Through Emirates Visa UAE, a Dubai visa for a South African passport holder starts at US$110 for a 48 hour transit visa and rises to US$800 for a 60 day multiple entry tourist visa. In rand, that is roughly R1,820 to R13,200 per person. Where your trip lands in that range depends on how long you stay, whether you need to enter more than once and how quickly you need the visa.

This guide separates the price into its working parts: the government charge, VAT, the agency fee, insurance and optional speed upgrades. It also covers the narrow route that lets some South Africans receive a visa on arrival, so you can compare every option before you commit.

Dubai Visa Prices for South African Passport Holders

Emirates Visa UAE lists transit and tourist visas on its visa application pages. Each visa is issued by the United Arab Emirates for one traveller. Transit visas must be used within 30 days of issue and tourist visas within 60 days of issue. Your stay is counted from the day you enter.

Visa type	Stay allowed	Entry	Price (USD)	Approx. rand	Listed processing
48 Hours Transit	48 hours	Single	US$110	R1,820	2 to 3 days
96 Hours Transit	96 hours	Single	US$130	R2,150	2 to 3 days
14 Days Tourist	14 days	Single	US$160	R2,640	2 to 3 days
30 Days Tourist	30 days	Single	US$185	R3,050	2 to 3 days
60 Days Tourist	60 days	Single	US$440	R7,260	2 to 3 days
14 Days Tourist	14 days	Multiple	US$430	R7,100	2 to 3 days
30 Days Tourist	30 days	Multiple	US$550	R9,080	2 to 3 days
60 Days Tourist	60 days	Multiple	US$800	R13,200	2 to 3 days
30 Days Visa Extension	30 days	Single	US$650	R10,730	2 to 3 days

Rand amounts use an indicative rate of about R16.5 per US dollar and are rounded. Your bank or card rate will differ.

Does a South African Passport Need a Visa for Dubai?

For most travellers, yes. A South African passport does not allow visa free entry to the United Arab Emirates, and the usual visa on arrival offered to some nationalities does not apply to someone flying from home. Your visa must be approved before you check in at OR Tambo International Airport in Johannesburg, Cape Town International Airport, King Shaka International Airport in Durban or any other departure airport.

A single UAE visa is valid for all seven emirates, so the same document works for Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the rest. Applicants in Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town and Durban can complete the whole process online.

Visa on arrival for residence permit holders

Since 25 June 2026, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs has allowed South Africans with an ordinary passport, together with their accompanying family members, to receive a visa on arrival when they hold a valid residence permit from the United States, an EU member state, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand or Canada. Without one of those permits you must apply for a standard visa before you travel.

Visa on arrival type	Government fee	Approx. rand	Extension
14 day visa	AED 100	About R450	One extension allowed inside the UAE
60 day visa	AED 250	About R1,120	No extension

Staying past the permitted period brings a fine of AED 50 per day. Ask your airline to confirm that you qualify before you fly.

Where Your Money Goes: The Parts of a Dubai Visa Fee

The number on a visa product page combines several separate charges. Knowing each part helps you compare one provider with another.

• Government entry permit fee: the amount charged by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai.
• VAT: 5% on the government visa fee.
• Agency fee: payment to a licensed travel and tourism company for sponsoring and submitting your application.
• Medical insurance: Dubai requires insurance valid in the UAE for a single entry tourist visa.
• Length of stay: 14, 30 or 60 days, with longer stays priced higher.
• Entry type: single entry or multiple entry, with multiple entry priced much higher.
• Speed: standard, expedited, emergency or ultra priority handling.
• Travellers: each person, children included, needs a separate visa and pays a separate fee.

What the Dubai Government Charges

The GDRFA Dubai lists the base fee for a single entry tourist visa. It quotes an official processing time of 48 hours. Only an accredited tourism office can sponsor the visa, which explains why South Africans apply through a licensed agency, airline or hotel and not directly with the authority.

Visa	Government fee	VAT	Approx. rand before VAT
Single entry, 30 days	AED 200	5% on top	About R900
Single entry, 60 days	AED 300	5% on top	About R1,350

The UAE dirham is pegged to the US dollar at about AED 3.67 per US$1. The agency price you see is higher than the government fee because it also covers the agency fee and the other costs listed above.

Transit Visa Prices: 48 and 96 Hours

A transit visa is meant for passengers with a long layover at Dubai International Airport (DXB) who want to leave the terminal and see the city. The 48 hours transit visa is US$110 (about R1,820) and the 96 hours transit visa is US$130 (about R2,150). Both are single entry and both must be used within 30 days of issue.

A stopover shorter than two days fits the 48 hours visa. Take the 96 hours visa when you want to build a few nights in Dubai into the journey. The difference is only US$20.

Tourist Visa Prices: Single Entry and Multiple Entry

Single entry visas

A single entry visa lets you enter the UAE once and stay for the period you chose. Emirates Visa UAE lists three lengths: 14 days at US$160 (about R2,640), 30 days at US$185 (about R3,050) and 60 days at US$440 (about R7,260).

The step from 30 to 60 days is large: the 60 day visa costs US$255 more than the 30 day visa. Confirm that you genuinely need the extra month before you choose it.

Multiple entry visas

A multiple entry visa lets you leave and return during its validity, which suits side trips to Oman or repeat business visits. The 14 day multiple entry visa is US$430 (about R7,100), the 30 day is US$550 (about R9,080) and the 60 day is US$800 (about R13,200). Pay for multiple entry only if you will genuinely cross the border more than once.

Visa extension

The 30 days visa extension is listed at US$650 (about R10,730). That is more than three times the price of a new 30 day single entry visa, so choosing the right stay length at the start usually costs much less than extending later.

Priority Processing Prices

When standard processing is too slow, Emirates Visa UAE offers three faster services for tourist and transit visas. Each is priced from the amount shown.

Service	Price from (USD)	Listed turnaround
Expedited Visa Service	US$210 (about R3,470)	24 hours
Expedited Emergency Visa	US$470 (about R7,760)	4 hours
Ultra Priority Visa	US$960 (about R15,840)	1 hour

Confirm the final total, and whether the priority price replaces or is added to the standard visa price, before you pay.

Costs Outside the Visa Fee

• Currency conversion: you pay in US dollars from a rand account, and your bank may add an exchange margin or card fee.
• Medical insurance: Dubai requires cover valid in the UAE for tourist visas, so check what your provider includes.
• Onward ticket: you need proof of a ticket to continue your journey or to leave the UAE.
• Document preparation: a recent photo on a white background and a clear colour scan of your passport.
• Fines: AED 50 per day applies to overstays on the residence permit visa on arrival, so leave before your stay ends.

How to Keep the Total Down

• Match the visa length to your trip: a 60 day visa for a 10 day holiday means paying for days you will not use.
• Choose single entry unless you plan to re-enter: multiple entry costs far more, such as US$430 against US$160 for a 14 day visa.
• Apply early enough for standard processing: a 2 to 3 day wait costs far less than an emergency service.
• Count every traveller before you pay: a family of four pays four fees.
• Read the final total at checkout and keep a copy of it.

Documents You Need to Apply

• A passport valid for at least six months from your travel date, with blank pages.
• A clear, full colour copy of the biographical page of the passport.
• A recent passport style photo with a white background and the full face visible.
• A return or onward flight ticket.
• Medical insurance valid in the UAE.
• A working phone number and email address.

Compare the name, passport number and dates on the application with your passport before you submit. A correct first submission avoids paying for urgent fixes.

Applying Through Emirates Visa UAE

Emirates Visa UAE is operated by Explore Urban Tourism L.L.C., a tourism company registered in Dubai with its office at Emirates Tower Trade Center. It is a private agency and not a government body. The how to apply page explains the process in full.

1. Pick your visa on the visa application pages, such as the 30 days single entry visa or the 96 hours transit visa.
2. Enter every traveller’s details exactly as they appear in the passport.
3. Upload the passport copy and photo.
4. Choose a priority service if your travel date is close.
5. Check the total, pay online and keep your confirmation.
6. Carry a printed copy of the approved visa on your trip.

Mistakes That Raise the Cost

• Applying too early: a tourist visa must be used within 60 days of issue and a transit visa within 30 days, so an early application can lapse.
• Applying too late: the emergency and ultra priority services cost many times more than standard processing.
• Leaving a child out: every traveller needs a visa, and adding one later can mean paying again under time pressure.
• Travelling on a short passport: less than six months of validity can lead to a refusal.
• Trusting look-alike sites: the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) warns that fraudulent websites copy official channels, so confirm that the address in your browser is the provider’s own domain before you enter passport details.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the price of a Dubai visa from South Africa in rand?

Standard prices at Emirates Visa UAE run from about R1,820 for a 48 hour transit visa to about R13,200 for a 60 day multiple entry visa. A 30 day single entry tourist visa is about R3,050. Rand amounts move with the exchange rate.

Can South Africans get a Dubai visa on arrival?

Only if the traveller holds a valid residence permit from the United States, an EU member state, the United Kingdom, Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand or Canada. Every other South African must obtain a visa before departure.

Which Dubai visa has the lowest price?

At Emirates Visa UAE the 48 Hours Transit visa at US$110 has the lowest price. Among tourist visas, the 14 Days single entry visa at US$160 is the lowest.

How long does the visa take?

The visa pages list 2 to 3 days. The Expedited Visa Service lists 24 hours, the Expedited Emergency Visa 4 hours and the Ultra Priority Visa 1 hour. Allow extra time around weekends and public holidays.

Do babies and children need their own visa?

Yes. Each traveller needs a visa under their own name, so multiply the price by the number of people in your group.

Can I collect a Dubai visa at the airport?

Not as a typical South African traveller. Apply before you fly. The residence permit visa on arrival is the only airport route.

Check Your Dubai Visa Price

Select your visa, add each traveller and review the total before you pay at Emirates Visa UAE. Questions before you apply? Message the team on WhatsApp at +971 52 682 0020, email sales@emiratesvisauae.com or use the 24/7 live chat.