Everything a Kenyan traveller needs to know about getting a UAE tourist visa, in one place, checked against official sources. For couples, families, friends and solo travellers.
Dubai Visa Kenya: The Complete 2026 Guide
Costs in KES, Documents, Processing Times and the Rules Most Guides Skip
Do Kenyans Need a Visa for Dubai?
The Quick Answer
Yes, most do, and it must be approved before you fly. A standard 30-day tourist visa through the Emirates and VFS channel in Nairobi costs KES 14,920 and takes 5 to 6 working days.
The only exception: Kenyans who hold a valid residence permit from the US, UK, an EU country, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore or South Korea can get a visa on arrival for AED 100 (14 days) or AED 250 (60 days). One UAE visa covers Dubai, Abu Dhabi and all seven emirates.
Last checked: 7 October 2026
Baecation Adventures does not offer jobs, work visas or recruitment in Dubai or anywhere else. If someone promises you a job in exchange for a visit visa fee, please walk away and read our scam guide further down this page.
Dubai is open to visitors. Regional conflict disrupted UAE airspace from late February 2026 until normal operations resumed on 2 May 2026, and the UK and US governments still warn of possible short-notice disruption. Book refundable or changeable flights, carry travel insurance, and see Before You Fly for the official links.
Which Dubai Visa Do You Need?
Find your situation in the table. Most Kenyan holidaymakers fall into the first row.
| Your situation | What you need | How you get it |
|---|---|---|
| Kenyan passport, living in Kenya, holiday of up to 30 days | 30-day tourist e-visa, approved before you fly | Through a UAE sponsor: your airline (Emirates), your hotel, a UAE tour operator, or a travel company arranging your trip. Booking a Dubai package with us includes it. |
| Staying longer, up to 60 days | 60-day tourist e-visa | Same routes as above. Hotel bookings must cover the whole stay. |
| Popping out and back in, for example to Oman | Multiple entry tourist visa, 30 or 60 days | Same routes. Costs more than single entry. |
| You hold a valid residence permit from the US, UK, an EU country, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore or South Korea | Visa on arrival: 14 days (AED 100, extendable once) or 60 days (AED 250, not extendable) | Show your Kenyan passport and permit at UAE immigration. A visitor visa from those countries does not qualify. |
| Visiting family who live and work in the UAE | Family-sponsored visit visa | Your relative applies for you in the UAE. Emirates lists minimum sponsor salaries from AED 4,000 a month for a spouse, children or parents. |
| You visit the UAE often | Five-year multiple entry tourist visa | Apply to GDRFA Dubai yourself. You need a bank balance of at least USD 4,000 held over the last six months, health insurance and a return ticket. |
| Changing planes in Dubai and want to leave the airport | 48-hour or 96-hour transit visa | Emirates passengers can apply through the airline. Staying inside the airport? Confirm with your airline before you fly. |
Sources: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (ICP announcement), Emirates Kenya, Dubai government portal. Checked 7 October 2026.
How Much Does a Dubai Visa Cost from Kenya?
Published prices from official and airline sources. Agents add their own fees, so always ask for the all-in figure.
KES 14,920
KES 18,375
AED 100 (14 days) / AED 250 (60 days)
| Visa | Where the price comes from | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 30-day tourist, single entry | VFS Global Nairobi, Emirates passengers | KES 14,920 (normal) or KES 18,375 (express) |
| 60-day tourist, single entry | VFS Global Nairobi | KES 28,680 |
| 30-day tourist, multiple entry | VFS Global Nairobi | KES 20,820 |
| 60-day tourist, multiple entry | VFS Global Nairobi | KES 37,320 |
| 48-hour transit | VFS Global Nairobi | KES 1,755 |
| 30-day tourist, applied online | Emirates, Manage Your Booking | USD 90, plus VFS fees |
| Visa on arrival, 14 days | UAE ICP | AED 100 (about KES 3,510 rate as at date) |
| Visa on arrival, 60 days | UAE ICP | AED 250 (about KES 8,780, rate as at date) |
| Tourist visa with a Baecation Dubai package | Included in your package price | No separate visa fee |
VFS prices include their service charge and tax. Sources: VFS Global Kenya, Emirates, UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Checked 7 October 2026.
If Your Visa Is Refused
Visa fees are not refundable. VFS states this plainly: once paid, the fee is not refunded under any circumstances, and cancelling an approved visa costs KES 5,651. This is why checking every document before you apply matters so much.
Other Costs to Budget For
- A refundable security deposit of USD 1,000 if you do not meet the travel record rule (explained below)
- The Tourism Dirham, a nightly hotel fee paid at check-in
- Travel insurance
Dubai Visa Requirements for Kenyans
This is the list VFS Nairobi publishes for Emirates passengers. Other sponsors ask for much the same, so use it as your checklist whichever route you take.
- Passport valid for at least six months from your travel date. Names with special characters, such as brackets, are rejected until the passport is corrected.
- Colour copy of the passport cover and bio page.
- Passport photo, 2 x 2 inches, plain light background, neutral expression, face clearly visible. No phone-printed or Polaroid photos.
- Completed visa application form.
- Confirmed return ticket, with dates matching your hotel booking.
- Confirmed hotel booking for the whole stay, no more than two hotels.
- Six-month bank statement in your own name, if you are aged 18 to 41 or travelling with family.
Source: VFS Global Kenya, checked 7 October 2026.
The Eligibility Rules Most Guides Skip
VFS asks Kenyan applicants to meet one of the first three conditions below. This is where many first-time travellers get stuck, so check it before you book anything.
You have travelled to, or hold a valid visa for, the US, UK, Schengen, EU, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, Canada or Japan in the last three years. Bring the passport pages that show it.
A refundable deposit of USD 1,000, returned after you come back and show your UAE entry and exit stamps.
An immediate family member living in the UAE invites you, with their tenancy contract and UAE residence card.
Applicants aged 18 to 41, or travelling with family, show a closing balance of at least USD 4,000 for the last two months, in one account in their own name.
If your spouse’s name is not endorsed in your passport, bring your marriage certificate or a notarised affidavit. Couples travelling straight after the wedding are also asked for a no-objection letter from parents with ID, the wedding card and a wedding photo.
Emirates does not sponsor unaccompanied minors or students. Children are considered when travelling with their parents, and every child needs their own visa.
How Long Does a Dubai Visa Take?
Apply three to four weeks before you fly, and earlier for December and Easter, when Kenyans travel in big numbers and holidays in both countries slow things down.
| Route | Published processing time |
|---|---|
| VFS Nairobi, normal | 5 to 6 working days from submission |
| VFS Nairobi, express | Within 48 hours from submission |
| Emirates online | Apply at least 4 working days before arrival |
| Visa on arrival | Issued at UAE immigration |
Working days exclude Saturdays, Sundays and UAE public holidays. Sources: VFS Global Kenya, Emirates.
Applying Early Does Not Waste Your Visa
Tourist visas are valid for entry for about 58 days from the date they are issued, so you can apply well ahead of your trip without losing any of your stay.
Can I Extend My Visa While in Dubai?
Yes. Visas issued through Emirates can be extended at the Emirates visa office in Dubai International Airport Terminal 3 before your stay runs out. VFS lists the extension fee as AED 850 each time. Never let your visa expire while you work out the extension.
How to Apply for a Dubai Visa from Kenya
Every UAE tourist visa needs a UAE-based sponsor: an airline, a hotel, a licensed tour company or a resident relative. A Kenyan agent cannot issue the visa alone; they work through one of these sponsors. Here are your practical routes.
- Choose a package or ask us to design your trip on WhatsApp.
- We send a written quote with flights, hotel, transfers, tours and the UAE visa.
- Pay a deposit by M-Pesa or bank, or spread the cost with our Payment Plans.
- Send clear copies of your documents. We check them before anything is submitted.
- Our Dubai partner sponsors and submits your visa. The e-visa arrives by email.
- You fly, with a team in Nairobi and Dubai looking after you.
- Book and pay for your Emirates ticket, in and out of Dubai on one booking.
- Apply online in Manage Your Booking at emirates.com, at least four working days before arrival, or at VFS Global in Westlands.
- VFS: 1st floor, Parkfield Building, Muthangari Drive, off Waiyaki Way, opposite Safaricom House. Monday to Friday, 8:30 AM to 4:30 PM. Pay by M-Pesa at the centre only after your documents are checked.
- Your e-visa arrives by email. Print a copy for immigration.
Your family member applies in the UAE, using their residence permit and proof of salary. Emirates lists minimum monthly salaries from AED 4,000 for a spouse, children or parents, rising for other relatives and friends.
Skip all three routes. Carry your Kenyan passport and your permit, and choose the 14-day or 60-day visa on arrival at UAE immigration.
Dubai Packages with the Visa Included
Flights from JKIA, your hotel, transfers, tours and the UAE visa in one written quote. Built for couples, and happy to plan for families and friends too.
Why Dubai Visas Get Refused
And How to Avoid It
Nobody can guarantee a UAE visa, including us. The decision belongs to UAE immigration alone. What you can control is a clean, honest application. These are the common problems to avoid.
Refused before? Tell us what happened on WhatsApp. We will look at your documents honestly and tell you whether a new application makes sense, or whether to wait and strengthen it first.
Make your flight, hotel check-in and check-out dates line up exactly.
Use your own account with a steady balance. A sudden deposit just before applying raises questions.
Check the three eligibility rules above before you book non-refundable flights.
Your passport, ticket and hotel booking must carry exactly the same spelling.
Correct the passport at Immigration before you apply.
Use a studio photo on a plain light background and clear colour scans.
Declare it honestly. Hiding history usually ends in refusal.
A tourist visa is for tourism. Applications that look like job searches are refused, and working on a tourist visa is illegal in the UAE.
Before You Fly to Dubai
The visa gets you in. These are the things that make the rest of the trip smooth.
Your passport needs at least six months’ validity from your travel date, and it must be machine readable. Print your e-visa: immigration may ask for a printed copy during random eye screening, and Emirates notes a charge of AED 30 per copy if you do not have one.
Strongly recommended, and some visa routes require medical insurance. Read the exclusions: many policies do not cover war or conflict, which matters given the regional situation.
Dubai hotels charge a small fee per room per night at check-in, roughly AED 7 to 20 depending on the hotel’s class. Abu Dhabi charges its own tourism fee. Budget for it, because packages and visas do not cover it.
Ordinary prescription medicines are fine with your prescription. Narcotic and controlled medicines need a permit from the UAE Ministry of Health and Prevention, or must be declared on arrival with your prescription and medical report. Limits are three months’ supply for controlled medicines and six months for prescription-only medicines. Check the MOHAP guidance before packing.
The fine is AED 50 for every day past your visa’s expiry. Plan to leave before the date on your visa, not after it.
Since the UAE’s 2020 legal reforms, unmarried adult couples can share a hotel room. Keep public affection low-key and dress modestly at religious sites and government buildings. More tips are in our Dubai guide.
Last checked 7 October 2026. Dubai is open to visitors. Regional conflict disrupted UAE airspace from late February 2026 until normal operations resumed on 2 May 2026, and the UK and US governments still warn of possible short-notice disruption. We recommend refundable or changeable flights and travel insurance, and we will tell you straight away if anything changes before your trip.
Tourist Visas Only. No Jobs, Ever.
How to Spot a Fake Dubai Visa or Job Agent
Baecation Adventures helps with holiday travel only. We do not offer jobs, work visas or recruitment in Dubai or anywhere else.
Every year, Kenyans lose savings to people selling Dubai visas with jobs attached. A tourist visa never comes with a job, and working on one is illegal in the UAE. Walk away if:
- They promise a job, a salary or a connection on arrival in exchange for a visit visa fee.
- They guarantee approval. No honest agent can; only UAE immigration decides.
- They want payment to a personal M-Pesa number, or keep changing the number.
- They have no physical office, no company name and no licence number.
- They ask you to leave your passport with them, or to lie on your application.
- The price is far below the published prices on this page.
How to Check an Agent
- Ask for the company’s registered name and its Tourism Regulatory Authority (TRA) licence number, then confirm it with the TRA.
- Pay only to a company Paybill or company bank account, and always get a receipt.
- Check the visa itself: a genuine UAE e-visa carries a number you can verify through official UAE channels.
- For jobs abroad, only use recruitment agencies registered with Kenya’s National Employment Authority.
Baecation Adventures is a licensed travel company.
Office: Spur Mall, Thika Road, Exit 13, 1st Floor, Suite F79. We never sell jobs, and we never ask for payment to a personal number.
Planning Dubai? Let Us Make It Easy.
Tell us your dates and who is travelling, and we will send a written quote with flights from JKIA, your hotel, transfers, tours and the UAE visa included.
Couples, families, friends and solo travellers are all welcome. Prefer to start small? Ask us anything about the visa first; there is no charge for advice.
Reach out:
For enquiries or bookings, write to [email protected]. We’ll revert within 20 minutes during business hours.
Dubai Visa Questions Kenyans Ask
Straight answers before you apply.
Through VFS Nairobi, a 30-day tourist visa costs KES 14,920, or KES 18,375 for express processing. A 60-day visa costs KES 28,680. When you book a Dubai package with us, the visa is included in the package price.
Yes. VFS accepts M-Pesa at its Westlands centre after your documents are checked. With Baecation, you pay for your package by M-Pesa Paybill or bank transfer.
About 5 to 6 working days through VFS, or within 48 hours with express. Apply three to four weeks before travel, and earlier for December and Easter.
Only if you also hold a valid residence permit from the US, UK, an EU country, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore or South Korea. Everyone else must get the visa before flying.
VFS asks applicants aged 18 to 41, and those travelling with family, for a six-month statement with at least USD 4,000 in the last two months.
Visas issued through Emirates can be extended at the airport visa office in Terminal 3 before they expire. VFS lists the fee as AED 850 per extension.
You pay AED 50 for every extra day, and overstays can affect future visas. Leave on or before the date on your visa.
Yes, if you fly Emirates: apply online through Manage Your Booking or at VFS in Westlands. Otherwise you need a UAE sponsor such as your hotel, a UAE tour company or a relative living there.
Yes, every traveller needs a visa, including children. Children are considered when travelling with their parents.
Yes. Your passport, ticket and hotel booking must match exactly. Fix any difference before you apply, and if your passport name has brackets or other special characters, correct the passport first.
Usually not. VFS states that visa fees are not refundable under any circumstances. That is why checking documents before submission matters.
Yes. Since the UAE’s 2020 legal reforms, unmarried adult couples can share a hotel room. Newly married couples may be asked for a marriage certificate if the spouse’s name is not in the passport.
Talk to us on WhatsApp. We will review what happened honestly and tell you whether to reapply now or strengthen your application first.
Dubai is open to visitors, but regional tensions mean short-notice flight disruption is possible. We share the latest official advice when you plan your trip and recommend flexible fares and insurance.