Planning a summer trip to the UAE with your kids just got a little cheaper. The UAE government has waived its official tourist visa fee for children under 18, running through mid-September, giving Pakistani families a real window to cut travel costs this season.
What This Waiver Actually Covers
The UAE announced this limited-time offer specifically to encourage more overseas families to choose the UAE for their summer holidays. It targets the official government portion of the children's tourist visa fee — not the entire cost of the visa application.
That distinction matters: while the core government fee is waived, families will still encounter insurance and service charges that visa processing typically includes, whether applied through an airline, a licensed agency, or a direct government channel.
How Much Families Can Actually Save
| Scenario | Approximate Cost |
|---|---|
| Government fee for 2 children (before waiver) | Waived — savings of roughly AED 500–700 |
| Insurance + service charges for 2 children (still applies) | Approximately AED 240 combined |
| Adult visa fees (unaffected) | Standard rates, generally AED 350–550 for a 30-day single-entry visa |
For a family of four (two adults, two children), this waiver meaningfully reduces the children's portion of the visa cost, while adult visa costs remain exactly as they were.
Who Benefits Most
This offer is particularly useful for:
- Families with multiple children, since savings scale with the number of kids traveling
- Pakistani families visiting relatives in the UAE during the summer break, a season that already sees heavy travel volume
- Anyone planning a UAE trip specifically within the July 15–September 15 window, since applying outside these dates means paying the standard fee
How to Apply
- Confirm your travel dates fall within the waiver window (July 15 – September 15, 2026), since applications outside this period won't qualify for the fee waiver.
- Choose your application channel — a licensed visa agency, directly through an airline if you're booking flights with one that offers visa processing, or UAE's official visa portals.
- Prepare standard documents: passport copies, photographs, and any other requirements your chosen channel specifies for children's visas.
- Submit your application, confirming with your provider that the child fee waiver has been applied before making final payment.
- Keep your visa confirmation for each family member ready for travel.
Final Thoughts
If a UAE trip with your kids was already on your radar for this summer, this waiver is a genuine, if modest, reason to book within the current window rather than waiting. The savings are real but limited to the children's government fee specifically — budget for the remaining insurance, service charges, and standard adult visa costs as usual.
Official source: UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs — Visa Services
