UAE Visa for UK Residents: BRP, eVisa and Share Code Rules

If you live in the United Kingdom on a passport from India, Pakistan, Nigeria or any other country that needs a UAE visa, the document you use to prove your UK status has changed. This guide explains what you hold now, whether it still qualifies you for visa on arrival, and how to apply for a UAE visit visa from the UK.

Your BRP has expired, and it changes your UAE options

Every UK biometric residence permit has now expired. The Home Office has replaced them with an eVisa, which is an online record of your immigration status rather than a physical card. You may still be able to use the expired card for some purposes until 31 December 2026, or for 24 months after the expiry date printed on it, whichever comes first. Full detail is on the GOV.UK biometric residence permits page. This matters for UAE travel for one specific reason. UAE visa on arrival for eligible nationalities requires a residence permit that is valid. An expired permit does not qualify. So the card in your wallet, on its own, no longer settles the question at a UAE port of entry. There are two ways to deal with that. You can rely on your UK eVisa and be ready to evidence current status, or you can remove the uncertainty by arranging a UAE visit visa before you fly.

Do UK residents need a UAE visa?

It depends on your passport, not on where you live. Living in the UK does not by itself give you UAE entry rights.

• British passport holders do not arrange a visa in advance. Entry is granted on arrival.
• Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi, Nigerian and most other passport holders need either a pre-arranged visa or a qualifying visa on arrival.

Your UK residence is relevant only in the second case, and only as a supporting document. It can unlock visa on arrival for certain nationalities, which is covered in the next section. A UAE visa is federal. One visa covers Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and the other emirates. You do not apply separately for each.

When UK residence qualifies you for visa on arrival

The UAE grants visa on arrival to nationals of certain countries who also hold a valid residence permit from one of nine approved countries. The United Kingdom is one of those nine. Two conditions apply together:

1. Your nationality must be on the eligible list.
2. You must hold a valid residence permit from the US, UK, an EU member state, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore or South Korea.

Indian passport holders are the largest group affected. An Indian national with valid UK residence can obtain a 14-day visa on arrival. The eligibility rules are set out in full on our UAE visa on arrival nationalities guide and our visa on arrival 2026 overview. The expired BRP problem. Because the rule requires a valid permit, and because every BRP has expired, presenting only a BRP card is no longer sufficient. If you intend to rely on visa on arrival, make sure you can demonstrate current status through your UK eVisa. If you would rather not test that at the airport, apply in advance. Visa on arrival is also shorter than most trips need. Fourteen days suits a short visit. For anything longer, a pre-arranged visit visa is the better choice regardless of eligibility.

Which UAE visa to apply for from the UK

The choice comes down to two questions: how long you are staying, and whether you need to leave and re-enter within the same period.

• Short stopover. A 96-hour transit visa covers up to four days.
• Short holiday. A 14-day or 30-day single entry visa covers most visits.
• Family visit or longer trip. A 60-day single entry visa gives more room.
• Travelling on to another country and returning. A multiple entry visa lets you re-enter without a new application.

Compare every option on the UAE visa types and prices page.

UAE visa costs from the UK in 2026

Prices are the same wherever you apply from. They are shown in US dollars and confirmed before payment.

Whichever visa you choose, moving to urgent costs an extra $50. Details are on the urgent UAE visa processing page.

Documents you need from the UK

The document set is short. Most applications are held up by photograph quality or passport validity rather than by anything complicated.

• Passport valid for at least six months from your date of arrival
• Clear colour scan of the passport photo page
• Recent passport-style photograph against a white background
• Confirmed return or onward flight
• Proof of where you are staying

The full list applies to every nationality and is set out on the UAE visa document checklist.

Proving your UK immigration status

Your UK residence is not part of the visit visa application itself. A UAE visit visa is issued against your passport, so an eVisa or share code is not required to apply. Where UK status does matter is at the airport, if you are relying on visa on arrival instead. In that situation you need to evidence that your permission to be in the UK is current. You can view your status and generate a share code through the GOV.UK prove your immigration status service. Applying for a visit visa in advance avoids this question entirely, which is why most UK-based applicants choose it.

Photograph requirements

Use a recent colour photograph with a plain white background, your full face visible, no headwear except for religious purposes, and no glare or shadow. A phone photograph taken against a white wall in daylight is usually accepted. A cropped selfie is not.

How to apply from the UK

The process is online and takes a few minutes.

1. Choose your visa type by length of stay and number of entries.
2. Enter your passport details exactly as they appear on the photo page.
3. Upload your passport scan and photograph.
4. Select regular or urgent processing.
5. Pay. The total is shown before you confirm.
6. Receive your approved e-visa by email and carry a copy when you travel.

You can follow the application at any point through the application tracking guide.

How long approval takes

Regular processing takes one to three working days. Urgent processing completes within 36 hours on working days. Working days exclude Fridays, Saturdays and UAE public holidays, so an application submitted on a Thursday evening is unlikely to move before the following Monday. If your travel date is close, choose urgent processing rather than assuming the regular timeline will hold.

British passport holders: what is different

If you hold a British passport, none of the above applies to your own entry. You do not arrange a UAE visa in advance. It becomes relevant when you are travelling with someone who holds a different passport. A British citizen travelling with a spouse, parent or child on an Indian, Pakistani or Nigerian passport will need to arrange a visa for that person even though their own entry is automatic. Applications for family members can be submitted together.

About govr.ae

govr.ae is operated by GOVR L.L.C F.Z, licensed in Meydan Free Zone, Dubai, under licence number 2528000.01. We are a private visa facilitation platform. We are not a government department and we are not affiliated with one. What we do is prepare and submit UAE visa applications on behalf of applicants, check documents before submission so avoidable errors do not cause a rejection, and keep applicants informed until the visa is issued. Applying directly through official channels is always an option and is explained in our comparison of applying yourself or through a service. If you want to verify who we are before applying, that is set out on is govr.ae legit.