United Arab Emirates entry requirements for British passport holders (2026): visa and passport validity
Passport validity (FCDO rule): At least 6 months after the day you arrive
Visa (FCDO): Read the official visa text below
Official source: GOV.UK – United Arab Emirates travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 24 July 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Whether you need a visa and how long your British passport must be valid to enter United Arab Emirates, as published by the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), quoted word for word, with a checker for your dates.
Other passports: Canadian passport · Australian passport · Italian citizens: documenti per italiani
Driving in the United Arab Emirates, do you need an international driving permit? UK licence · Canadian licence · Australian licence
Do I need a visa for United Arab Emirates with a British passport?
We quote the FCDO text word for word and do not summarise it: its first sentence has conditions or a wording we do not turn into a one-line answer.
You can get a visitor or tourist visa issued free of charge when you arrive in the UAE. You do not need to apply in advance of travel. Your passport will be stamped with the visa as you go through immigration. It will be valid for up to 90 days over a 180-day period, which will begin from the date of first entry into the UAE. The stay can either be continuous or divided across multiple visits, provided the total duration does not exceed 90 days within the 180-day timeframe.
You could face fines for exceeding your authorised stay which may accumulate for each day of overstay. If you want to extend your stay, contact:
for Dubai: General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs
for the rest of the UAE: Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship
More from the FCDO visa section (extensions, border checks and other cases)
Living and working in the UAE
If you entered Dubai on a visit visa and want to work, you must get a probationary work permit valid for up to 3 months from the Ministry of Labour. If you are caught working on a visit visa, you could get a fine or a prison sentence, and you risk deportation.
You risk arrest if you have lived or worked in the UAE and return when:
- your previous visa is not in order - for example if you did not cancel your work visa
- you have outstanding debts
- you have an unresolved legal issue
If you have any doubt about your status, get advice before returning from a local lawyer.
If you have questions about your visa’s validity or expiration date, or about how to work or stay in the UAE, contact UAE Immigration directly:
- for Dubai: General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs
- for the rest of the UAE: Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship
- from the UK: UAE Embassy in the UK
Residence visas
If you apply for a residence visa, you will have to take a blood test. If you test positive for any communicable diseases like HIV, hepatitis or tuberculosis, you may be detained and then deported, without appeal. Check the health and fitness requirements on the UAE government portal.
When applying for a UAE residence visa, it is common practice for your sponsor’s representative to give their details as the contact information on your application. When your residence visa is issued, update these details using ICP Smart System services. The UAE authorities use these details when they contact you.
Previous travel to Israel
If you have a valid or expired Israeli visa or stamp in your passport, you should not face difficulties entering the UAE as long as you do not plan to work. If you plan to work, further checks may be needed and there is a risk you may be refused entry.
If you are a British-Israeli dual national and have any concerns about entering the UAE, contact the UAE Embassy in the UK.
Leaving the UAE
If you are subject to a travel ban, involved in legal proceedings, have unpaid debt or are a child subject to a custody dispute, you may be prevented from leaving the UAE.
Official source: GOV.UK – United Arab Emirates travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO), section “Visa requirements” · page last updated 24 July 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Passport validity: official text “Passport validity requirements”
To enter the UAE, your passport must have an ‘expiry date’ at least 6 months after the date you arrive.
If you have a residence permit, your passport’s expiry date must be at least 3 months after the date you arrive in the UAE.
If you’re travelling through the UAE and not passing through immigration, your passport must have an expiry date at least 3 months after the date you will transit.
Official source: GOV.UK – United Arab Emirates travel advice, Entry requirements (FCDO) · page last updated 24 July 2026 · checked on 17 October 2026
Check your passport for United Arab Emirates
Schengen rules count your whole trip in the Schengen area: if you visit several Schengen countries, enter the day you first enter the area and the day you leave the last Schengen country.
The check runs in your browser: your dates are not sent anywhere. It applies the FCDO sentence literally (for example “6 months” is counted as the same day of the month 6 months later).
For British passport holders only. These are the rules published by the UK government (FCDO) for British citizens. If you hold another passport, check your own government's advice. The airline and the border officials of the destination decide whether you can travel or enter: this site is information, not legal advice.
Different rules for other cases (official)
If you have a residence permit, your passport’s expiry date must be at least 3 months after the date you arrive in the UAE.
If you’re travelling through the UAE and not passing through immigration, your passport must have an expiry date at least 3 months after the date you will transit.
Recent FCDO updates to the entry requirements
- 9 March 2026: “New information about entry to Saudi Arabia (see ‘Warnings and insurance’ and ‘Entry requirements’ pages).”
- 10 December 2025: “New information about dual nationals returning to the UK (‘Entry requirements’ page).”
- 17 April 2025: “Updated information about length of validity for visas in UAE ('Entry requirements' page).”
- 3 March 2023: “Minor updates to clarify language ('Safety and security', 'Local laws and customs' and 'Entry requirements' pages).”
- 18 November 2022: “Updated information on COVID-19 measures in the UAE and Entry Requirements in to the UAE ('Coronavirus’ and 'Entry Requirements’ page).”
Read the full FCDO travel advice for United Arab Emirates (safety, visas, health) before you travel.
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Same FCDO rule (6 months after arrival)
and 79 more destinations with the same rule: see all
Passport validity rules for all destinations · Liquids rules by airport · EES and ETIAS status