How to Track Your Dubai Visa Application Status (2026)

Quick answer: To track a Dubai visa application made with Kite Star Tourism, go to the Track Visa page and enter the application reference number from your confirmation email. The page shows the current status, from received through to approved. Once the visa is issued, you can also check that it's genuine on the official UAE immigration portals: ICP (for all emirates) or GDRFA Dubai (for visas issued in Dubai).

Two Ways to Check a Dubai Visa

There are two different checks, and they answer different questions:

Government portals usually show a visa only after it's been issued. While your application is still being checked or processed, our Track Visa page is the place to look.

How to Track Your Dubai Visa Online (Step by Step)

1. Find your reference number in the confirmation email or WhatsApp message you got after paying.

2. Open the Track Visa page on your phone or computer.

3. Enter the reference number, plus your email or passport number if asked.

4. View the status. If it says a correction is needed, follow the instructions straight away.

5. Download your e-visa once it's approved. It's also sent to your email.

Can't find your reference? Search your inbox (and spam folder) for emails from Kite Star Tourism, or email support@kitestartourism.com or WhatsApp +971 54 548 4000 with the applicant's full name and passport number.

Applied for a family or group?

Each traveller has their own application and their own status. One person can be approved while another is still under review, which is normal. Check every reference number, and wait until everyone's visa is approved before you treat the trip as confirmed.

What Each Visa Status Means

The most common correction requests

• Photo: a selfie, a coloured background, shadows on the face, glasses with glare, or a cropped head.

• Passport scan: missing corners, glare on the photo, or unreadable machine-readable lines at the bottom.

• Name mismatch: a missing middle or second given name, a different spelling or the wrong order.

• Missing residence permit: when you live outside your home country and the form needed a copy.

See the Dubai visa photo specifications to get the photo right the first time.

How Long Should Each Stage Take?

UAE weekends (Saturday and Sunday) and public holidays such as Eid aren't working days, so processing may pause. A file submitted on a Friday afternoon usually moves again on Monday.

How to Verify an Issued UAE Visa on Official Portals

After approval, you can confirm that your visa is genuine and valid on the UAE government's own services. This is worth doing for any visa, and especially if someone other than a known agency arranged it for you.

Option 1: ICP (all emirates)

1. Go to the ICP smart services website (smartservices.icp.gov.ae) or open the UAEICP app.

2. Choose the public services option for checking visa or file validity.

3. Search by the visa file number printed on your e-visa, or by your passport number, nationality and passport expiry date, depending on the options shown.

4. Complete the security check and view the result.

ICP is the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security.

Option 2: GDRFA Dubai (visas issued in Dubai)

1. Go to the GDRFA Dubai website (gdrfad.gov.ae) or open the GDRFA Dubai app.

2. Find the visa status or visa validity enquiry service.

3. Enter the file number from the e-visa and the details it asks for.

GDRFA is the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs. If your visa was issued by another emirate, use ICP. The emirate of issue is usually shown on the e-visa.

Can't find your visa on a portal? Portal layouts and search options change from time to time, and a visa can take a short while to appear after it's issued. If the e-visa came from us, message us and we'll confirm it for you. Airlines check the same government database at check-in.

Can I check my UAE visa status by passport number?

On the official portals, a search by passport number (with nationality and expiry date) is often available for issued visas. On our Track Visa page, use your application reference number instead, because that's what links to your file.

How to Spot a Fake Dubai Visa

• The visa can't be found on ICP or GDRFA Dubai using the details printed on it.

• The name, passport number or date of birth doesn't match your passport.

• It was sent as an edited image or screenshot rather than an official PDF.

• You were asked to pay extra in cash to "release" the visa, or to send money to a personal account.

• The seller promised a "guaranteed" visa or a job on a tourist visa.

If you see any of these, don't travel on the visa. Check it on the official portals or contact us for a second opinion.

My Visa Seems Delayed: What Should I Do?

1. Check your email and WhatsApp, including the spam folder. A correction request may be waiting.

2. Don't apply again. A second application creates a duplicate file and can slow both down.

3. Count working days only. Weekends and UAE holidays don't count.

4. Contact the desk with your reference number if the visa is past the expected time. If your flight is close, ask whether switching to express is possible.

5. Hold off on non-refundable bookings until the visa is approved, or choose refundable flights and hotels.

Why some visas take longer

• Extra security checks: some nationalities, names or travel histories get additional screening. This is common and doesn't mean the visa will be refused.

• Previous UAE history: an earlier overstay, absconding case, refusal or an uncancelled residence visa can hold the file.

• Peak seasons: volumes rise before Eid, the summer holidays, Christmas and New Year.

• Incomplete files: processing only starts once all documents are accepted.

Before You Fly: Check Your E-Visa

• The name matches your passport exactly, in the same order

• The passport number matches the passport you'll travel with

• The date of birth and nationality are correct

• The visa type and duration are what you applied for

• You'll enter the UAE before the entry deadline shown on the visa

• Your return flight falls inside the permitted stay

If anything is wrong, contact us before you go to the airport, because a visa with a wrong detail can be refused at check-in. Then book your airport transfer and hotel to match the dates on your visa.

At check-in and on arrival

• Carry a printed copy of the e-visa and keep the PDF on your phone.

• Airline staff check the visa against the government system. Some airlines also run their own "OK to board" check for certain nationalities. Ask your airline if you're unsure.

• At UAE immigration, your passport is linked to the e-visa electronically. You may be photographed, have your eyes scanned or give fingerprints.