If you are planning to visit the UAE as one family — parents and their children — there is good news.
The family group visa application allows parents and their children to apply for visas as a group through authorised travel agencies.
The option is only available when applying for the tourist visa through travel agencies inside and outside the country, Brigadier General Khalaf Al-Ghaith, Assistant Director General of the Entry and Residence Permits Sector, told Gulf News.
UAE family group visa
The family group visa is available for one-time applications for families traveling together, the official said.
Visa extension can be applied for before the visa expires.
Tourist visa type:
Short term tourist visa of 30-60 days – can be extended to 120 days.
Application through authorised travel agency.
How to apply for the visa:
To apply for the visa, you would need to provide the following documents to the travel agency:
- Passport copy, where the passport is valid for at least six months
- Passport-sized photograph
- All information and required documents can be found on the GDFRA website (website https://smart.gdrfad.gov.ae.)
This service allows a foreigner residing in one of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to be granted an entry visa to the country as a visitor for a period not exceeding 30 days, extendable only once.
It can be applied through digital channels (website/smart application).
The service is available 24/7
- Valid passport or travel document to enter the country.
- A copy of the residence permit or an electronic extract stating the profession and validity of residence.
- Personal photo (white background)
Steps
- Log in to the website https://smart.gdrfad.gov.ae
- Register as a user,
- Choose the service,
- Fill in the data,
- The data must fill correctly (full name),
- Pay the due fees,
- After approval, the visa is sent to the user’s email.
- The residency must be valid for more than 3 months.
- The passport must be valid for more than six months.
- If there is missing data, the application will be rejected.
In the past, visitors arriving in the UAE would obtain a yellow paper and apply for a visa, a process that typically took an hour or two to receive approval.
However, in a significant improvement, the UAE government has launched a user-friendly website, allowing travelers to apply for visas electronically.
This innovative approach enables individuals to secure their visas within a matter of minutes, even if they are outside the country.
