The programme, developed by the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) and the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET), will grant five-year memberships through nominations by participating companies and loyalty schemes. Visa approval remains mandatory, and membership is not available through unrestricted public applications.
Eligible travellers can register their interest through Visit Dubai, the emirate’s official tourism website, but submitting details does not guarantee an invitation. Those invited must complete an application, provide supporting documents and pay the applicable charges before immigration authorities consider their visa request.
The membership application costs Dh4,032.50, covering the programme, visa application and associated benefits. Applicants applying from within the UAE face an additional Dh650 charge. A rejected visa application attracts a refund subject to a Dh183 deduction, under the published arrangements.
Successful applicants receive a multiple-entry visa valid for five years, allowing visits of up to 90 days at a time, subject to the annual stay limits and other immigration conditions. The arrangement is intended to reduce the need for frequent travellers to seek a separate tourist visa before each journey.
Membership benefits include up to Dh2,000 in credit redeemable at selected hotels, attractions and retail destinations, as well as a complimentary prepaid SIM card from telecommunications provider du. Members also gain access to discounts and promotions through GDRFA Dubai’s ALSAADA Tourist Card.
Participating partners are expected to introduce further privileges, including hotel room upgrades, airport lounge access and opportunities to book events ahead of general availability. The precise scope of those additional offers and the timetable for their introduction have yet to be detailed.
Emirates, Accor and Visa are among the programme’s launch partners. Invitations will be distributed through selected loyalty programmes and multinational companies linked to participating organisations, enabling the authorities to target travellers who already have established business or leisure connections with Dubai.
Emirates plans to extend the opportunity to selected members of its Skywards loyalty programme. Visa’s involvement is expected to provide additional advantages to eligible Visa Infinite cardholders, while hospitality partners will contribute benefits associated with accommodation and visitor experiences.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and UAE Minister of Defence, announced the tourism initiative as part of measures intended to improve access to the emirate and encourage visitors to return.
Issam Kazim, chief executive of the Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing, part of DET, said repeat visits were central to Dubai’s tourism development. He linked the programme to efforts to strengthen travellers’ connections with the city and encourage further engagement with its hospitality and leisure businesses.
Major General Khalaf Ahmad Al Ghaith, assistant director general of the Entry Permits and Residency Sector at GDRFA Dubai, said the authorities were seeking to simplify procedures while maintaining security and operational efficiency. The programme combines immigration services with commercial benefits rather than replacing the existing visa assessment process.
Corporate participation is also designed to serve employees who regularly travel to Dubai for meetings, conferences and other business activities. Eligible staff nominated through participating multinational companies could use the membership benefits during subsequent visits, provided their applications meet the required conditions.
The initiative supports the Dubai Economic Agenda D33, which seeks to position the emirate among the world’s leading destinations for business and leisure. Officials are pairing the membership programme with a separate plan to make tourist visa applications available directly through Visit Dubai during November.
That digital service is intended to accommodate single-entry and multiple-entry visa requests alongside travel planning information, event listings and booking resources. GDRFA Dubai will continue to assess applications and decide whether visas should be issued, while additional visa categories may be incorporated later.
The registration process also requests personal identification and contact information, together with details of the applicant’s employer or existing loyalty membership, to establish a connection with participating programme partners.
Applicants for the five-year visa must supply a passport copy, photograph, six months of bank statements, health insurance and a return or onward ticket. The immigration authority also specifies financial eligibility conditions, including evidence of a qualifying bank balance during the preceding six months.
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