Canada Visa from Dubai: Visitor Visa, eTA and Fees for UAE Residents

The short answer: an Emirati passport does not need a Canadian visa. It needs only an eTA (Electronic Travel Authorization) to fly to Canada, which costs CAD 7 and is usually approved within minutes. Indian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan passport holders need the full Temporary Resident Visa (TRV), generally called a visitor visa: apply online to Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), give fingerprints and a photo at a visa application centre (VAC) in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, and pay CAD 100 for the visa plus CAD 85 for biometrics. On 9 October 2026, IRCC's own processing time tool showed 56 days for a visitor visa application made from the UAE. Filipino passport holders are the exception among the UAE's big expat communities: they still need the full visa in general, but may apply for the cheaper eTA instead if they hold a valid US non-immigrant visa or have held a Canadian visa in the last ten years and are flying to Canada.

Canada draws UAE residents for family visits, graduations, conferences and the Rockies, and IRCC publishes its fees and a live processing time for applications made from here. Here is what IRCC states for applications made from the UAE, read on its own pages on 9 October 2026.

Canada visa from Dubai at a glance

Question	Answer (October 2026)
Do Emiratis need a visa for Canada?	No. An eTA is needed to fly, CAD 7
Do Indian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan passports need a visa?	Yes, the full Temporary Resident Visa (TRV)
Do Filipino passports need a visa?	Yes, unless eligible for the expanded eTA (valid US visa or a Canadian visa in the last 10 years, flying only)
Visitor visa fee	CAD 100 per person, single or multiple entry
Biometrics fee	CAD 85 per person, family cap CAD 170
Where to give biometrics in the UAE	Visa application centre (VAC) in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, by appointment
Processing time applying from the UAE	56 days (IRCC's live tool, updated weekly)
eTA fee and validity	CAD 7; valid up to 5 years or until the passport expires

Visa or eTA: which applies to you

IRCC sorts passports into three groups: exempt from both a visa and an eTA, needing only an eTA to fly, or needing the full visitor visa. Your nationality decides the group, not your UAE residence.

UAE passport holders have been visa-exempt since June 2018. On IRCC's current entry requirements list, the UAE sits with the passports that need an eTA for air travel, so an Emirati flying to Canada applies online for the CAD 7 eTA and nothing more. Entering by land or sea needs neither. The same eTA-required group includes British passport holders, among others, so check your own passport on IRCC's entry requirements tool if you hold a British or other Western passport.

US citizens and US green card holders are exempt from both the visa and the eTA.

Indian, Pakistani, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan passports are on IRCC's visa-required list. Holding valid UAE residence does not change this: these nationalities apply for the full Temporary Resident Visa, with biometrics, regardless of where in the UAE they live or how long they have lived there.

Filipino passport holders are also on the visa-required list, but the Philippines is one of 17 countries on IRCC's separate eTA eligibility list for applicants who would otherwise need a visa. A Filipino passport holder can apply for the eTA instead of the full visa if all three of these hold: they hold a valid US non-immigrant visa, or have held a Canadian visitor visa in the past 10 years; they are coming for a temporary stay, normally up to 6 months; and they are flying to or transiting through a Canadian airport. The eTA does not cover arrival by land, bus, train or boat, including a cruise ship, and a Filipino passport holder who does not meet these conditions needs the full visa like anyone else.

How to apply for a Canada visitor visa from the UAE

1. Check which group your passport is in on IRCC's entry requirements page, so you know whether you need an eTA or the full visa.
2. Apply online, through the IRCC Portal or your IRCC secure account. IRCC says you must apply online unless you cannot, for example because of a disability, or you are travelling on a refugee or stateless person's travel document, in which case you apply on paper.
3. Complete the personalised document checklist the portal gives you and upload your documents.
4. Pay the fee by credit or debit card: the visa fee, and the biometrics fee unless you are exempt.
5. Give biometrics at a visa application centre in Abu Dhabi or Dubai, by appointment, once you receive your instruction letter.
6. Wait for a decision. IRCC's tool showed 56 days for applications made from the UAE on 9 October 2026.
7. Send your passport only once IRCC asks for it, for the visa to be stamped in.

Documents IRCC asks for

The portal's checklist is personalised to your situation, so follow what it asks for rather than a generic list. IRCC's own guidance for a visitor visa application asks for:

• A valid passport, with a digital copy of the photo and biodata page
• An invitation letter if you are visiting family or friends, with proof of your relationship to the person inviting you, such as a marriage or birth certificate
• A letter from a Canadian business if you are a business visitor
• Proof of funds, such as recent bank statements showing your name, the bank's details and your balance
• An employer letter confirming your job, if you are employed
• A travel itinerary: flight details, accommodation or event registration

IRCC also lists ties to your home country, such as a job, property, assets or family, and your ability to convince an officer that you will leave Canada at the end of your stay, among its general eligibility conditions, alongside good health, no relevant criminal or immigration history, and enough funds for the trip.

Fees and biometrics

IRCC's fee tool gives these amounts for a visitor visa application, current as of 9 October 2026:

• Temporary Resident Visa: CAD 100 per person. The fee is the same whether IRCC issues a single entry or a multiple entry visa, and families applying together at the same time and place pay a maximum of CAD 500 for five or more people.
• Biometrics: CAD 85 per person, with a family maximum of CAD 170 for two or more eligible family members applying together. Once given, biometrics are valid for 10 years, so a later application within that window does not need them again.
• eTA: CAD 7, non-refundable.

All fees are non-refundable if the application is refused. Apply only through canada.ca or the official IRCC Portal: IRCC's own guidance says its forms and guides are free, and so is booking a biometrics appointment.

Canada visa from Dubai processing time

IRCC publishes live processing times on its own check-processing-times tool, which you select by application type and country of application. For a visitor visa application made from outside Canada, with the UAE selected as the country of application, the tool showed 56 days on 9 October 2026, last updated 7 October 2026 and refreshed weekly.

IRCC is explicit that this is an estimate, not a maximum or a guarantee: "Your application may take longer than the times shown here." Run the tool again for the month you plan to apply, since the figure moves with volumes, and do not book non-refundable travel until your visa is in hand. The eTA is different: most applications are approved within minutes, and IRCC emails within 72 hours if it needs more documents.

Giving biometrics in Abu Dhabi and Dubai

IRCC's own "where to give your fingerprints and photo" page lists a visa application centre (VAC) in both Abu Dhabi and Dubai for the United Arab Emirates. IRCC says you need an appointment to give biometrics, and that booking one is free: it warns against paying anyone for an appointment. You are not limited to your home city or country: IRCC says you can use any VAC, including one outside where you live.

After approval: sending your passport

If your visitor visa is approved, IRCC sends a passport request by letter or email. Do not send your passport before this arrives: IRCC says doing so, without a copy of the request, delays processing. Once you have the request, you have 30 days to submit your passport, with a copy of the request enclosed. Your passport must stay valid for your entire stay in Canada and have at least one blank page. If you are applying as a family or group, each person needs their own passport request before their passport is sent; IRCC's guidance notes you may need to send passports separately to meet each person's 30-day deadline.

If your application is refused

IRCC's Help Centre states, in general terms, that a visitor visa application can be refused because the officer was not satisfied the applicant would leave Canada by the end of the authorised stay, or on grounds of inadmissibility. Your refusal letter states the reason the officer relied on in your case. If you apply again, include new information that addresses it.

IRCC does not deal with a paid representative unless they belong to the College of Immigration and Citizenship Consultants, a provincial or territorial law society, or the Chambre des notaires du Québec, and using a representative does not draw special attention to an application or guarantee approval.

Flights from the UAE

Emirates flies non-stop between Dubai and Toronto. Check the airlines' own timetables for your city and dates, including connections to other Canadian cities.

Frequently asked questions

Do UAE citizens need a visa or an eTA for Canada?

Emiratis do not need a visa. They need an eTA to fly to Canada, which costs CAD 7 and is usually approved within minutes. Travelling by land or sea needs neither a visa nor an eTA.

Can I apply for a Canada visa from Dubai?

Yes. UAE residents of a visa-required nationality apply online to IRCC and give biometrics at a visa application centre in Abu Dhabi or Dubai. Your passport nationality, not your UAE residence, decides whether you need the full visa or only an eTA.

How long does a Canada visa from Dubai take?

IRCC's own processing time tool showed 56 days for a visitor visa application made from the UAE on 9 October 2026, updated weekly. Treat it as an estimate: IRCC says it is not a maximum or a guarantee.

How much does a Canada visa from Dubai cost?

The Temporary Resident Visa costs CAD 100 per person, plus a CAD 85 biometrics fee unless you already hold valid biometrics from the last 10 years. An eTA costs CAD 7.

Do Indian passport holders in the UAE need a Canada visa?

Yes. India is on IRCC's visa-required list, so Indian passport holders need the full Temporary Resident Visa regardless of their UAE residence. The same applies to Pakistani, Egyptian, Bangladeshi and Sri Lankan passports.

Can Filipino passport holders get a Canada eTA instead of a visa?

Only if they hold a valid US non-immigrant visa or have held a Canadian visa in the last 10 years, are flying to Canada, and are staying temporarily. The Philippines is one of 17 countries on IRCC's list for this route. A Filipino passport holder who does not meet these conditions needs the full visa.

Planning your Canada trip

Once you know which route your passport needs, gather the documents the portal asks for and apply early against the 56-day estimate. See our Canada visa services, browse all our visa services, or talk to our visa desk about preparing your file.

Related guides

• US visa from Dubai
• UK visa from Dubai
• Australia visa from Dubai
• The UAE visa guide

Last checked 9 October 2026 against IRCC's entry requirements and eTA eligibility pages, its visitor visa fee list, its live processing time tool, its biometrics "where to give" page, and its visitor visa application, eligibility and passport submission pages on canada.ca. This guide is general information, not immigration advice. Confirm the current requirements with IRCC before you apply or travel.