With end-of-year passenger volumes surging through Dubai and Abu Dhabi hubs, the UAE authorities on 6 December issued refreshed instructions clarifying how travellers can convert long layovers into four-day stopovers using the popular 96-Hour Transit Visa.
The advisory confirms that passengers transiting on any UAE carrier with a connection exceeding eight hours may apply online or via airline partners; processing takes around four hours and costs roughly US$135. The visa is valid for 30 days from issuance and permits a single 96-hour stay. Applicants need a passport valid for six months and a confirmed onward ticket to a third country.
![Updated Guidance Streamlines UAE’s 96-Hour Transit Visa as Holiday Traffic Peaks]()
For mobility managers the permit offers a cost-effective way to break multi-sector journeys or allow relocating employees to conduct house-hunting before their residence visa is ready. Dubai’s tourism board expects a 15 per cent jump in transit visitors this winter and hotels have launched 72-hour packages and city-tour bundles.
Key compliance points: EU/US/UK nationals eligible for the free 90-day visa-on-arrival don’t need the transit visa; GCC residents of any nationality can still seek electronic entry permits via a separate channel. Overstays incur a AED 200 fine for the first day and AED 100 for each additional day, plus exit-permit fees, so travel planners must watch departure times closely.
The guidance also reminds travellers that duty-free allowances apply only once per 48 hours—important for frequent flyers making back-to-back connections.
The advisory confirms that passengers transiting on any UAE carrier with a connection exceeding eight hours may apply online or via airline partners; processing takes around four hours and costs roughly US$135. The visa is valid for 30 days from issuance and permits a single 96-hour stay. Applicants need a passport valid for six months and a confirmed onward ticket to a third country.
For mobility managers the permit offers a cost-effective way to break multi-sector journeys or allow relocating employees to conduct house-hunting before their residence visa is ready. Dubai’s tourism board expects a 15 per cent jump in transit visitors this winter and hotels have launched 72-hour packages and city-tour bundles.
Key compliance points: EU/US/UK nationals eligible for the free 90-day visa-on-arrival don’t need the transit visa; GCC residents of any nationality can still seek electronic entry permits via a separate channel. Overstays incur a AED 200 fine for the first day and AED 100 for each additional day, plus exit-permit fees, so travel planners must watch departure times closely.
The guidance also reminds travellers that duty-free allowances apply only once per 48 hours—important for frequent flyers making back-to-back connections.
