Thanks to the UAE government’s initiatives, UAE medical visas, also called Patient Entry Permits, are now easier to obtain for foreigners who need medical treatment in the UAE. UAE authorities issue a patient Companion Entry Permit for the UAE alongside the UAE medical visa.
The economy of the United Arab Emirates is growing rapidly despite its youth. As a result, the healthcare facilities there are more up-to-date than in neighboring countries. Coupled with efforts by the UAE’s government to make obtaining a visa easier, the number of medical tourists to the country has increased significantly in recent years.
Various medical and cosmetic procedures are available at UAE hospitals, both in the private and public sectors.
Patients from visa-required countries must obtain a Patient Entry Permit from one of the UAE’s visa-issuing authorities in order to receive medical treatment in the UAE.
How to apply for a UAE Medical Visa?
A UAE medical visa can be obtained online without going to an embassy or consulate in your home country. Your sponsor (the hospital where you will receive medical treatment) arranges your visa/patient entry permit, as is the case with all other types of visas for the United Arab Emirates. The hospital must be licensed and registered in the UAE in order to sponsor your visit.
Your sponsor submits the application on your behalf via the UAE’s visa-issuing authority.
Submitting an application for a Dubai Medical Visa
Your sponsor submits an application to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai on your behalf to obtain a patient entry permit.
Submitting an application for a medical visa for Abu Dhabi and other Emirates
The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship’s eChannel platforms are used to apply for a visa if you will be receiving medical treatment in an Abu Dhabi hospital or one of the UAE’s seven emirates (ICA).
What are the requirements for a UAE Medical Visa?
When you apply for a UAE medical visa in the UAE, you must provide the following documentation:
- Your passport and photocopies
- A letter from your physician’s office outlines the reason for your trip.
- Documentation of your financial stability.
- Proof of your UAE-wide medical insurance coverage.
- Photos
How long is a UAE Patient Entry Permit valid?
It is possible to enter the United Arab Emirates for medical treatment on a UAE medical visa (UAE Patient Entry Permit) for up to 90 days after arrival. You have 60 days from the time your visa is issued to enter the UAE.
Permits for UAE patients entering the country come in two types:
- Only one entry and a maximum stay of ninety days are allowed for holders of single-entry visas.
- Up to 90 days of entry in UAE with multiple-entry privileges granted to the cardholder
Can you extend a UAE Patient Entry Permit?
You certainly can. Only if your sponsor can prove that you require additional medical treatment will they be able to apply to extend your UAE Patient Entry Permit (i.e., a certified medical report).
UAE Patient Companion Entry Permit
A UAE Patient Companion Entry Permit is required if you are accompanying a patient in need of medical assistance in the UAE. The hospital also makes the request for your entry permit on your behalf.
As an added precaution, you and your patient must travel to the country together as well.
Your sponsor submits the following information in order to obtain a UAE Patient Companion Entry Permit:
- Passport photocopies are required.
- Documentation showing you have health insurance.
- Documentation of your financial stability.
How long is a Patient Companion Entry Permit valid?
A Patient Companion Entry Permit has the same validity as a Medical Visa/Patient Entry Permit: It must be used within 60 days, and once you enter the country, you can stay for up to 90 days.
Once issued, a single-entry visa can be extended only once if both you and the patient truly require additional treatment while in the country.
Interested in immigrating to UAE as a Pharmacist? Just click the link.
Who Needs to Get a UAE medical visa /Patient Companion Entry Permit?
Nationals of certain countries do not need a visa to enter the UAE or can obtain one upon arrival because the UAE medical visa and the Patient Companion Visa are merely entry permits (and not residence visas). For a limited time, the UAE government waives the visa requirement for citizens of the countries listed below:
Nationals of the below list are allowed to enter the UAE without a visa for up to 90 days within a six months period:
| EU member states* | Norway |
| Honduras | Russia |
| Iceland | Saint Vincent and the Grenadines |
| Liechtenstein | Switzerland |
| Montenegro | |
*The UK and Ireland are excluded from them.
90 days visa-exempt countries
Nationals of the following countries may enter the UAE without a visa for up to 90 days.
| Argentina | Paraguay |
| Barbados | Serbia |
| Brazil | Solomon Islands |
| Chile | Seychelles |
| Nauru | Uruguay |
Nationals of the below list are allowed to enter the UAE without a visa for up to 30 days:
| China | Macau |
| Japan | Ukraine |
The following list of countries are allowed to apply for visas on arrival:
| Andorra | Kazakhstan | San Marino |
| Australia | Malaysia | Singapore |
| Brunei | Mauritius | United Kingdom |
| Canada | Monaco | United States |
| Hong Kong | Mongolia | Vatican City |
| Ireland | New Zealand | |
The validity of the visa issued for the above countries is 30 days.
| Bahamas | Costa Rica |
| South Korea | El Salvador |
| Maldives | |
The validity of the visa issued for the above list is 90 days.
People who are residents of the following countries can enter the UAE with just a passport:
| Bahrain | Oman |
| Kuwait | Saudi Arabia |
Eligible for Visa on Arrival for the United Arab Emirates
Depending on the country, citizens of the following countries can obtain a UAE Visa on Arrival, valid for 30 or 90 days:
Note:
Foreign nationals of the following countries are free to travel and enter the UAE with just their passport or government-issued ID card:
Even if they’re traveling with a GCC national, non-native residents of GCC countries aren’t exempt from applying for UAE visas.
Certain nationals of Grenada, the Solomon Islands, Nauru, Liberia, and Mongolia may be able to travel without a visa, but there is some conflicting information available online. If you are looking for more information about this type of visa, contact us online or post a comment below and ask whatever is troubling you.
Let’s sum up…
If you need professional medical help not provided in your home country, you can travel to the UAE and get high-quality medical assistance. You might need to apply for a UAE medical visa to enter the country.
The article explained who can receive the UAE medical visa, the requirements, and the application process.
If you have questions about the UAE visa, write them in the comment section below. You can also learn about other types of UAE visas by going through the left sidebar.
- Author
- Max-B.
- April 6, 2022
