Contrary to reports that the UAE has resumed issuing tourist visas to Iranians, the permits currently being issued are in fact family visas. Issuance resumed about two months ago, allowing Iranian residents of the UAE to apply on behalf of their parents, spouses or children.

The visa is essentially part of the residency process. Initially, a two-month entry permit is issued to the family member. However, after they enter the UAE, subsequent residency procedures, including medical tests and fingerprinting, are not completed, and no residence permit is issued. Only the initial stage of the residency visa process is therefore used, and the applicant’s deposit is refunded after the family member leaves the UAE.

The documents required for parents differ from those needed for spouses and children. Applications for parents require a larger deposit, a tenancy contract for a two-bedroom home and a company bank account, making this option relatively expensive. The UAE stopped issuing visas to Iranians in late February 2026, following the outbreak of war, and barred Iranian nationals from entering the country unless they were UAE residents.