UAE visa change: A2A and B2B
If your tourist visa is running out but you don't need — or don't want — to go home, you extend your stay with a visa change. You leave the country and come straight back in on a new visa. Here is how the two options differ and what you'll need.
What a visa change is and why people do it
A UAE tourist visa cannot be stretched indefinitely. Once it expires you either leave, or you get a new basis for staying. A visa change is that new basis, obtained without going back to your home country.
The mechanics are simple: you physically leave UAE territory and return on a new visa. Formally this is not an extension but a fresh entry, so the clock starts again.
Two situations bring people here most often. The trip has stretched out and they want to stay longer, or they are waiting for a residence visa and need to be in the country legally in the meantime.
A2A — through the airport
A2A stands for airport to airport. You fly out to a neighbouring country and return to the UAE on the same or the next flight.
It costs more because the flight is part of the price. In exchange it works for everyone and does not depend on land border rules.
It usually takes a day. We handle the visa, the flights and the escorting — all you bring is your passport and a day of your time.
B2B — through the land border
B2B means border to border. You exit and re-enter by car through a land crossing.
It is cheaper than A2A because there is no air ticket. The drive takes a few hours each way and the trip is organised — you are picked up and brought back.
It does not suit everyone: whether you may cross a land border depends on your citizenship and the current rules. We check that before you pay anything.
| A2A — through the airportFly out and re-enter by air | 1500AED |
|---|---|
| B2B — through the land borderExit and re-enter by road | 1100AED |
Per person, the new visa included. We name the exact figure and timing when we quote you — both depend on your citizenship and on how busy the immigration service is.
What we need from you
- A passport scan valid for at least 6 more months
- Your current visa or entry stamp
- A colour photo on a white background
- The date you need to be done by
Frequently asked questions
How is a visa change different from an extension?
There is no extension as such: you get a new visa and a new entry. That is exactly why you have to physically leave the country and come back.
How many times in a row can I change my visa?
There are limits, and they depend on your citizenship and your entry history. We look at your case before you pay and tell you straight if the route does not work for you.
What happens if I overstay?
A fine is charged for every day beyond the deadline and has to be paid on the way out. That is why a visa change is worth planning ahead, not on the last day.