Dubai will let visitors apply for single-entry and multiple-entry tourist visas through Visit Dubai, the emirate’s official tourism website, starting this month.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence of the UAE, and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, announced the change on Sunday, according to the Dubai Media Office.
He also announced Dubai Access Club, an invitation-only membership program for repeat visitors. The government described it as the world’s first city-led tourism membership program.
Invited members will receive exclusive experiences, services and benefits. The government did not give eligibility criteria or say how members will be chosen.
Both initiatives will be implemented during November 2026, the media office said.
The General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) will continue to assess applications and issue visas. Further visa categories will be added to the website later, and more details of the service will be announced in due course.
GDRFA Dubai, the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and Digital Dubai developed the measures under the Shared Digital Channels Initiative, which brings government services onto unified digital platforms. Sheikh Hamdan approved that initiative in February 2025.
The measures support the Dubai Economic Agenda, known as D33, which aims to place the city among the world’s top three destinations for business and leisure.
“Tourism is a key pillar of Dubai’s economy,” Sheikh Hamdan said. He said the emirate aims to attract more investment through technology and public-private partnerships.
Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General of the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism, said the initiatives were about “removing barriers, creating greater value for visitors and giving people more reasons to return to Dubai.”
Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of GDRFA Dubai, said the visa service would bring government procedures into a single digital journey while maintaining security standards.
