Announced 15 July 2026, the new self-sponsored 5-year visa lets you enter the UAE repeatedly with no local host. Here is exactly what it costs, who qualifies, and what it does not allow.
On 15 July 2026, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai) announced a five-year multiple-entry tourist visa available to all nationalities. It is the most significant change to UAE visit-visa policy in years, and the headline feature is simple: you no longer need a local sponsor or host. For frequent business travellers, investors scouting the market, and families with ties to the Emirates, this removes a genuine friction point. Here is what it actually involves. What the visa gives you Validity of five years from issue, with unlimited entries during that period. Up to 90 consecutive days per visit. One extension of a further 90 days per visit. A hard cap of 180 total days inside the UAE in any 12-month period. Self-sponsorship — no local host, employer or relative required That last point is the real shift. Previously, frequent visitors either relied on repeated short-term visit visas or leaned on a corporate sponsor. Now the visa sits with you, independent of any UAE entity. Requirements Passport valid for at least six months. A recent passport-style photograph. Bank statements from the past six months showing a minimum balance of USD 4,000 (or equivalent). Valid health insurance covering the UAE. A return or onward air ticket The cost The total fee reported at launch is AED 3,713.50. Importantly, AED 3,000 of that is a refundable security deposit — so the true cost of the visa itself is considerably lower than the headline number suggests. Applications are made through the UAE's official digital channels. What it does not do This is a visit visa, not a residence visa. It carries no right to work in the UAE. This distinction matters enormously and it is where we expect confusion. The five-year visa lets you enter, stay and conduct meetings. It does not let you take employment, and it does not give you an Emirates ID, a UAE residence status, the ability to sponsor family, or straightforward access to a personal bank account. If you intend to actually operate a business from the UAE, employ people, or reside here, you still need a residence visa — which means a company. A free zone investor visa remains the standard route, and it starts cheaper than most people assume. Who should take which route The 5-year visit visa suits you if You visit the UAE several times a year for meetings or events. Your business is based elsewhere and you have no plans to relocate. You want flexibility without the commitment of a company. You are exploring the market before committing A company + investor visa suits you if You want to invoice clients from a UAE entity. You need an Emirates ID and a UAE bank account. You want to sponsor family members. You plan to spend more than 180 days a year here. You want to benefit from the UAE corporate tax regime A RAKEZ zero-visa licence starts at 3,500 AED and a one-visa package at 13,000 AED — which, against a 5-year visit visa at AED 3,713, makes the company route worth serious comparison if you are anywhere near the 180-day cap. The 180-day trap The cap is the detail most people will miss. Five years of validity sounds unlimited, but you cannot exceed 180 days inside the UAE in any rolling 12 months. If your business pulls you here for half the year or more, this visa will constrain you — and a residence visa is the better structure. Not sure whether you need a visit visa or a company? We will tell you honestly, free of charge.