The majority of visit visas that have been rejected are due to applicants not meeting legal requirements such as return ticket, hotel booking and not having proof of funds, say travel industry executives.

UAE's immigration authorities have made it mandatory for all visit visa holders flying into the country to carry sufficient funds, hotel accommodation or proof of residence, and return air ticket before the expiry of the tourist visa.

“The UAE is an easy country to get into as restrictions are fairly less. But many people come into the UAE and actively look for jobs. The UAE government wants to segregate these two categories, hence, they want genuine tourists to come in, explore this beautiful country and leave before the visit visa expires,” said Rikin Sheth, assistant vice president, B2C, at musafir.com.

Many media outlets in India, Pakistan and other South Asian countries as well as social media platforms claimed visit visa rejections by the UAE.

Millions of tourist come to the UAE — mostly Dubai — every year. To ensure quality of tourists visiting the country, the UAE and other developed countries around the world have put in place certain legal requirements that tourists have to meet to obtain visit visas of the country. During January-July 2024, Dubai welcomed 10.62 million tourists, an increase of over 8 per cent.

Sheras Sharaf, operations manager at Arab World Tourism, said the main reasons behind visa rejections are due to providing dummy flight and hotel bookings, which fail verification checks during the visa process.

“Incomplete or missing supporting documents, such as proof of funds, confirmed travel itineraries, or valid accommodation details, also contribute to the issue. Authorities are increasingly vigilant against applicants who may pose a risk of overstaying their visas,” said Sharaf.

Sheth added that there has been a lot of scare in terms of tourist visas being rejected, but if a genuine tourist wants to come to Dubai for a short holiday, he/she should submit genuine documents and there will be no rejection.

“Make sure you carry your valid return ticket, accommodation proof (whether staying at a hotel or a relative’s place) and have enough money. Importantly, visitors should exit the country as per the legitimate number of days that he/she is allowed to stay in the country so that they can visit the UAE again,” said Musafir’s assistant vice president.

Sheth added that the UAE was a little lenient and now they expect travel agencies to make sure they attach genuine hotel bookings or tenancy contracts of direct relatives of the tourists along with the proof of funds when calling parents, relatives, cousins or siblings.

Rikin Sheth advised UAE tourists to approach a travel agency which is renowned and is able to give accurate information related to visas and immigration services in the Emirates.

“Of late, travel agencies have been educating people that they need to attach genuine hotel accommodation and flight details. If you provide genuine documents to the immigration system, why will authorities reject applications. Hence, the approval rate has significantly increased this week,” he added.