UAE TRANSIT VISA • 48 & 96 HOURS
Have a short connection in Dubai or Abu Dhabi and want to leave the airport? A transit visa is an airline-linked entry route, not a general tourist visa. We first check whether your passport already qualifies for visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry, then verify the operating airline, confirmed onward ticket to a third destination, connection length and whether the 48-hour or 96-hour option fits. Orbit Sky’s transit-document and itinerary support fee is AED 100; the airline or issuing channel’s visa fee is separate.
Airline transit-visa fees and current ICP transit conditions reviewed 16 September 2026
UAE TRANSIT VISA ENQUIRY
Transit eligibility depends on more than the number of hours between flights. We need the passport nationality, operating airline, UAE airport, inbound and onward itinerary, third-country destination and whether you intend to leave the airport. With those details we can tell you whether a transit visa is the right route and which airline channel needs to handle it.
Required: name, phone, email, nationality, passport expiry, UAE transit airport, airline, onward destination, arrival date, departure date and whether you plan to leave the airport.
A TRANSIT VISA ONLY MAKES SENSE WHEN YOU NEED TO ENTER THE UAE DURING THE CONNECTION
If you remain airside and do not pass UAE immigration, you may not need a UAE entry visa at all. If you want to leave the airport and your nationality needs advance permission, the airline-linked 48 or 96-hour transit route may be appropriate.
The 48-hour route is single entry and non-extendable. Current Emirates and Etihad pricing differs by airline, so we quote the fee using the airline that actually carries the eligible itinerary.
Use the 96-hour option when the connection is long enough for a short UAE stay but the trip still continues to a third destination. It is also non-extendable.
Some nationalities can enter the UAE visa-free or obtain permission on arrival. We check that first so a traveller does not pay for a transit application that is unnecessary.
THE AIRLINE AND ONWARD TICKET ARE PART OF THE VISA ROUTE
Current ICP rules state that transit visas are issued through airlines. A traveller needs a valid passport or travel document and a confirmed ticket to continue the journey. Airline-specific channels can add their own eligibility and ticketing conditions.
ICP port-entry / transit visa service ↗Emirates UAE visa information ↗Etihad UAE visa information ↗ICP states that UAE transit visas are issued by airlines. This is why the flight itinerary and carrier matter to the visa route.
THE VISA FILE IS SMALL, BUT THE ITINERARY MUST BE RIGHT
For a transit visa, the ticket is part of the immigration story. We check whether the traveller actually has a qualifying connection and whether the airline channel can support that itinerary before focusing on the document upload.
Current Emirates and Etihad pre-arranged visa guidance requires a machine-readable passport with at least six months validity for the relevant application channel.
The airline visa channels require a clear colour photograph with the application.
The traveller needs a confirmed journey into the UAE and onward to another destination. Separate-ticket or self-transfer cases should be disclosed because airline eligibility can differ.
Transit visas are handled through airline / approved issuing channels. Emirates, for example, limits its online visa service to eligible Emirates itineraries and applies its own ticket conditions.
Choose the transit duration that matches the actual time you intend to stay after passing immigration. Both routes are non-extendable.
Airlines and UAE authorities can request additional supporting documents depending on nationality, residence and travel history.
TRANSIT VISA PRICE DEPENDS ON THE AIRLINE / ISSUING CHANNEL
There is no honest single price for every UAE transit itinerary because the issuing channel matters. Emirates and Etihad currently publish different 48-hour and 96-hour fees. Orbit Sky charges AED 100 for transit-document and itinerary support; that fee is separate from the airline or issuer’s visa charge.
Emirates currently publishes US$10 inclusive of VAT for its 48-hour pre-arranged visa. Its transit visas are valid for Emirates tickets outbound from Dubai and are non-extendable.
Emirates currently publishes US$49 inclusive of VAT for the 96-hour option. Use it when your eligible Dubai connection genuinely requires up to four days in the UAE.
Etihad currently publishes AED 55 for its 48-hour single-entry transit visa. A confirmed ticket to Abu Dhabi and onward to a third destination is required.
Etihad currently publishes AED 216 for its 96-hour single-entry transit visa. This option suits a longer Abu Dhabi stopover where the traveller needs to enter the UAE before continuing to a third destination.
Airline/issuer fees can differ even for the same 48-hour or 96-hour stay. ICP’s current federal service page also lists its own transit fee components, so the final amount follows the airline and issuing channel used for the actual itinerary. Orbit Sky’s AED 100 support fee is for route checking, document review and itinerary/visa guidance; the airline or immigration authority remains the visa issuer.
APPLY EARLY ENOUGH FOR THE AIRLINE CHANNEL TO PROCESS THE VISA
Do not plan a stopover visa as a last-minute airport decision if your nationality needs pre-arranged permission. Emirates currently asks applicants to apply at least four international working days before arrival and states an approximate processing time of two to four working days. The final time can still vary with immigration review.
Emirates recommends submitting at least four international working days before arrival.
Published airline processing estimate; approval is still subject to UAE immigration.
Emirates and Etihad publish 30-day entry validity for their 48/96-hour transit visas.
The transit permission is short, single entry and non-extendable.
THE FLIGHT ITINERARY COMES BEFORE THE VISA FORM
A transit visa cannot be separated from the flight that creates the transit. We start with the itinerary, then check the passport and the airline channel.
If you are staying airside, or your passport already qualifies for visa-free / visa-on-arrival entry, a paid transit visa may be unnecessary.
We verify the operating carrier, inbound sector, UAE transit airport and confirmed onward journey to a third destination.
The visa duration should match the time you intend to spend after passing immigration. Both options are non-extendable.
We check passport validity, image quality and whether the ticket structure matches the airline’s transit visa rules.
Because ICP states transit visas are issued through airlines, the actual visa application proceeds through the eligible airline or approved visa channel attached to the itinerary.
Before travel, confirm the visa validity, flight timings, terminal, baggage arrangements and onward destination requirements. Immigration approval remains final at entry.
THE CLOCK IS SHORT AND THE VISA CANNOT BE EXTENDED
Transit visas are designed for a stopover, not an open-ended stay. Current Emirates and Etihad information gives a 30-day window to use the issued visa for entry, then the permitted stay is 48 or 96 hours depending on the visa issued.
Current Emirates and Etihad guidance states the transit visa must be used for entry within 30 days of issue.
Single-entry stay counted from arrival under the airline’s transit visa conditions.
Single-entry stay for up to four days from arrival.
Both the 48-hour and 96-hour transit options are published as non-extendable.
A GOOD STOPOVER PLAN INCLUDES IMMIGRATION, BAGGAGE AND THE ONWARD FLIGHT
A 48-hour or 96-hour visa gives permission to enter the UAE, but it does not solve a badly timed connection. Build enough time for immigration, baggage, terminal transfers, transport back to the airport and the check-in deadline for the onward flight.
Separate-ticket or self-transfer journeys can create baggage and missed-connection risk. Tell us if the sectors are on different bookings.
Immigration, baggage collection, city travel and the return to the airport all consume time. A short connection may be better spent airside.
A UAE transit visa does not replace the visa or entry requirement for the country you fly to next. Check the third destination separately.
TRANSIT VISA PROBLEMS USUALLY START WITH THE ITINERARY
The paperwork is relatively short, but the route is unforgiving. Wrong airline assumptions, separate tickets or a connection that is too short can make a transit visa useless even if the document itself is approved.
Transit visas are linked to the airline / issuing channel. An Emirates transit visa process is not automatically available for an itinerary built around another carrier.
Transit means continuing the journey. A ticket that ends in the UAE is not the same travel purpose.
Some passports already have an easier UAE entry route. We check nationality first to avoid an unnecessary application.
Separate tickets can force you to enter the UAE to collect baggage, but the airline sponsoring the next sector may not support the same visa route. Disclose the ticket structure before applying.
Current airline guidance states both transit visa durations are non-extendable. If you need a longer stay, another visa category should be checked before travel.
A UAE transit visa only addresses UAE entry during the stopover. It does not give permission to enter the next country on the itinerary.
UAE TRANSIT VISA QUESTIONS ABOUT AIRLINES, FEES AND CONNECTIONS
Transit visas are highly itinerary-specific. These answers explain when the visa is needed, how current airline pricing differs and why the onward ticket matters.
There is no single price across every airline channel. Emirates currently publishes US$10 inclusive of VAT for its 48-hour pre-arranged visa, while Etihad publishes AED 55 for its 48-hour transit visa. Orbit Sky’s transit-document and itinerary support fee is AED 100, separate from the airline or issuer’s visa fee.
Emirates currently publishes US$49 inclusive of VAT for its 96-hour transit visa, while Etihad publishes AED 216. Orbit Sky charges AED 100 for our transit route, document and itinerary support; the airline / issuer fee is paid separately through the applicable channel.
The transit visa is issued through an airline or approved issuing channel, and each airline can publish its own visa-service pricing and processing arrangements. ICP also publishes federal fee components for transit issuance. We therefore quote the fee using the airline and channel attached to the actual itinerary instead of advertising one universal number.
Orbit Sky’s support fee is AED 100 per applicant for checking the transit route, reviewing passport and itinerary details, identifying the applicable airline channel and helping organise the required documents. The airline or immigration visa fee is separate.
The UAE’s current ICP rules state that transit visas are issued through airlines. Orbit Sky can check the route and documents and assist with the travel / application process, but the visa itself is issued through the responsible airline or approved immigration channel and remains subject to UAE immigration approval.
Not always. If you remain airside and do not pass UAE immigration, your situation can be different from a traveller who wants to enter the UAE. Tell us the airport, terminals, ticket structure and baggage plan so we can check whether entry is actually required.
A paid transit visa may be unnecessary if your passport already qualifies for visa-free or visa-on-arrival entry. We check nationality and current official rules before recommending the transit route.
Emirates currently says a minimum of four international working days before arrival is required for its online pre-arranged visa service and gives an approximate processing time of two to four working days. Applying earlier is safer because immigration review can vary.
No. Current Emirates and Etihad information lists both transit visa durations as non-extendable. If the intended UAE stay is longer than 96 hours, another entry category should be checked before travel.
The core file normally includes a valid passport, colour photograph and confirmed travel ticket showing the UAE connection and onward journey. Airline-specific requirements can differ, and extra documents may be requested based on nationality or the itinerary.
SEND THE FLIGHT DETAILS BEFORE YOU BUY A TRANSIT VISA
Share your nationality, passport expiry, UAE transit airport, airline, arrival and onward dates and whether you plan to leave the airport. We’ll check the route and show the relevant airline fee plus Orbit Sky’s AED 100 support charge before you proceed.