Know before you go: United Arab Emirates

Quick answer: Most Western, GCC and many other passport holders can enter the UAE visa-free or get a visa on arrival for stays of 30 to 90 days, but rules vary by nationality, so always confirm on the official ICP or GDRFA site before flying; pack for heat between May and September and aim for October to April for the most pleasant weather.

Visa & entry

Entry rules in the UAE depend entirely on your passport, and the system has been updated several times in 2026, so treat any summary, including this one, as a starting point rather than the final word. GCC nationals get visa-free entry for 30 days, while many nationalities including Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Bulgaria, Canada and dozens more get 90-day visa-free entry with no application needed. This 90-day visa-free entry policy applies to passport holders from 49 countries, with stays allowed within a rolling 180-day period.

Other nationalities need a visa on arrival rather than full visa-free access. A 30-day visa on arrival is available with a valid US, UK, EU, Australian, Canadian, New Zealand, Japanese, Singaporean or South Korean visa or residence permit for citizens of Bangladesh, Egypt, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Ukraine, and most other nationalities not otherwise listed. In mid-2026 the UAE also expanded this scheme: from 25 June 2026, the UAE expanded its visa-on-arrival programme to include nationals of Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Africa. However, eligibility for these newly added nationalities is conditional; nationality alone is not enough, as passport holders from these six countries must also hold a valid residence permit from one of the approved countries to qualify, otherwise a pre-arranged UAE visit visa is still required. Indian nationals fall into a separate category, with a 14-day visa on arrival available with a valid qualifying visa.

If you are not covered by any of these categories, you will need to arrange a UAE visit visa online in advance of travel. Because eligibility criteria, stay lengths, and the list of qualifying countries have changed multiple times in 2026 alone, always verify your specific nationality’s requirements directly on the ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security) website or the GDRFA site for Dubai before booking flights, and recheck close to your travel date. Always verify your eligibility with the UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security before travelling.

Getting around

Dubai’s metro, tram, buses and water buses all run on the RTA’s Nol card system, which is the simplest way for visitors to pay for public transport. Nol is the single smart card used across Dubai’s metro, tram, buses and water transport, and the Silver card is the default choice for tourists and regular riders. It costs AED 25 at the ticket office or machine, of which AED 19 is usable balance and AED 6 is the non-refundable cost of the card, and it stays valid for five years; travel is pay-as-you-go, with the system deducting the correct zone-based fare automatically when you tap out.

Fares are zone-based rather than flat rate. Silver NOL Card fares in 2026 are AED 3 for one zone, AED 5 for two zones, and AED 7.50 for three or more zones. If you want extra comfort, the Gold card costs the same to buy as Silver but unlocks the Gold Class cabin at the front of every train, with the trade-off that Gold travel is charged at double the standard fare for the same journey. Transfers between modes are generously integrated: if you change between two modes of transport within 30 minutes, for example from the metro to a bus or the tram, it counts as a single trip, with the fare charged by the total number of fare zones travelled, not per vehicle.

For airport connections, the Red Line stops directly at Terminals 1 and 3 of Dubai International Airport, though Terminal 2 has no station of its own, meaning you’ll need a taxi or shuttle bus from there. Beyond Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other emirates rely more on taxis, ride-hailing apps, and intercity buses, since metro coverage is Dubai-specific. Taxis are metered, plentiful, and generally a comfortable, affordable way to get around outside the metro network, and renting a car is straightforward with an international driving permit if you plan to explore desert or inter-emirate routes independently.

Money & costs

The currency is the UAE Dirham, abbreviated AED and also written Dhs or Dh, with 1 dirham dividing into 100 fils. The dirham is pegged to the US dollar at a fixed rate of roughly 3.6725 AED to 1 USD, which makes budgeting predictable for dollar-based travellers and keeps the exchange rate stable regardless of global currency swings.

Cards are accepted almost everywhere in cities. Credit cards are widely accepted, but it’s useful to have some cash for taxis, tips, and smaller purchases. ATMs are widely available throughout the UAE in malls, hotels, metro stations, and banks, with most machines accepting international cards and offering English-language menus. A useful rule at both ATMs and card terminals: when prompted, always choose to withdraw or pay in dirhams rather than your home currency to avoid dynamic currency conversion, which usually offers poorer rates.

For cash-only situations, keep some dirhams on hand. Traditional souks, some independent taxis, smaller neighborhood shops and street-food vendors may prefer or only accept cash. On tipping, there is no strict obligation: tipping is not mandatory since many bills include a service charge, but rounding up or leaving around 10 percent is appreciated. Overall, be prepared for a relatively high cost of living compared to many destinations, particularly in Dubai’s hotels, dining and attractions, though public transport and street food remain comparatively affordable.

Best time to visit

Weather dictates the UAE travel calendar more than almost anything else. The best time to visit the United Arab Emirates is from October to April, spanning the winter season; it will still be hot, especially around midday, but you’ll be able to explore outdoors, which is near-impossible at the height of summer. Within that window, December to February tend to be the most popular months for visitors due to comfortable temperatures of between 17 and 25 degrees Celsius, while the summer months see temperatures soar up to 40 degrees Celsius.

If you want to avoid both extreme heat and peak-season prices, the shoulder months are a good compromise. April, May and October can be considered the mid-season, a good time to travel and find cheaper prices, while the low season, with hardly any tourists, falls between June and September. Do note that summer is not without its charms for budget travellers, since temperatures soar from May to August, so hotel prices drop and crowds disperse, an option worth considering if you’re happy sticking mostly to air-conditioned malls, indoor attractions and evening outings.

Emergencies & safety

The UAE uses separate three-digit numbers for each emergency service rather than one unified line. 998 is for ambulance, 999 for police, and 997 for fire department (civil defence). Coast guard and search-and-rescue services have their own lines too: 996 is used for water-related incidents, maritime emergencies, or coastal rescue situations, and 995 is for wilderness rescue, missing persons cases, or emergencies requiring specialised recovery teams.

If you’re unsure which number to use, or your phone is locked or has no signal, dialling 112 from any mobile phone, even one with no SIM card, no signal from your carrier, or a locked screen, routes you to the 999 police emergency dispatcher. All of these lines are free to call. For non-urgent police matters, for non-emergency police matters in Dubai, dial 901. Smartphone users can also supplement calls with official apps: in Abu Dhabi, use Abu Dhabi Police’s AD999 app to report a fire, request an ambulance, or call the emergency helpline via an SOS button, while in Dubai, the DCAS SOS app requests emergency ambulance services and can determine your exact location.

The UAE is generally considered very safe for tourists, including solo travellers, but it operates under strict laws around alcohol consumption in public, public behaviour, drugs, and photography of government or military sites, so it pays to research local etiquette and legal norms before you arrive, particularly if visiting outside the main tourist zones of Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Official sources

• U.Ae Official Government Portal, Handling Emergencies
• Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), UAE
• General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai (GDRFA)
• Roads and Transport Authority, Dubai (RTA), Nol Card & Fares
• Visit Dubai, Official Tourism Board, Practical Information
• Visit Abu Dhabi, Official Tourism Board
• U.Ae, Visas and Emirates ID