The Abu Dhabi free tourist visa initiative covers the UAE visa cost for eligible Indian travellers booking qualifying three-night Abu Dhabi holidays.
ABU DHABI: Indian passport holders travelling from India can have their UAE entry visa cost covered when booking an eligible Abu Dhabi holiday under a new tourism initiative running until October 31, 2026.
The Abu Dhabi free tourist visa programme, introduced by the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), is designed to make the emirate more accessible to one of its key international visitor markets. The pilot will cover up to 20,000 qualifying visas.
However, the offer is not an unconditional free visa for every Indian passport holder. Travellers must meet specific booking requirements to qualify.
Eligible visitors must begin their journey in India and book through participating travel partners or online travel agencies. Their package must include a return flight from India and at least three consecutive hotel nights in Abu Dhabi.
The programme runs from August 1 to October 31, 2026, with DCT Abu Dhabi covering the visa charge for qualifying bookings.
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How can Indian tourists get the free visa?
Travel companies have two processing options. Agencies using destination management companies appointed by DCT Abu Dhabi can have the visa cost paid directly.
Travel partners that continue using their existing destination management companies can instead receive reimbursement of AED 285 for each qualifying visa issued.
For travellers, this means the visa charge can effectively be removed from the cost of an eligible Abu Dhabi holiday package, subject to all programme requirements being met.
India is an increasingly important tourism market for Abu Dhabi. According to figures provided with the announcement, Indian visitor numbers increased by 22 per cent in 2025 compared with the previous year.
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Abu Dhabi recorded 26.6 million visitors during 2025, while hotels welcomed 5.9 million guests. Hotel revenue reached AED 9.1 billion during the year.
Abdulla Yousuf, Director of International Operations at DCT Abu Dhabi, described India as “one of our most important international markets”.
The initiative also encourages longer stays by linking the visa benefit directly to a minimum three-night hotel booking rather than simply providing support for entry into the UAE.
For Indian travellers considering an Abu Dhabi break over the coming months, the Abu Dhabi free tourist visa offer could reduce the overall cost of a qualifying trip while providing an added incentive to stay and explore the emirate.
Impact to expect
The initiative could encourage more Indian travellers to choose Abu Dhabi for short holidays, while increasing hotel stays and supporting the emirate’s tourism and hospitality sectors.
Shaneer N. Siddiqui is the Managing Editor at TheBrewNews.com, with more than 20 years of experience in journalism, media, communication, and business strategy. A lifelong news enthusiast, he enjoys telling stories that inform, engage, and matter. Whether he’s following the latest developments or guiding the editorial team, Shaneer stays focused on bringing readers meaningful news. Outside the newsroom, he likes reading, exploring new ideas, and staying curious about the changing world of media.
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