A good news for Dubai travelers. Now planning a trip to Dubai is about to include one less website. From this month, tourists will be able to apply for their visa on Visit Dubai, the emirate’s official tourism platform, instead of juggling between government portals and travel agents.
The change was announced on Sunday, November 1, by Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, alongside a second initiative: Dubai Access Club, an invitation-only membership programme for people who keep coming back to the city. Dubai is calling it the first tourism membership scheme of its kind to be run by a city.
How the new visa option works
Visitors will be able to apply for both single-entry and multiple-entry tourist visas through Visit Dubai, with more visa categories expected to be added later. The idea is simple: the same site where people already look up attractions, book tickets and plan itineraries will now handle the paperwork too.
What does not change is who makes the decision. The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) will still assess every application and issue the visas. Visit Dubai becomes another way in, not a shortcut around immigration checks.
Both initiatives are due to roll out during November 2026. They were developed by GDRFA Dubai, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and Digital Dubai under the Shared Digital Channels Initiative, a programme Sheikh Hamdan approved in February 2025 to bring government services onto shared digital platforms.
What is Dubai Access Club?
Dubai Access Club is aimed at repeat visitors rather than first-timers. Members will get exclusive experiences, services and benefits, but you cannot simply sign up. Access is by invitation, and for now it runs through selected corporate and loyalty-programme partners of Visit Dubai.
Individuals and companies can register their interest through a form on Visit Dubai. Membership is also subject to approval by the GDRFA.
Some early reports linked the club to Dubai’s five-year multiple-entry tourist visa. Readers should treat that with caution until the full terms are published, as not every outlet has been able to confirm it as a membership benefit.
Why Dubai is doing this now
Sheikh Hamdan said the aim is to put Dubai among the world’s top three tourism destinations, a target set out in the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33.
The timing matters. Dubai is heading into its busiest season, and international airlines are restoring routes after months of disruption in the region. British Airways resumed its London Heathrow to Dubai flights on November 3, with other European carriers preparing to follow over November and December.
The move also builds on changes made earlier this year. In June, GDRFA Dubai said single-entry tourist visas of 30 or 60 days could be issued within 48 working hours once an application is complete. The 30-day visa was reported at Dh200 and the 60-day visa at Dh300, before taxes and service charges.
What travellers should do
- Check whether you need a visa at all. Many nationalities get a visa on arrival, so confirm your eligibility with GDRFA Dubai before applying.
- Use official channels. Apply through Visit Dubai once the service is live, the GDRFA website or app, or an authorised travel agent.
- Be wary of unofficial sites. Any service promising guaranteed approval or unusually cheap fees is a red flag.
- Need help? GDRFA Dubai’s customer service number is 800 5111.
For residents, the change is mostly good news for visiting friends and family, who should find the process easier to follow. For the tourism sector, it is another sign that Dubai wants the visa step to feel like part of the holiday rather than a hurdle before it.
Sources: Gulf News, Arabian Business, Time Out Dubai, Dubai Media Office.
