The United Arab Emirates has introduced major changes to its visa policy for tourists, causing increased challenges for Indian tourists in securing visas to enter Dubai.
Under the new regulations, travellers must provide detailed documentation, including confirmed hotel bookings, return flight tickets, and proof of accommodation for those staying with relatives.
Since the changes came into effect, reports suggest a sharp rise in visa rejections, with approval rates dropping from nearly 99 percent to approximately 94-95 percent in recent weeks, according to Indian news publication Times of India.
Times of India additionally reported that this shift has resulted in a daily rejection rate of five to six percent from about 100 applications, an increase from the previous one to two percent.
Indian travel agencies have since warned of the financial impact on travellers who have already paid for hotel and airline bookings, as well as visa fees, only to face rejection under the stricter rules.
“Earlier, the rejection rate for Dubai visas was just 1-2 percent. This is before the new rules were enforced. We are now getting at least 5-6 visa rejections per day from nearly 100 applications daily. Even when confirmed flight tickets and hotel stay details are attached, the visa applications are being rejected,” Nikhil Kumar, director of Passio Travels Pvt Ltd told Times of India.
Agencies have reported an “unprecedented” surge in tourist visa rejections for Dubai, noting that even well-prepared travellers with meticulous documentation, including confirmed hotel bookings and flight details, are being denied visas by Emirati authorities.
“While applying for the visa, we had attached all the relevant documents as per the new visa requirements. Yet, their applications were rejected,” Vijay Thakkar, director of Hasmukh Travels also told Times of India, in which he recounted a story on two of his clients who planned to visit relatives in Dubai.
“This resulted in significant monetary loss for the passengers, as they had spent nearly 14,000 [rupees] on visa fees, and ticket cancellation cost was another 20,000 [rupees] and more.”
In addition to submitting hotel booking documents and return tickets on the emigration department’s website during the visa application process—previously only required if requested by airport officials—tourists must now also demonstrate sufficient funds for their stay in Dubai.
Applicants are required to have a minimum of 5,000 dirhams (roughly £1,067) in their credit or debit bank accounts for a two-month visa and 3,000 dirhams (roughly £640) for a three-month visa.
Amid growing mass rejections to enter Dubai, Indian outlets have alerted Indian travellers of various substitutes- including embarking on alternative holiday destinations on a cheaper budget- such as Vietnam and Thailand.
In February, Dubai introduced a five-year multiple-entry visa to encourage travel between India and the Gulf nation, according to the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET).
In 2023, Dubai received 2.46 million overnight visitors from India, marking a 25 percent increase compared to pre-pandemic levels.
This positioned India as Dubai’s top source market, according to data released by the DET.