The exemption applies to children under 18 travelling with one or both parents. However, travel insurance and service charges from travel agencies may still be applicable even when the visa fee is waived.
Families planning a summer trip to the UAE with children can save several hundred dirhams through an annual tourist visa fee waiver programme.
The exemption is available every year from July 15 to September 15 and applies to children under 18 travelling with one or both parents. It covers both 30-day and 60-day tourist visas.
Travel agents have clarified that a child’s UAE tourist visa may not be entirely free. While the visa application fee is waived, families may still need to pay for travel insurance and service charges levied by the agency handling the application.
Who can claim the waiver?
The tourist visa fee waiver is available for children under the age of 18 who are travelling to the UAE with one or both parents during the exemption period from July 15 to September 15 each year.
The waiver applies to children applying for 30-day or 60-day tourist visas. Families should note that while the visa application fee is waived, other charges such as travel insurance and travel agency service fees may still apply.
According to Firoosekhan from Arabian Business Centre, a child must be travelling to the UAE with at least one parent to qualify for the tourist visa fee waiver.
“Both or one parent and the child must be coming to the UAE as visitors. The child’s visa application must also be submitted together with the tourist visa application of the accompanying parent,” Firoosekhan said.
The waiver is intended for foreign tourists visiting the UAE as a family and does not apply to UAE residents applying for a visit visa for their child.
Firoosekhan added that travelling with only one parent is sufficient, although an undertaking letter may be required if the child is travelling with only the mother or father.
Families should submit the required documents through the travel agency handling their applications and inform the agency that they are applying under the summer tourist visa fee waiver before making payment.
What costs still apply?
Travel agents said the visa application fee is waived for eligible children, but families may still need to pay for travel insurance and agency service charges.
Subair Thekepurathvalappil, senior manager at Wisefox Tourism, said a normal one-month tourist visa application for a child usually costs around Dh250 to Dh350, but this amount is waived during the summer period for eligible applicants.
“Service charges and insurance depend on the agencies, and they may collect fees for processing the application,” Subair said.
Additional costs can amount to around Dh120 per child, depending on the agency and insurance coverage.
Parents are advised to request a complete cost breakdown showing:
- Visa fee
- Insurance charges
- Travel agency service fees
A family travelling with two children could save around Dh500 to Dh700 in visa application fees, although they may still pay up to Dh240 in insurance and service charges for both children.
Does the waiver cover all tourist visas?
The waiver applies to both 30-day and 60-day tourist visas, according to Amer Centre and travel agency representatives.
Applications must be submitted during the waiver period, which runs from July 15 to September 15. The parent’s and child’s applications must be submitted together for the child to qualify.
The exemption applies to children below 18 years of age. Families travelling with someone who has already turned 18 should confirm the applicable visa fees before applying.
Can the visas be extended?
Subair said that 30-day and 60-day tourist visas can currently be extended twice.
“The parent’s visa can also be extended by paying the applicable fees,” he said.
Extension costs currently start at around Dh1,000, depending on the visa type, agency and applicant.
Visitors should confirm the latest extension charges before applying, as the summer waiver applies only to the initial child visa application and should not be assumed to cover future extensions.
Travel agents advised families to submit parent and child visa applications together and avoid applying for the child’s visa separately.
