96 Hours Dubai Transit Visa
Four days outside the airport between flights, instead of four hours in a departure lounge. $150 per person.
- Stay
- 96 hours
- Enter within
- 30 days
- Entries
- Single
- Delivered
- 3–4 days
What is the 96 hours Dubai transit visa?
The 96 hours Dubai transit visa lets a passenger connecting through a UAE airport leave the terminal and stay in the country for up to four days before boarding an onward flight. It is issued for a single entry, and you have 30 days from the date of issue to use it. Like all UAE e-visas, it comes as a PDF by email.
It exists for one situation: you are flying somewhere else, your connection is long, and you would rather see Dubai than sit in transit. Four days is enough to do this properly — the Marina, the desert, Abu Dhabi and back — rather than a hurried taxi ride and a nervous look at the clock.
Key details
| Price | $150 per person, processing included |
|---|---|
| Express | $200, issued in 24–36 hours |
| Length of stay | 96 hours (4 days) from arrival |
| Entries | Single |
| Entry window | 30 days from issue, shorter than the tourist visas |
| Processing | 3–4 working days |
| Extendable | No — transit visas cannot be extended |
| Where it is valid | All seven emirates, so Abu Dhabi is within reach |
48 hours or 96 hours — which one you actually need
The UAE issues two transit visas, and they are not two sizes of the same thing. They come from different places and suit different travellers.
- The 48-hour transit visa is normally arranged through the airline you are flying with, as part of your booking, and it is either free or a nominal charge. It covers a short stopover — a night in a hotel, a few hours in the city, back to the airport.
- The 96-hour transit visa is the one we handle. It is for people treating the layover as a short trip in its own right, and it gives four times the time.
The straightforward way to choose:
- Connection under 8 hours? You very likely need nothing at all. Stay airside, connect, and keep your money.
- Overnight, leaving the next day? Ask your airline about the 48-hour transit visa first. If they can issue it with your booking, take it.
- Two to four days between flights? This is what the 96-hour visa is for, and the 48-hour one will not stretch to cover it.
- More than four days? A transit visa is the wrong product. Take the 14 Days Dubai Visit Visa — not much more, and far more room.
We would rather tell you the 48-hour route exists than sell you four days you do not need.
Documents required
- Passport bio page — colour scan, six months' validity minimum
- Passport photograph — recent, white background
- Confirmed onward ticket — departing the UAE within 96 hours of your arrival. This is the document that matters most here, and the one applications are most often held up on.
- Where you are staying — hotel booking, or the address of family or friends
Processing time
Regular
3–4 working days
$150
Express
24–36 hours
$200
Processed in 3–4 working days. Because the entry window is 30 days rather than 60, apply around two to three weeks before you fly — early enough for comfort, late enough that the visa is still valid on the day.
Booked a last-minute connection? Express processing issues the transit visa in 24–36 hours for $200. On short-notice layovers this is often the only workable option.
How to apply
- Check your connection first — Under 8 hours, you probably need nothing. Overnight, ask your airline about the 48-hour visa.
- Select the 96 hours transit visa — and enter your arrival and onward flight details.
- Upload your documents — passport, photo, onward ticket, accommodation.
- Pay $150 — and receive the visa by email in 3–4 working days.
Related visas
Frequently asked questions
How much is a Dubai transit visa?
The 96-hour transit visa is $150 per person with processing included, or $200 on Express for a 24–36 hour turnaround. The shorter 48-hour visa is normally arranged through your airline and costs little or nothing.
Do I need a transit visa if I'm not leaving the airport?
No. If you stay airside and connect to your onward flight, no visa is required.
What is the difference between the 48 and 96 hour transit visa?
Time and where it comes from. The 48-hour visa is usually issued by your airline for a short stopover. The 96-hour visa gives four days and is applied for separately — it is the one for treating the layover as a trip.
Can the 96 hours transit visa be extended?
No. Transit visas cannot be extended. If you need longer than four days, apply for the 14 days visit visa instead.
How long is a transit visa valid before I travel?
30 days from the date of issue — half the window of a tourist visa. Apply two to three weeks ahead.
Can I visit Abu Dhabi on a Dubai transit visa?
Yes. It is valid across all seven emirates, and Abu Dhabi is a comfortable day trip inside 96 hours.
My connection is under 8 hours. Do I need anything?
Very likely not. Stay airside, connect to your onward flight, and keep your money.
My layover is overnight. Which visa is right?
Ask your airline about the 48-hour transit visa first. If they can issue it with your booking, take it — it is designed for exactly that stopover.
Which document holds transit applications up most often?
The confirmed onward ticket. It has to show you departing the UAE within 96 hours of your arrival, and it is the document applications are most often held up on.
When does the 96 hours start counting?
From your arrival in the UAE. The separate 30-day window runs from the date of issue and only governs when you must arrive.
$150
Regular · 3–4 working days