Visa Guidelines - United Arab Emirates
Students enrolling at a higher education institution in the UAE are required to apply for a student visa regardless of their duration of study. Students participating in short-term, Maryland-led programs that take place in the UAE are considered tourists and would not need to apply for a student visa to enter the country.
- Nationals of some countries will receive a tourist visa upon arrival while nationals from other countries need to apply in advance
- Duration of the tourist visa also varies from country to country; US citizens will receive a 90 day visa upon arrival
- Check here to learn what kind of tourist visa for which you are eligible
- The UAE is very strict about how long you’re allowed to stay in the country on a visa; you will be fined for each day that you exceed your allotted number of days
- Nationals of the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) member states are exempt from these visa requirements. The GCC member states are: Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates
Application for the Student Visa
The guidelines below apply to students studying in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for a period of over 1 month or for one semester up to one academic year. Please contact Education Abroad if you have any questions.
https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/residence-visas/residence-visa-for-studying-in-the-uae
Your host university will facilitate the student visa application process. You will need to abide by your host institution's credit and GPA requirement in order to be eligible for application. Application requirements will vary but most include:
- Original Passport (if student is in the UAE) or copy of passport (if student is outside UAE), validity more than 6 months
- 4 copies passport-sized photo with white background (shoulders covered, neutral facial expression, no glasses or earrings)
- Visa application form, completed
- Admissions letter from host university