Visa rule, United Arab Emirates

UAE Visa-Free Visit

Summary

Citizens of the Schengen countries may stay in the United Arab Emirates without a visa arranged in advance for no more than 90 days within any period of 180 days. All visits are added together, and leaving the UAE does not reset the count: a day stops counting only when it is more than 180 days old. Other passports get a different visa on arrival, for example 30 days for each entry, so check the rule for your passport. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) and, in Dubai, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) apply the rule.

Limit
90 days
Period
Any 180 days, counted back from each day of your stay
Applies to
Citizens of the Schengen member states
A day counts when
You are in the UAE for any part of it, including arrival and departure days
Other passports
Different visa on arrival, such as 30 days for each entry
Run by
ICP at federal level, and GDRFA in Dubai

Who it applies to

The rule

The UAE gives citizens of many countries a visit visa at the border, with no application in advance. The length of stay depends on the passport. For citizens of the Schengen member states, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai states the rule in these terms: they are allowed to stay in the United Arab Emirates for a period not exceeding 90 days within any period of 180 days. This follows the visa waiver agreement between the UAE and the European Union, under which UAE citizens have the same 90 days in any 180-day period in the Schengen area.

The words any period of 180 days make this a rolling period. For each day you are in the UAE, look at the 180 days that end on that day. Your days in the UAE inside that period, over all your visits, must not be more than 90. Leaving the country does not give you new days. Days come back one at a time, as each old day passes out of the 180 days.

GDRFA offers an online calculator for this rule. It can plan a trip before you travel, or count the days used and the days left when you enter your earlier entry and exit dates in order. GDRFA says that the calculator is for guidance only and does not guarantee a right to stay, and that you are responsible for the dates you enter.

Other nationalities are under different visa-on-arrival rules. The UAE government portal says that citizens of several countries can get a visa on arrival, for example one that is valid for 30 days, and that others must apply for a visa before they travel. These stays are counted for each entry and not over a rolling period. In all cases the immigration officer at the border decides on entry, and the record in the immigration system is what counts.

Why it exists

The UAE wants tourists and business visitors and makes entry simple for many passports. The limit of 90 days in any 180 days mirrors what UAE citizens receive in the Schengen area. It also separates visiting from living in the country. People who want to live, work or run a company in the UAE need a residence visa, which comes with an Emirates ID, a medical test and a sponsor or a qualifying property or investment.

Counting the days

You count days of presence in the UAE in the 180 days that end on the day you check. Any part of a day in the UAE is one day, and all seven emirates share one count.

  1. Write down every date you entered and left the UAE in the last 180 days, from your passport stamps or tickets.
  2. Pick the day you want to test, for example the last day of the trip you plan.
  3. Count back 179 days from that day. Those days plus the test day are your 180-day period.
  4. Count every day inside that period on which you were in the UAE, including arrival and departure days.
  5. If the total is 90 or less on every day of your stay, you are inside the limit.
  6. Check your result with the GDRFA calculator before a long stay.
How Countr counts it. Countr counts any part of a day in the UAE as one day and adds up the days in the 180 days back from today. It compares the total with 90. A day drops out of the count only when it is 180 days old, so leaving does not reset it. This is the rule for Schengen-country passports. If your passport gets 30, 60 or 90 days for each entry, this tracker does not match your rule. Countr works from what the phone recorded, and the UAE immigration record is the one that decides.

Track UAE Visa-Free Visit on your phone.

Countr finds your past trips in your photos and keeps counting from there.

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Examples

Two visits inside the limit

Pieter, a Dutch citizen, is in Dubai from 5 January to 5 March 2026. That is 60 days, counting both travel days. He returns on 10 April and stays until 9 May, which is 30 more days. On 9 May the 180 days that end on that day start on 11 November 2025 and hold both visits: 60 plus 30 is 90 days. He is at the limit and must leave on 9 May.

The trap: a trip to Oman does not reset the count

Elena, an Italian citizen, spends 1 December 2025 to 28 February 2026 in Abu Dhabi. That is exactly 90 days. She drives to Oman for three weeks and tries to come back on 20 March 2026. The 180 days that end on 20 March start on 22 September 2025 and still contain all 90 days, so one more day would be day 91. The earliest day she can enter again is 30 May 2026, when 1 December has dropped out of the period.

A late arrival and an early departure

Markus lands in Dubai at 23:40 on 14 October 2026 for a meeting and takes a flight home at 01:15 on 16 October. He was in the UAE for under 26 hours. Counted by dates, he was present on 14, 15 and 16 October, so three days of his 90 are used.

Exceptions

Common misconceptions

“A day trip to Oman gives me a new 90 days.”
Not under the 90 days within any 180 days. Days are counted back over 180 days whatever borders you cross, so a short trip out only stops new days from being added.
“I get 90 days on each entry.”
For Schengen-country citizens the 90 days are a total for all visits in any 180 days. Two visits of 60 days close together would be over the limit.
“Every European passport is under the same rule.”
The rule is stated for citizens of the Schengen member states. Other European passports can have different terms, so check the official list for your passport.
“Days in Abu Dhabi and days in Dubai are counted separately.”
No. The UAE is one country for immigration. Days in any of the seven emirates go into the same count.

Questions and answers

How do I calculate my remaining days in the UAE as a Schengen citizen?

Add up the days you were in the UAE in the last 180 days and subtract the total from 90. GDRFA Dubai has a free online calculator where you enter your entry and exit dates in order. Its result is for guidance only.

Do the arrival day and the departure day both count?

Count both. Countr counts any part of a day in the UAE as one day, which is the careful way to count. A stay from 5 January to 5 March is 60 days counted this way.

What happens if I overstay in the UAE?

Overstaying a visit is a breach of UAE residence law and leads to a fine for each day, paid before you leave. Settle it at the airport or an immigration office, and do not wait, because the amount grows daily.

I have a US or UK passport. Is my limit also 90 days in 180?

Not necessarily. The 90 days within any 180 days are stated for Schengen-country citizens. Other passports get a visa on arrival with its own length of stay for each entry. Check the official UAE list for your passport before you rely on this tracker.

Can I live in Dubai on visits if I stay under 90 days in every 180?

The rule lets you spend up to half of your time in the UAE as a visitor. It does not let you work for a UAE employer, and many services, such as a long rental contract or a local bank account, ask for a residence visa and an Emirates ID.

Do my visit days matter for UAE tax residence?

They can. The UAE has a separate tax residence test for individuals that counts days in a 12-month period, with thresholds of 183 days and 90 days. That test is not the same as the immigration limit on this page.

Sources

Other rules for United Arab Emirates

See all trackers

This page explains the rule and how the days are counted. It is not legal or tax advice. The authority decides each case on its own facts.