Obtaining a tourist visa when visiting Dubai is a quick and streamlined process, but there are a few things that you will need to have in order to acquire your tourist visa and make your Dubai holidays all they it can be.

The United Arab Emirates, also known as the UAE, has set up a special category under visas and this is known as the tourist visa. The tourist visa grants the individual a 30 day stay in Dubai and it can possibly be renewed once after it has expired.

The requirements for this type of visa may be dependent on what country you are from. This special Dubai visa can be obtained by people from several countries including the following; East and West Europe, Turkey, Bulgaria, Poland, Ukraine, Albania, Russia, the Hellenic Republic, St Kitts-Navis, St Lucia, Mexico, Cuba, Bermuda, Belize, Guyana, French Guiana, Martinique, Antigua and Barbuda, St Vincent, Jamaica, Palao other non-defined American nationalities, Thailand, South Africa, Singapore, China, Malta, Cyprus.

If you are a national citizen of an Arab Gulf Countries Council (AGCC) it is not required for you to have a Dubai visa. You will simply need to produce your AGCC country passport upon arrival at the point of entry into the UAE. Please also be aware that if you are an Israeli passport holder you cannot obtain a UAE visa.

If you are from a country that is not listed here, then you might be required to obtain sponsorship from one of a couple of sources. The first source is the Dubai hotels, but you must be a registered guest of one of these hotels to be able to be sponsored by them. Some of the hotels in Dubai that offer this service are The Grand Hyatt Dubai, Sheraton Deira Hotel and Arabian Park Hotel in Dubai. Make sure to check with your hotel in case they have requirements for your visa in addition to what is listed below.

Another way to gain sponsorship is from the tour company or travel agent that you might have arranged your vacation with.

One last way is through the airline that you fly to Dubai on. There are several airlines that provide Dubai flights, Air Arabia, Emirates Airlines and Etihad Airways to name a few.

In order to obtain a tourist visa you need a valid passport. Your passport should have been valid for at least two months prior to your application for your UAE visa. You will need one passport-size, color photograph of yourself and proof of sponsorship (if needed). This will be either in the form of a letter or a fax. You also need two completed visa application forms.

The visa itself normally takes up to two weeks to receive, but in special circumstances it can be rushed and you could receive it within 2 - 3 working days.

The fee for a tourist visa is AED 100. Make sure that you don’t overstay your welcome, or rather your visa, as there is a penalty of AED 100 per day for each day you overstay.

Dubai tourism is in high demand these days and the tourist visa makes visiting Dubai relaxing for you knowing that there is no rush to complete your Dubai holidays.