Abu Dhabi offers free UAE visas to Indian tourists booking 3-night holidays
Program runs from August 1 to October 31
Indian passport holders travelling from India can receive a complimentary UAE entry visa when they book an Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi has launched a new tourism promotion offering free UAE entry visas to eligible Indian passport holders travelling from India.
Under the program, travelers who book a qualifying Abu Dhabi holiday of at least three nights through participating travel agencies or online travel agencies will have their visa costs covered.
Launched by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the program runs from August 1 to October 31, 2026, and will cover visa costs for up to 20,000 travelers during its pilot phase.
Who can get the free UAE visa?
The promotion is specifically available to Indian passport holders travelling from India. To qualify, travelers must book their Abu Dhabi holiday through a participating travel partner or online travel agency.
The booking must include a minimum stay of three consecutive nights at an Abu Dhabi hotel and a return flight from India. Travelers must meet all of these conditions to receive the visa benefit under the program.
The offer is not available to tourists who want to apply independently for the visa. Instead, the free visa benefit is linked to qualifying holiday bookings made through participating travel partners and online travel agencies.
How does the free UAE visa program work?
Participating travel partners can process the visa benefit through two options. Under the first option, travel companies can work with a destination management company appointed by DCT Abu Dhabi. In this arrangement, DCT Abu Dhabi will cover the visa costs directly.
Under the second option, travel partners can continue working with their existing destination management companies. In such cases, DCT Abu Dhabi will reimburse Dh285 for each eligible visa issued.
This means individual travelers do not receive the visa benefit by submitting a separate application themselves. The visa process and cost coverage are handled through the participating travel partner involved in the qualifying holiday booking.
What Indian travelers need to know
Indian tourists planning to use the offer should first confirm that their chosen travel agency or online travel platform is participating in the program.
Simply holding an Indian passport does not automatically qualify a traveler for the free UAE visa. The traveler must be departing from India and must book a qualifying Abu Dhabi holiday through a participating travel partner or OTA.
The holiday booking must include at least three consecutive nights in an Abu Dhabi hotel and a return flight from India. If these conditions are not met, the booking may not qualify for the promotional visa coverage.
India remains a key tourism market for Abu Dhabi
DCT Abu Dhabi said India remains one of its most important international tourism markets and highlighted its continued efforts to make Abu Dhabi more accessible to Indian travelers.
Abdulla Yousuf, Director of International Operations at DCT Abu Dhabi, said the authority was working closely with travel partners to encourage more Indian visitors to choose Abu Dhabi.
He said covering the visa cost would make it easier for Indian travelers to select Abu Dhabi as a holiday destination while giving travel partners an additional incentive to recommend the emirate.
The initiative is also expected to encourage visitors to spend more time exploring Abu Dhabi’s culture, entertainment, hospitality and natural attractions.
The new visa incentive is part of Abu Dhabi’s wider efforts to strengthen air connectivity, expand partnerships with the travel trade and create new opportunities to attract visitors from India.
The program will remain available until October 31, 2026, subject to its eligibility conditions and the pilot allocation of up to 20,000 visas.
