Before you fly
- Who actually gets VOA
- Dress and Ramadan
- Summer
Middle East
United Arab Emirates
Summer heat is fading but days are still fierce. Better as a stopover than a beach week.
Visa when you land · 180 daysUAE dirhamMid US$230
Your trip
You are in
London
United Kingdom · LHR
7 hours non-stop
You land in
United Arab Emirates
Dubai · DXB
Needed
Entry Visa when you landStay 180 daysVisa fee Check
Cost
Mid day US$230Rate 1 GBP ≈ 4.86 AED
Pay in AED. A bank or airport desk usually keeps more of the rate. Compare it on FX
Check the visa feeChecked Sep 2026
UK passports typically receive a long visit visa. Confirm current length.
Status
Visa when you land
Stay
180 days
Fee guide
Confirm
Verify on IATA before you pay or fly. A stay or a fee on this card is only a note. If IATA and the government site disagree with it, follow those.
1 · 1–3 days
eVOA if it exists
Paying on the official portal before you fly usually skips the cash queue.
2 · Before you board
Fee and documents
Passport validity, return ticket, fee in card or the currency the desk actually takes.
3 · 30–90 min on landing
Pay at the desk
Follow VOA signs. Keep the receipt with the passport until you leave.
Confirm on the official site
Indicative only, last reviewed Sep 2026. Zay Future Ltd is not an immigration adviser. We do not scrape government systems or store passport numbers. Confirm fees and wait times on the official site before you pay anyone else.
Cost
What one day costs, and what the trip costs
| One day | Mid | Comfort | Budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bed | US$110 | US$230 | US$32 |
| Food | US$50 | US$90 | US$28 |
| Getting around | US$25 | US$50 | US$10 |
| Extras | US$15 | US$30 | US$10 |
| Day | US$230 | US$460 | US$92 |
Budget is a dorm or guesthouse. Mid and Comfort charge the whole room to one person. Two people split the bed only. Not included: the flight, the visa, insurance, the airport ride, a scooter, tours, or shopping.
Visa
US$0
eSIM
US$15
Airport ride
US$25
First meal
US$18
Cover
US$41
Arrival day, not counting the hotel
US$58
Hotel is not included. The ride is one car for every three people. Cards everywhere. Tipping is light. Taxis and Careem are the default ride.
1
On US$1610 of spending in the country, a normal bank card can cost about US$47 extra in fees. A travel card is usually cheaper. Open the money desk
1 person · 7 nights · Mid · cover
US$1691
Getting there
7 hours non-stop
From London. A typical time, not a live timetable.
- Emirates
- Etihad
- flydubai
- British Airways
Airport
From the airport into the city
A guide, not a live map. Fares move. Check the app before you sit down.
Dubai International · DXB
20–40 min to Downtown / Marina
- Inside
- Terminals 1 and 3 have the metro. Terminal 2 does not connect to them on foot. Use the terminal on your ticket.
- Into town
- Metro, official taxi, or Careem. The metro does not serve every hotel door.
- Typical cost
- Metro is a few dirham. A taxi to Downtown or the Marina is often about 50–90 dirham.
Zayed International · AUH
30–50 min to the corniche
- Inside
- One main terminal. Taxi and Careem ranks are signed after baggage.
- Into town
- Taxi or Careem to the corniche. There is no metro from this airport.
- Typical cost
- Often about 70–120 dirham.
Dubai World Central · DWC
45–70 min to Marina
- Inside
- A separate airport, far south of the city. Do not expect the Dubai metro.
- Into town
- Pre-book a Careem or taxi. Leave more time than you would from the main airport.
- Typical cost
- Often about 90–150 dirham to the Marina.
Find a lounge
- Business class or airline status: follow that airline’s lounge signs.
- A card lounge: open Priority Pass, LoungeKey, or DragonPass and search the airport code.
- Pay at the door: the price is on the desk, not on this page.
When to leave
This does not see your ticket. It only writes a reminder on your phone.
Install buttons open the official app. Grab’s public referral pays drivers who recruit drivers. It does not pay this site when a traveller installs the ride app. A button will say “referral” only after a deal is signed.
Road
Right-hand traffic
Licence
United Kingdom licence: Visitors usually need an IDP with the home licence. A GCC licence is a different rule.
Getting around
Metro in Dubai. Then a taxi or Careem. Driving is easy. Parking is not.
Weather
Mild Nov–Mar. Very hot May–Sep. Almost no rain. No snow.
Still hot · easing at night
- Languages
Arabic · English everywhere in Dubai / Abu Dhabi
- Plug230V
- Emergency
999
- Airports
DXB · AUH · DWC
- Kit
Card, cover, and FX
Before you fly
What to buy before the trip
Adapter, eSIM, and the small things that are harder to find on arrival.
Open the shopWhat people eat
Shawarma
CafeteriaAbout 10 dirham
Mandi
CafeteriaAbout 25 dirham
Karak and eggs
CafeteriaAbout 12 dirham
A typical price, not a menu.
Pay in the local currency
- Ask to pay in UAE dirham, not your home currency.
- If the card machine offers to convert the amount, press no.
- Compare a transfer before you send cash home.
Buying or leasing
LimitedLimited means it is possible only in some places, or only with approval.
Freehold is allowed in designated areas. Elsewhere it is a lease.
Oct 2026. Not legal advice.
1 · Before you fly
Who actually gets VOA
2 · When you land
E-gates
3 · While you are there
Getting around
4 · When you leave
DXB security
The steps
Before you fly, when you land, while you are there, when you leave
When you land
- E-gates
- Metro or Careem from DXB · Metro a few AED · taxi Downtown ~AED 60–90
While you are there
- Getting around
- Alcohol
When you leave
- DXB security
Where to do what
Smart gates
Follow the signs if your passport is enrolled or eligible.
Tourist SIM
Etisalat and du after baggage. eSIM can be live before you land.
Metro
DXB T1 and T3 connect to the Red Line.
To book
eSIM, hotel, and a car
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