China Visa for UAE Residents — Apply from Dubai

Most do — it depends on your passport, not your UAE residency. Emirati passport holders enter China visa-free for up to 30 days under the UAE-China mutual agreement in force since 16 January 2018, and the roughly 50 nationalities on China's separate unilateral 30-day visa-free list — including British, Canadian, Russian and Saudi passports — currently enter visa-free too (list last updated 17 February 2026; verify current). All other UAE residents need a China visa. There is no e-Visa for China — you apply through the China Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC) in Dubai or the Chinese Embassy in Abu Dhabi.

Partly — it depends on your passport, never your UAE residency. Emirati passport holders enter China visa-free directly, for up to 30 days, under the UAE-China mutual agreement in force since 16 January 2018. Separately, China's unilateral visa-free list — last updated 17 February 2026 — covers 50 nationalities for stays up to 30 days: 48 of those run through 31 December 2026, Russia's trial runs to 14 September 2026, and Brunei's has no announced end date. For UAE-resident expatriates this currently means British, Canadian, Russian, Saudi, Japanese and South Korean passport holders, among others, enter China visa-free, while Indian, Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian and American passport holders still need a visa. China updates the list periodically, so verify your nationality's current status before travel — and see our by-passport guides below for the exact rule for your passport.

No. China has no e-Visa for UAE residents. The application form is completed online through the official COVA system, but your passport and supporting documents must be submitted in person at the China Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC) in Dubai. OraVisa prepares the form and, with your signed authorization letter, arranges the submission at the centre.

You need a passport valid at least 6 months with blank pages, a valid UAE residence visa and your Emirates ID (required because you are applying outside your country of citizenship), the completed COVA application form, a 48mm x 33mm white-background photo, confirmed return flights and hotel bookings, and bank statements. Business (M) visas also need an invitation letter from a registered Chinese company. OraVisa reviews your full set before submission.

China visa applications are submitted at the China Visa Application Service Centre (CVASC) in Dubai, the official submission facility, or at the Chinese Embassy in Abu Dhabi. An online appointment is required and walk-ins are not accepted. OraVisa prepares your documents and, with your signed authorization letter (CVASC's standard representative mechanism), arranges the CVASC appointment and submission; where CVASC requires personal appearance (for example fingerprinting), we prepare you for it.

Per the official service standard, standard processing is completed by the fourth working day and express by the third working day. Allow longer around Chinese public holidays such as Golden Week and Chinese New Year. OraVisa advises on the right submission timing for your travel date.

The Chinese government visa fee is reciprocal — it depends on your nationality, the number of entries, and the processing speed — and is set in US dollars and converted to AED at the centre on the day of submission. Because it varies and changes, OraVisa provides a precise quote for your specific case rather than a fixed figure.

A China tourist (L) visa typically allows a stay of up to 30 days per entry, with longer-validity and multiple-entry options available depending on your case. Business (M) and visit (F) visas have their own durations. OraVisa helps you apply for the validity and entry count that fit your travel plans.

Eligible nationalities can use China's 240-hour visa-free transit to enter for up to 10 days during a layover to a third country — Indian and Pakistani passport holders are not currently eligible. Emirati passport holders are visa-free regardless. See our China transit guide below for the eligible ports and conditions.