United Arab Emirates visa for South African citizensSingle-entry tourist visa — 30 days
- Fee
- 200 AED
- Processing
- up to 2 days
- Validity
- 60 days
- Stay per entry
- 30 days
- Entries
- single
United Arab Emirates visa for South African citizens
What South African citizens need to enter United Arab Emirates, with the official source for every fact.
eVisa
Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism lists, for this passport: "Tourist visa - 30 or 60 days validity with single or multiple entry".
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: u.ae (opens in a new tab)You may not need this visa at all
ICP issues a 14-day entry visa to nationals of India, Kenya, Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines and South Africa, limited to ordinary passport holders and their family members who hold a valid visa or residence permit issued by the US, EU or UK (for Indians, also a US Green Card), or a valid residence permit issued by Japan, South Korea, Australia, Canada, Singapore or New Zealand. Applications are made through the ICP Smart Services website. The pre-entry validity period is 30 days, the stay is 14 days from the date of entry, and the visa can be extended only once and for the same duration. Fees are AED 100 issuance and AED 100 smart services. Dubai’s tourism department says Indian nationals with a US visit visa or green card, or a UK or EU residence or visit visa, can obtain a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 14 days, and can apply once to extend their stay for an additional 14 days.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: icp.gov.ae (opens in a new tab)The UAE government portal says GCC residents and their companions need to apply online for a visa and must obtain it before arriving in the UAE. The entry permit is valid for 30 days from the date of issue, the stay is 30 days from the date of entry, and the visa is extendable once for 30 days. GCC residency must be valid for at least 1 year from the arrival date, and the applicant’s profession must be on the list of professions approved for issuing the visa (subject to evaluation by the concerned authority).
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: u.ae (opens in a new tab)How to apply
When to start: Allow at least 2 days: that is the longest processing time the authority publishes.
Single-entry tourist visa — 60 days
- Fee
- 300 AED
- Processing
- up to 2 days
- Validity
- 60 days
- Stay per entry
- 60 days
- Entries
- single
What entry costs
- Single-entry tourist visa — 30 days200 AED
- Dubai airports facilities fee35 AED
- Total235 AED
Compulsory government charges only. Service fees and anything optional are excluded, which is what makes the figure comparable.
Yellow fever certificate
Arriving from South Africa, no yellow fever certificate is required: WHO does not list South Africa as a transmission risk. It can still be demanded if you have been in a risk country shortly before arriving.
Driving on a South Africa license
United Arab Emirates and South Africa are both party to the 1949 Geneva Convention & 1968 Vienna Convention, so an International Driving Permit issued in South Africa is one United Arab Emirates is bound to recognize.
Whether a permit is required alongside your national license is set by national road law, which we have not checked for this pair.
Verified Oct 3, 2026 · Source: treaties.un.org (opens in a new tab) · Convention on Road Traffic · archived copy Aug 25, 2026 (opens in a new tab)Other entry requirements
- Passport validity — The UAE government portal says passports must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of entry into the UAE.
- Travel insurance — Required
- Onward or return ticket — Required
- Staying past your permitted stay — Fine: 50 AED per day. Penalties in United Arab Emirates, compared with every country
No official source states a rule on: proof of funds.
Full wording and sources of these rules: All United Arab Emirates entry requirements
The other way round
Emirati citizens travelling to South Africa: Visa-free. Up to 90 days.
Nationalities treated exactly the same
United Arab Emirates applies these rules — the same regime, the same allowance, the same charges — to South African citizens and to holders of these passports:
Philippines
VietnamCompare this across every country
Each of these tables states one rule for all 199 destinations, with the government source behind every row. United Arab Emirates has a row in each.
- What staying past your permitted stay costs, country by country
- Compulsory government charges beyond the visa, country by country
- How long your passport must be valid, country by country
- Countries that require travel insurance to enter
- Vaccination certificates required at the border
- Where a visa you already hold gets you in somewhere else
- Which International Driving Permit each country recognizes
- What a tourist visa costs, country by country
- Where you must show a return or onward ticket
- How much cash you can carry before you must declare it
All United Arab Emirates entry requirements · Everywhere South African citizens can travel
Frequently asked questions
Do South African citizens need a visa for United Arab Emirates?
Yes — an eVisa, applied for online before travelling. Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism lists, for this passport: "Tourist visa - 30 or 60 days validity with single or multiple entry".
How much does entering United Arab Emirates cost South African citizens?
Single-entry tourist visa — 30 days: 200 AED. Compulsory government charges come to 235 AED.
How far in advance should South African citizens apply?
Allow at least 2 days: that is the longest processing time the authority publishes.
Sources & verification
- Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (Visit Dubai) — visa requirements by nationality (opens in a new tab)
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) — Visa cancellation (opens in a new tab)
- ICP — Issuance of a 14-day visa for nationals of certain countries residing abroad (service card) (opens in a new tab)
- ICP — Issuance of a Visa (service card, tourism-establishment category) (opens in a new tab)
- UAE Government portal — do you need an entry permit or a visa to enter the UAE? (opens in a new tab)
- UAE Government portal — tourist visa (eVisa for GCC residents) (opens in a new tab)
- UN Treaty Collection — Convention on Road Traffic (Vienna, 1968), status of parties (opens in a new tab)
Convention on Road Traffic, Geneva, 19 September 1949 (UNTS vol. 125, p. 3); Convention on Road Traffic, Vienna, 8 November 1968 (UNTS vol. 1042, p. 17)
- WHO, International Travel and Health, Annex 1 — countries requiring proof of vaccination against yellow fever (opens in a new tab)
International Health Regulations (2005), Article 36 and Annex 7; WHO International Travel and Health, Annex 1, 18 November 2022 (revised 3 January 2023)
Something wrong or out of date? Tell us, with the official source