- Abu Dhabi has launched a pilot program offering free UAE entry visas for eligible Indian tourists.
- The offer covers the two hundred eighty-five dirham fee for up to twenty thousand applicants.
- Travelers must book a three-night hotel stay and return flights through participating travel partners.
Abu Dhabi on August 10, 2026, confirmed a pilot that gives Indian tourists a free UAE entry visa. The offer runs from August 1, 2026, to October 31, 2026, and it is tied to package bookings, hotel nights and a return ticket. The window is fixed, and the rules are narrow.
The Department of Culture and Tourism, Abu Dhabi said the programme is a joint effort with travel trade partners. It will begin with up to 20,000 visas on a first-come, first-served basis. The department will cover the standard fee of AED 285, about $77, per person. Slots are limited.
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Abdulla Yousuf, director of international operations at the department, linked the offer to India’s place in the market and to the role of travel sellers in choosing destinations.
"India continues to be one of our most important international markets, and we remain committed to working closely with our travel partners to make Abu Dhabi even more accessible for Indian travellers. By covering the cost of UAE entry visas, we are making it simpler for Indian travellers to choose Abu Dhabi while giving our travel partners another compelling reason to recommend the destination."
The message stayed on partners.
India remains the emirate’s primary source market for international visitors, and the department said the pilot is meant to keep that flow moving. Indian arrivals rose 22% year on year in 2025. The initiative is also meant to sustain that momentum after regional disruptions earlier in the year. The numbers are doing the work.
Only Indian passport holders departing from India can use the offer. They must book a holiday package through a participating travel partner or an online travel agency, then add at least three consecutive nights in an Abu Dhabi hotel and a return flight from India to the UAE. The rules are specific. They are exclusive.
Partners can settle the fee two ways
Travel partners get two payment paths. They can use DCT-appointed Destination Management Companies for direct payment, or they can receive reimbursement of AED 285 per visa issued. Both routes sit inside the pilot, and the department has already set them out. The process is practical.
For a typical Indian family of four, the programme trims more than $300 in upfront travel costs. That matters on a short-haul holiday, where the visa fee sits near the front of the bill. The offer also places Abu Dhabi beside Thailand and Malaysia, which also offer visa-free entry to Indians. The comparison is clear.
