Tourists travelling to the UAE during the summer won’t need to pay visa fees for dependents aged 18 years or below, the Federal Authority of Identity and Citizenship has announced.
The fee exemption will be applicable between July 15 and September 15 every year and is expected to boost tourist numbers during the off peak season.
The exemption was first announced by the UAE Cabinet in September last year. This will be the first year of its implementation.
A 14-day express tourist visa costs Dh497 per head and a 30-day multi-entry tourist visa costs Dh917 if the traveller purchases it online.
Cofounder and CTO of travel web portal Musafir.com Albert Dias said the move would help promote travel to the UAE from within the GCC region. “However, we expect it to have a limited impact on inbound travel from key feeder markets such as India. Most parents with children in these markets prefer to travel during their local school summer holiday seasons, which usually run from April to June.”
The number of passengers travelling through the country’s airports reached 32.8 million during the first quarter of this year.
1-year residency extension for grads
Parents who are UAE residents may now start applying for the one-year residency extension of their dependents who have completed their secondary or university education and are above 18 years of age.
They can avail of the visa by submitting supporting documents that include the general secondary education or graduation certificate.
