent, O’Malley, ACT 2606 and contactable on (02) 6298 7777.
  • Completed visa application form, including details of the sponsor/authority in the UAE inviting the visitor
  • Applicant’s passport will be held at the Consulate during the process.
  • Two (2) color passport-size photos.

For any enquiries about the above process, please contact the Consular Section on +61 3 9622 22000 or at MelbourneCon@mofaic.gov.ae

Holders of non-Australian passports

Category 1:

  • On the basis of the principle of reciprocity, holders of passports of countries of the European Union and Schengen region are exempt from the requirement to obtain a visa for entry to the UAE.
  • These countries are: Cyprus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, the Republic of Seychelles, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland.
  • Holders of regular, official or diplomatic passports of the countries listed above may enter the UAE without a prearranged visa, and stay for a total of up to 90 days within a period of 180 days.

Category 2:

  • Regular passport holders of the countries listed below may enter the UAE without a prearranged visa. They can obtain a visit visa of 30 days’ validity on arrival, and may stay in the UAE for a total period not exceeding 90 days within 180 days.
  • Australia, Brunei, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Ireland, Japan, Malaysia, the Principality of Monaco, New Zealand, the Republic of San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, and the United States of America.

Lost and Stolen Passports – UAE residents

The Consulate-General of the UAE in Melbourne can issue entry permits for holders of current UAE residency permits who have lost or had their passport stolen to allow them to return to the UAE.

In order to apply for the entry permit, the following documents must be submitted to the Consulate:

  • Completed application form
  • Colour copy of all previous passports
  • Colour copy of the current (lost/stolen) passport
  • One (1) passport-size photograph
  • Copy of current UAE residence permit
  • Copy of UAE ID card
  • Payment of permit fee
  • Police report of theft or loss of passport.The communication must contain the lost/stolen passport number and be authenticated by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the UAE Consulate. (Certification fees apply.) For passports lost or stolen outside of Australia, the communication must be authenticated by the IAE Embassy in the country where the theft or loss occurred.
  • Translation of the report of loss or theft into Arabic

Other nationalities

  • Visitors to the UAE who do not hold a passport from one of the countries listed in Categories 1 and 2 (above) must obtain a visa before travelling. For passengers with confirmed reservations for travel to the UAE with Emirates Airlines or Etihad Airways, this can be done online at via https://www.emirates.com/english/manage-booking/ or http://www.etihad.com/en-au/before-you-fly/visas/. Travelers are advised to submit their online application as early as possible. 
  • Hotels in the UAE can apply for visas for their guests, but the traveler must obtain a copy of the visa before traveling to the UAE.
  • Note: No visa is required for transit at a UAE airport for a period of less than 12 hours.
    Transit visas (96 hours) under the sponsorship of a private company, friend, relative or travel agent
  • Transit visa applications must be submitted by your sponsor or host at the Passport and Immigration Office in the UAE.
  • The sponsor will require a copy of the applicant’s passport and immigration status. Processing of the visa will take around 7-10 working days. 
  • The traveler must hold a copy of the visa (which can be sent to the traveler by email or fax) before departing for the UAE. The original visa can be obtained at the airport on arrival.

Student and Training Visas

Student Visas may only be issued with the sponsorship of a university or other educational institution registered with the UAE Ministry of Higher Education. Please contact your education provider in the UAE to arrange for the submission of your application.

Medical Treatment Visas

Any person seeking to travel to the UAE for the purpose of receiving medical treatment must do so under the sponsorship of a public or private health provider registered with the UAE Ministry of Health, or with the approval of a UAE health authority such as the Dubai Health Authority.
 

Travel for conferences, exhibitions, festivals, commercial purposes

  • Applicants applying for a visa under this category must be sponsored by the organizer (public or private) of the event. 
  • Please contact the event organizer or your business partner in the UAE to arrange for submission of your application. 
  • Visas issued under this category are valid for 30 days from the date of arrival in the UAE and are not renewable.
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