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UAE · Tourist or visit visa

UAE Visit Visa from Pakistan

Pakistani passport holders need a visa arranged before travelling to the UAE. Tourist visas are applied for through an airline, a hotel or a licensed travel agency, while a relative or friend living in the UAE can sponsor a visit visa through the immigration authorities. UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026

At a glance

Official name
Tourist visa, or visit visa for a relative or friend
Who applies
A sponsor in the UAE: an airline, hotel, licensed travel agency or resident relative or friend
Authorities
ICP for most emirates, GDRFA for Dubai
Passport
At least six months' validity
Insurance
Health insurance valid in the UAE
Embassies
UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas

Who this is for

  • Holidaymakers booking flights with a UAE airline that offers visa services
  • Tourists booking a hotel or package through a licensed UAE travel agency
  • Parents, spouses, children and other relatives of UAE residents
  • Friends of UAE residents, where the host meets the sponsorship conditions

When another route fits better

  • Moving to live with a spouse or parent in the UAE: the resident needs to sponsor a family residence visa.
  • Looking for work: a visit visa does not allow work, and the UAE has a separate job exploration visa with its own conditions.

Documents to prepare

Everyone

  • Clear colour scan of your passport, with at least six months' validity
  • Recent passport-size photo with a white background
  • Return or onward flight ticket
  • Health insurance valid in the UAE
  • Hotel booking, for tourist visas arranged through a hotel or agency

If a relative or friend sponsors you

  • Copy of the sponsor's passport, residence visa and Emirates ID
  • Proof of relationship, such as a NADRA Family Registration Certificate or birth or marriage certificate
  • The sponsor's salary certificate or employment contract
  • The sponsor's tenancy contract or proof of accommodation, if asked
  • A refundable security deposit or guarantee, where the authority requires one

Step by step

  1. 1

    Choose your route

    Decide between a tourist visa through an airline, hotel or agency, and a visit visa sponsored by a relative or friend in the UAE.

  2. 2

    Check the sponsor's eligibility

    For a relative or friend, the host must meet income and other conditions, which depend on how closely you are related.

  3. 3

    Submit the application

    Your airline, hotel or agency applies for you, or your host applies through the ICP or GDRFA systems.

  4. 4

    Pay fees and any deposit

    The sponsor pays the visa fee, any service charges and any refundable deposit.

  5. 5

    Receive your e-visa

    The entry permit arrives electronically. Check the name, passport number and dates before travelling.

  6. 6

    Travel and leave on time

    Enter within the visa's validity, and leave or extend before your permitted stay ends to avoid fines.

Costs to plan for

  • The visa fee set by the authorities. Check current fees on the official ICP or GDRFA services.
  • Service charges from the airline, hotel, agency or typing centre that submits the application.
  • A refundable security deposit or guarantee in some sponsored cases.
  • Health insurance valid in the UAE.
  • Daily fines if you overstay, so track your exit date carefully.

Why applications get refused

  • The sponsor does not meet the income or relationship conditions.
  • Records of a previous overstay, absconding case or ban.
  • A poor-quality passport scan or photo.
  • Names spelt differently across the passport and supporting documents.
  • Signs that the trip is really to look for or start work.
  • Missing proof of relationship for a family-sponsored visa.

Tips before you apply

  • Use only licensed agencies. The UAE government advises checking that a tour operator is genuine before paying or sending documents.
  • Confirm whether you are getting a single or multiple entry visa, and for how long, before you pay.
  • Carry a printed copy of your e-visa, return ticket, hotel booking and sponsor details. Immigration officers in Pakistan or the UAE may ask about your trip.
  • Never work on a visit visa. It can lead to fines, deportation and a ban.

Questions people ask

Ordinary Pakistani passport holders generally need to arrange a visa before travelling. Visa on arrival is limited to certain nationalities and some holders of other visas or residence permits, so check the official ICP services if your situation is unusual.

Yes, a resident can sponsor siblings, but the income condition is higher than for parents, spouses and children. Your brother should check the current conditions on the GDRFA service page.

No. UAE embassies do not issue tourist visas. Your airline, hotel, agency or UAE host must apply for you.

Many visit visas can be extended inside the UAE through the issuing authority, up to an overall limit. Your sponsor should apply before the current visa expires.

Official sources

Fees, fund requirements and processing times change. Check the current figures on the official site before you apply.

Last reviewed 8 October 2026. This guide is general information, not legal advice. VisaWala is not affiliated with any embassy or government, and only the issuing authority decides a visa application.