The UAE plans to welcome 40 million guests to the country and its hotels by 2031, a government official said to Khaleej Times. This means that in the next few years, a large number of people across the globe will be applying for entry permits to visit the country.
When applying for a tourist visa to the UAE, you can stay safe from potential scams by asking yourself just five questions. See them here.
However, if you have already applied for your visa and want to ensure that it will be a valid one, you can check its status online. Here is how you can verify the validity of your visa:
Dubai
If you got your visa issued from Dubai, then you have to head to the website of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) to verify its validity. Here’s how you can do so in just 5 steps:
1. First, head to the GDRFA website and click on ‘Visa Status’ on the home page.
2. You will then be directed to a new page where you can see several options – you can search for your application using your file number.
3. Select ‘File’ to search for your application.
4. Next, fill in all relevant details like your name, date of birth and file number. Check the box underneath to verify that you are not a robot and click ‘Search’.
5. You should be able to see your visa status after searching for it using this method. However, if you are unable to view the status, it is likely that your visa is fake.
Other emirates
If your visit visa application has been made through another emirate, you can check the validity of your visa using an online service provided by the Federal Authority For Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security.
First, visit the website smartservices.icp.gov.ae. On this page, click on ‘Public Visa Services’ in the bar on the top.
Then, select ‘Application Tracking’. You will be take to another page where you can search for your visa application using your email and request number.
Once you put in the correct information and click ‘Search’, you should be able to find your visa application.
