The 'Free' Visa: What's on Offer?
The term 'free visa' can be confusing, but in the UAE, it currently refers to two main official schemes designed to boost tourism. The first is a pilot programme by Abu Dhabi's Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) specifically for Indian tourists.
The second is a long-standing summer initiative across all Emirates that waives visa fees for children under 18. It's important to understand that these are not open-door, visa-free travel policies for everyone. They are targeted promotions with specific rules, dates, and eligibility criteria. These offers are designed to reduce the cost of a family holiday or an Abu Dhabi-centric trip, rather than a general waiver of all visa fees.
Abu Dhabi's Offer for Indian Tourists
Abu Dhabi is actively encouraging tourism from India by offering to cover the full cost of a UAE entry visa for up to 20,000 travellers. This programme runs from August 1 to October 31, 2026. To be eligible, you must be an Indian passport holder travelling from India. Crucially, you cannot apply for this free visa independently. The offer is only valid when you book a holiday package through a participating travel partner or an online travel agency. The package must include a return flight from India and a stay of at least three consecutive nights in an Abu Dhabi hotel. The tourism department then covers the visa cost, which is around Dh285, either directly with the travel partner or via reimbursement.
Free Visas for Children Under 18
For families travelling together, the UAE has a fantastic annual offer. The government waives the tourist visa fee for children under the age of 18. For 2026, this scheme is active from July 15 to September 15. This applies to all seven Emirates, not just Abu Dhabi or Dubai. The key condition is that the child must be travelling with at least one parent who is also applying for a tourist visa. You typically apply for the 'family tourist visa' through official channels, and the fee for the child's visa is exempted. While the government visa fee is waived, remember that travel agencies may still have their own service charges. This initiative, first introduced by a Cabinet decision in 2018, is designed to make the UAE a more affordable summer destination for families.
How to Apply and Who are the Partners?
For the Abu Dhabi scheme for Indian tourists, the process is handled entirely by your travel agent. You book a qualifying package, provide the necessary documents for your visa, and the agency processes it, with the cost being covered by DCT Abu Dhabi. You do not need to find a special application form yourself. The key is to book through travel partners and online travel agencies that are participating in the promotion. For the child visa fee waiver, you should apply for the parent and child visas together through the normal channels, such as the ICA's (Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship) website or app, or through an approved travel agency. When applying as a family group, the system should automatically process the waiver for the eligible child during the specified summer period.
Stay Length and Other Conditions
The free visa offers are tied to standard tourist visa durations. For the Abu Dhabi package, the length of your stay is determined by the holiday you book, with the minimum being three nights. The visa itself will be a standard tourist visa. The child visa fee waiver can be applied to either 30-day or 60-day tourist visas. For all other travellers, the UAE continues to offer a variety of visa types, including 30-day and 60-day tourist visas, and a 5-year multiple-entry visa for frequent visitors. A free 48-hour transit visa and a paid 96-hour transit visa are also available for those with long layovers, but these are separate from the main promotional offers.
