Quick Take

The UAE 5-Year Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa offers eligible individuals and families a more flexible way to visit the UAE regularly without applying for a new tourist visa before every trip.

The visa is valid for five years, allows multiple entries and does not require a UAE-based sponsor or host.

It may be particularly useful for frequent travellers, families visiting relatives, business visitors, property owners, investors and individuals attending meetings, exhibitions or events in the UAE.

Applicants must meet specific financial, insurance and travel-document requirements. They must also carefully monitor the permitted duration of stay during each year of the visa.

Official Service Reference

Service: ICP – Issuance of a Long-Term Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa – 5 Years
Category: Visitor / Tourist Visa
Visa Type: Long-term multiple-entry tourist visa
Validity: Five years
UAE Sponsor or Host: Not required

What Is the UAE 5-Year Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa?

The UAE 5-Year Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa allows approved visitors to enter and leave the UAE multiple times during a five-year period.

Unlike many short-term visit visas, the applicant does not need to be sponsored by a UAE resident, company, hotel or family member.

This makes the visa a practical option for people who travel to the UAE several times each year and want greater certainty and convenience when planning future visits.

The visa may be used for purposes such as:

• Tourism
• Family visits
• Business meetings
• Conferences and exhibitions
• Property-related visits
• Events
• Repeated short-term stays

The visa does not, however, replace a UAE residence visa or work permit. Holders must continue to comply with the permitted visitor activities and immigration conditions.

Key Benefits

The visa may provide several practical advantages:

• It is available to applicants of all nationalities, subject to approval.
• No UAE sponsor or host is required.
• It permits multiple entries during its five-year validity.
• It reduces the need to apply for a separate tourist visa before every visit.
• It offers greater flexibility for families and frequent travellers.
• It may support regular business, investment, property and tourism visits.
• It allows applicants to plan repeated UAE travel over a longer period.

How Long Can the Visa Holder Stay in the UAE?

A visa holder may generally remain in the UAE for up to 90 days within each visa year.

The stay may be extended for an additional period, provided the total period spent in the UAE does not exceed 180 days within one year, subject to approval and the applicable immigration rules.

A key point is that the visa year is calculated from the holder’s first date of entry into the UAE.

It is not calculated from:

• The calendar year
• The visa issuance date
• January to December

Visa holders should therefore maintain clear travel records and monitor the number of days spent in the UAE from the date of first entry.

Unused days from one visa year generally cannot be carried forward into the following year.

The 60-Day First Entry Requirement

After the visa is issued, the applicant must enter the UAE within 60 days from the date of issuance.

Failure to complete the first entry within this period may result in the visa being cancelled, becoming unusable or requiring further immigration action.

Once the first entry has been completed, the visa becomes active for future multiple-entry travel during the remaining validity period.

Applicants should therefore avoid applying too early if they are not planning to travel to the UAE within the required first-entry period.

Who May Benefit from This Visa?

The visa may be suitable for:

• Individuals who visit the UAE frequently
• Families visiting relatives based in the UAE
• Business owners and executives attending regular meetings
• Investors and property owners
• Individuals attending conferences, exhibitions or events
• Tourists seeking long-term travel flexibility
• Clients who prefer not to submit a new visa application for every trip
• Families planning repeated visits over several years

The visa may also be useful for individuals who have ongoing personal, professional or investment interests in the UAE but do not require full UAE residency.

Main Document Requirements

Applicants are generally expected to provide:

• A clear passport copy
• A recent personal photograph
• UAE-valid health insurance covering 180 days
• A return or onward travel ticket
• Proof of accommodation in the UAE
• A hotel booking or confirmed UAE residential address
• An official six-month bank statement
• Evidence of a minimum balance of USD 4,000 or its equivalent in another currency
• A national identity document, where required for certain nationalities

Additional documents may be requested depending on the applicant’s nationality, profile, travel history or immigration records.

The USD 4,000 Bank Balance Requirement

The bank statement is one of the most important supporting documents in the application.

The applicant should generally provide an official bank statement covering the six months immediately preceding the application.

The statement should demonstrate a minimum balance of USD 4,000, or the equivalent amount in another foreign currency, during the required period.

The statement should ideally:

• Be recent and complete
• Cover the full six-month period
• Display the applicant’s full name
• Show the account details clearly
• Be stamped by the bank or digitally verifiable
• Demonstrate that the required balance has been maintained
• Match the personal details stated in the visa application

Applications may be delayed where the statement is incomplete, unclear, outdated, unstamped or does not demonstrate the required financial position.

Clients should avoid submitting screenshots, partial account extracts or statements that cannot be independently verified.

Health Insurance Requirement

Applicants must obtain health insurance that is valid in the UAE for 180 days.

The insurance should meet the relevant immigration requirements and remain valid for the required coverage period.

Applicants should confirm that:

• The policy is valid in the UAE
• The applicant’s name is correctly stated
• The coverage period is sufficient
• The policy document is clear and verifiable
• The insurance details match the visa application

An unsuitable or incomplete insurance policy may delay the application or result in a request for additional documents.

Published Government Charges

The published ICP charges generally include:

• Application fee: AED 100
• Visa issuance fee: AED 500
• Smart service fee: AED 100
• Refundable financial guarantee: AED 3,000

Additional costs may apply for:

• Health insurance
• Typing services
• Application processing support
• Bank charges
• Document preparation
• Translation
• Service-provider fees
• Other immigration-related requirements

The final payable amount may therefore be higher than the published government fees.

The AED 3,000 Refundable Financial Guarantee

A refundable financial guarantee of AED 3,000 is generally listed as part of the application charges.

The guarantee may be refundable after the visa is cancelled or after the beneficiary permanently exits the UAE, subject to the applicable immigration conditions.

A refund may depend on factors such as:

• Confirmation of visa cancellation
• Evidence that the visa holder has exited the UAE
• Absence of immigration violations
• Completion of the required refund procedure
• Submission of the original payment reference or supporting records

Applicants should retain all payment receipts, visa records and application references, as these may be required during the refund process.

Stay-Duration and Overstay Compliance

The five-year validity of the visa does not allow the holder to remain continuously in the UAE for five years.

The visa holder must comply with the annual stay limit and leave or regularise their status before the permitted stay expires.

Overstaying may lead to:

• Daily immigration fines
• Delays at the time of departure
• Immigration restrictions
• Future visa complications
• Difficulties with renewal or cancellation
• Additional compliance procedures

Visa holders should not rely only on passport stamps or personal estimates. Travel dates should be recorded carefully, particularly where the individual enters and exits the UAE several times during the year.

Common Reasons for Delay or Rejection

An application may be delayed or rejected for reasons including:

• Insufficient passport validity
• An unclear or damaged passport copy
• Incorrect photograph size or format
• Failure to meet the USD 4,000 bank balance requirement
• A bank statement covering less than six months
• An unofficial or unverifiable bank statement
• Missing UAE-valid health insurance
• Missing return or onward flight booking
• Missing proof of accommodation
• Inconsistent names across documents
• Incorrect or incomplete application information
• Previous immigration violations
• Additional nationality-specific requirements
• Documents submitted in an unacceptable format

Applicants should also ensure that passport names, bank records, insurance documents and travel bookings are consistent.

Even minor differences in spelling, order of names or passport details may lead to additional verification.

What Applicants Should Confirm Before Applying

Before submitting the application, applicants should confirm that:

• The passport has sufficient remaining validity.
• The bank statement covers the full required six-month period.
• The required USD 4,000 balance can be demonstrated.
• The health insurance is valid in the UAE for 180 days.
• A return or onward flight ticket is available.
• A hotel booking or UAE residential address has been confirmed.
• The personal photograph meets the required standards.
• All names and personal details are consistent.
• All documents are clear, recent and properly formatted.
• The applicant intends to enter the UAE within 60 days after visa issuance.

A document review before submission can reduce the risk of delays, additional information requests or avoidable rejection.

How Dawia Family Office Can Assist

Dawia Family Office can support individuals and families throughout the preparation process.

Our assistance may include:

• Initial eligibility assessment
• Preparation of a personalised document checklist
• Passport and photograph review
• Review of the six-month bank statement
• Assessment of the USD 4,000 balance requirement
• Health insurance coordination
• Review of accommodation and travel documents
• Application preparation support
• Family application coordination
• Visa follow-up guidance
• Advice on the first-entry requirement
• Guidance on permitted stay duration
• Visitor visa compliance support
• Cancellation and financial guarantee guidance

For families applying together, early preparation is particularly important, as each applicant may be required to provide separate documents, insurance records and supporting information.

Final Considerations

The UAE 5-Year Multiple-Entry Tourist Visa can provide valuable flexibility for individuals and families who expect to visit the UAE regularly.

However, approval is not automatic.

Applicants must demonstrate that they meet the financial, insurance, travel and immigration requirements. They must also comply with the annual stay limit and complete the first entry within the required period after issuance.

Requirements, charges, document standards, insurance conditions and processing procedures may change. Final approval remains at the discretion of the relevant UAE immigration authority and will depend on the applicant’s profile and the immigration rules in force at the time of application.

Clients considering this visa should complete a full eligibility and document review before submission.

To assess your eligibility or receive support with the application process, contact Dawia Family Office for professional UAE immigration advisory assistance.