Abu Dhabi travel guide for Indians
United Arab Emirates — visa, money, eSIM, food and safetyCountry-wide essentials live on the United Arab Emirates guide — visa, money, customs and language. Last reviewed .
Visa & entryUnited Arab Emirates
- Type
- e-Visa
- Fee
- ₹6,500
- Validity days
- 60
- Processing days
- 3–5
Documents
- Passport (6 months validity)
- Passport-size photo (white background)
- Confirmed return ticket
- Hotel booking confirmation
Steps
- Apply via your airline (Emirates/Etihad/IndiGo) or dubai.vfs.com
- Upload documents and pay online
- Receive e-Visa PDF by email in 3–5 working days
Alternatives
- Visa on arrival (14 days) — only with a valid US visa/green card, or a residence permit from the UK, EU, Australia, Canada, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea or Singapore — ₹2,300 · ICP federal fee AED 100 at the airport or via ICP smart services (GDRFA Dubai's portal charges AED 253 with its service fee); extendable once for another 14 days for AED 250. The qualifying visa/permit must have 6+ months left. Without one of these, Indian tourists need a pre-arranged visa
- Visa on arrival (60 days, single entry) — same eligibility as the 14-day option — ₹5,750 · AED 250 via ICP; issued as a single-entry visa that cannot be extended, so pick this only if you know you are staying past 28 days. Overstay fine is AED 50 a day on either option
MoneyUnited Arab Emirates
- Currency
- AED (Dirham)
Forex cards
- Niyo Global — Zero forex markup; good ATM access
- Fi / Federal Debit — Low markup, instant UPI top-up
- Scapia — No forex markup, travel rewards
- Upi supported
- Yes
- Upi note
- UPI works at NEOPAY terminals (Mashreq) — malls, Emaar attractions like At the Top Burj Khalifa, many restaurants and retail; PhonePe, BHIM, GPay and bank apps all work. Debits in INR at the app's rate. Coverage is wide in Dubai and Abu Dhabi, patchier in small shops.
- Cash vs card
- Cards accepted almost everywhere; keep ~AED 200 cash for taxis and souks.
CustomsUnited Arab Emirates
Into india
- Duty-free allowance ₹75,000 (returning resident, Baggage Rules 2026); one new laptop is duty-free on top
- Gold jewellery: 20g (men)/40g (women) duty-free by weight, only after more than a year abroad; everything else must be declared
- 2L alcohol duty-free (Baggage Rules 2016) + 100 cigarettes
Into destination
- 4L alcohol or 2 cartons of beer; 400 cigarettes / 50 cigars / 500g tobacco per adult
- Gifts up to AED 3,000 duty-free — declare above that; cash over AED 60,000 must be declared
- Vapes are legal to bring in for personal use; respect no-vaping zones
- Prescription medicines: carry the prescription; codeine and some psychiatric drugs are controlled — check the MoHAP list before flying
LanguageUnited Arab Emirates
Official
- Arabic
- English prevalence
- Very high — English works everywhere
Key phrases
- Shukran — Thank you
- Marhaba — Hello
Staying connected
Recommended
- Type
- eSIM
- Partner
- Airalo
- Plan
- UAE 5GB / 30 days
- Price
- ₹1,100
Alternatives
- Etisalat Visitor Line — Local SIM · AED 40 · Zayed Intl arrivals hall
- du Tourist SIM — Local SIM · AED 49 · Airport & malls
- Whatsapp text
- Works normally
- Whatsapp calls
- Blocked in the UAE — use Botim/GoChat (needs UAE number) or hotel Wi-Fi workarounds
Free wifi
- Malls
- Most hotels
- Louvre Abu Dhabi
Airport to city
Options
- Taxi (metered) — ₹1,800 · 30 · AED 75–90 to downtown; queue at official rank
- Careem/Uber — ₹1,700 · 30 · Similar price, fixed upfront
- Bus A1 — ₹100 · 50 · AED 4 by Hafilat card; cheapest, runs 24h
Getting around
- System
- Buses only (no metro); taxis are the default
Card
- Name
- Hafilat card
- Note
- AED 10 incl. AED 5 credit; buses are AED 2 flat in the city
Ride hailing
- Careem
- Uber
- Abu Dhabi Taxi app
- Daily budget
- ₹1,500
Weather & packing
Best months
- November
- December
- January
- February
- March
Monthly
- Nov–Mar — 24–28°C days — perfect sightseeing weather
- Apr–May — Heating up past 35°C; mornings still fine
- Jun–Sep — 44°C+ and humid — indoor attractions only
- Oct — Cooling down, sea still warm
What to pack
- Light cottons
- Modest wear for the Grand Mosque (mandatory)
- Sunglasses & SPF 50
- Light jacket for freezing malls
Food
Veg friendly
- Indian restaurants everywhere
- Lebanese mezze (hummus/falafel)
- South Indian tiffin chains in Electra St area
Indian restaurants
- Bikanervala — Al Nahyan · Pure veg, chaat & thalis
- Saravanaa Bhavan — Madinat Zayed · South Indian pure veg
- Punjab Grill — The Galleria · Upscale North Indian
- Typical meal cost
- ₹700
Safety
Scams
- Unofficial 'city tour' touts at bus stops
- Inflated souvenir pricing at Heritage Village — bargain
Areas to avoid
- None in practice — among the safest cities anywhere
Emergency numbers
- Police — 999
- Ambulance — 998
- Indian Embassy Abu Dhabi — +971-2-4492700
Culture & etiquette
- Dress
- More conservative than Dubai. Shoulders/knees covered in malls; Grand Mosque enforces full modest dress (abayas lent free).
- Tipping
- Not mandatory; 5–10% appreciated. AED 5–10 for porters/valets.
Dos
- Ask before photographing locals
- Use right hand for greetings and food
- Carry your passport/Emirates ID copy
Donts
- No public displays of affection
- Don't photograph government buildings or the palace gates
- No alcohol outside licensed venues
Top experiences
- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque — szgm.jpg · 82 domes, world's largest carpet — free entry · ₹0 · 2 · sheikh-zayed-grand-mosque
- Ferrari World — ferrari-world.jpg · World's fastest coaster under the iconic red roof · ₹8,500 · 6 · Klook · ferrari-world
- Louvre Abu Dhabi — louvre-ad.jpg · Art under the floating dome on Saadiyat · ₹1,500 · 3 · louvre-abu-dhabi
- Qasr Al Watan — qasr-al-watan.jpg · The working presidential palace, open to visitors · ₹1,400 · 2 · qasr-al-watan