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United Arab Emirates

Visa application centres in the United Arab Emirates

This page contains information about our visa application centres in the United Arab Emirates. It also explains what to bring with you and what will happen when you attend your appointment at a visa application centre.

Unless you are exempt from enrolling your biometric information, you must book and attend an appointment at one of our visa application centres as part of your application. The Booking an appointment page contains more information. You can find the addresses and opening times of the visa application centres on the VFS Global in the United Arab Emirates website.

What will happen when you attend?

When you attend your appointment, you will:

  • need to arrive no earlier than 15 minutes before your appointment (if you are late you will need to reschedule);
  • submit the printout of your completed, signed and dated visa application form and your supporting documents;
  • pay your visa application fee; and
  • enrol your biometric information. The Biometric information page describes the requirements for enrolling this information.

Security at the visa application centre

The only people who are admitted to the visa application centre are:

  • the visa applicant;
  • a responsible adult, if the applicant is a child;
  • a carer, if the applicant is disabled; and
  • an interpreter, if the applicant is hearing-impaired.

For security reasons, you cannot bring the following items into the visa application centre or store them on the premises:

  • All battery operated or electronic gadgets such as cameras, audio/video cassettes, compact discs, MP3's, floppies, laptops, or portable music players.
  • All bags such as travel bags, back packs, briefcases, suitcases, leather, jute or cloth bags and zip folders. Only a plastic bag containing your application related papers would be permitted.
  • Sealed envelopes or packages.
  • Any inflammable item such as matchboxes/ lighters/ fuel etc.
  • Any sharp objects such as scissors, pen knives or nail filers.
  • Weapon or weapon like objects or explosive material of any kind.

Other items may be prohibited, at the discretion of security staff.

There are no facilities at the visa application centre to store prohibited items. You should make alternative arrangements to store your belongings.

What should you bring with you?

When you attend, you should bring:

  • a signed printout of your completed visa application form;
  • your passport. You are not legally required to have 6 months validity on your passport at the time you apply for your visa. But your passport must be valid at the time you apply and at the time you arrive in the UK;
  • 1 recent passport-sized (45mm x 35mm) colour photographs of your face, which meets the requirements in our photograph guidance - you can download this guidance from the right side of this page;
  • evidence that you have paid your visa application fee online;
  • any supporting documents that are relevant to your application and a photocopy of each document )including English translations);
  • if your applying under the points-based system, a completed self-assessment form, signed and dated; and
  • any previous passports which show evidence of foreign travel.

Your passport must contain at least 1 page that is blank on both sides, so that your visa vignette (sticker) can be inserted.

Paying your fee

You must pay your visa application fee online in US dollars with a Visa or MasterCard credit or debit card.

When will we return your passport?

We will retain your passport until we have made a decision on your visa application. You should remember this when you make your travel arrangements, particularly if you plan to visit other countries before going to the UK.

If you need to collect your passport before a visa decision has been made, your visa application will be withdrawn. Please note that the visa fee is non-refundable, and if you would like to reapply for a visa you will need to lodge another application, submit your biometric data, and pay the visa fee once again.

Urgent and compassionate cases

You should inform a member of staff at the visa application centre if your application is urgent and there are compassionate reasons for travel. We only accept urgent and compassionate cases in very few circumstances and you must provide evidence - see 'More information' below:

More information

  • Document fraud

    It is a serious crime to make false statements, or submit false information or documents, when applying to enter or remain in the UK.

    Before you sign your application form, you must ensure that the information on the form is correct and your supporting documents are genuine and unaltered. Our officers in the UK and overseas are highly trained to detect fraud.

    If you provide false information, documents or passports, or if you lie or withhold information in support of your application, we will refuse the application and you will face serious consequences. You could:

    • be banned from entering the UK for 10 years;
    • be removed from the UK, if you are already here;
    • be charged with a crime, which could lead to a prison sentence or a fine; and
    • receive a permanent record of fraud on the UK Border Agency database.

    It is better to explain why you do not have a document than to submit a false document.
  • Urgent and compassionate cases

    We only accept applications as urgent and compassionate in the following circumstances:

    • serious illness or death of an immediate family member (the applicant's mother, father, brother, sister, husband, wife, son or daughter); or
    • emergency medical treatment which includes people who need to travel with you for support (for example, a parent caring for an ill child).