The Royal Thai Consulate-General in Dubai is a career mission of Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. It opened in January 1992 and is headed by a career diplomat whose title is Consul-General "to Dubai and the Northern Emirates". Emirati citizens don't need a visa for a short trip, so the people who apply here are almost all expatriates living in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman and the other northern emirates.
The thing expats get wrong is assuming their UAE residence decides whether they need a visa. It doesn't. Your passport decides whether you need a visa. Your UAE residence decides where you apply. An Indian or Filipino resident of Dubai can fly to Thailand for 30 days with no visa at all. A Pakistani resident needs one. When you do apply, the consulate wants proof you live in the UAE and a return ticket issued by the airline itself.
Quick Facts
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Official name | Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai |
| Address | Villa 35, Al Jali Street, Community 366, Umm Suqeim 3, Dubai (near Raffles International School West, opposite Jumeirah Beach Hotel) |
| Phone | +971 4 348 9550; consular section ext. 31 or 32, 14:00-16:00 |
| Visa enquiries | By email only: [email protected] (the address on the consulate's contact page) |
| Office hours | Monday to Friday, 09:00-17:00 |
| Consular section | 10:00-12:00 for visa interviews and online visa matters; 14:00-16:30 for Thai nationals |
| Closed | Weekends plus Thai and UAE holidays on the consulate's list |
| Area covered | Dubai and the northern emirates (six of the UAE's seven emirates; Abu Dhabi goes to the embassy) |
| How to apply | Online only, at thaievisa.go.th |
| Stated processing time | Up to 5-20 days after complete submission and payment; plan at least 20-30 days before departure |
| Fees (AED, from 15 July 2024) | Tourist 400 single / 1,000 multiple; Non-Immigrant 800 single; DTV 1,500 (read 16 Sep 2026) |
Which Areas This Mission Covers
The consulate describes its consular district as the emirate of Dubai and the northern emirates of the UAE. In an August 2026 report it called Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah "two of the six emirates" in its jurisdiction, and a September 2026 report named Fujairah as another. It does not publish a full list, but six of seven emirates leaves out only Abu Dhabi, so Sharjah and Umm Al Quwain fall here too.
The emirate of Abu Dhabi, including Al Ain, falls to the Royal Thai Embassy in Abu Dhabi. The two missions share one fee table and ask for the same proof of residence. Their stated processing times differ: up to 3-10 working days at the embassy and up to 5-20 days in Dubai. Choose the mission for the emirate where you live, not the one that looks faster.
Do You Need a Visa? It Depends on Your Passport
Thailand's rules follow nationality. Here is where the largest UAE communities stand from 15 September 2026, based on the Thai Foreign Ministry's summary that the consulate publishes:
| Passport | Short holiday in Thailand |
|---|---|
| UAE | 30 days visa-free (tourism and short-term business, per the consulate) |
| India, Philippines | 30 days visa-free |
| UK, USA, Canada, Australia, EU countries, Switzerland | 30 days visa-free |
| Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Jordan | 30 days visa-free |
| Russia, China, Kazakhstan, Vietnam | 30 days under separate bilateral agreements |
| Pakistan, Bangladesh | Not on any exemption, bilateral or visa-on-arrival list: apply for a visa through the consulate |
| UAE passport without nationality | Visa required; follow the consulate's special portal guidelines |
The consulate's page says the UAE exemption covers tourism and short-term business. The Tourism Authority of Thailand describes the new exemption as being for tourism, so business visitors should confirm with the consulate first.
On the 30-day exemption you can extend once by up to 30 days at a Thai immigration office for 1,900 THB (form TM.7). The exception matters here: Bangkok's Immigration Division 1 lists India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Nepal among the nationalities whose extensions are capped at 7 days. That criteria page is undated, so confirm at the immigration counter. Officers can ask for 20,000 THB per person (40,000 THB per family) and an onward ticket inside your 30 days. File the TDAC arrival card within three days before arrival. If you entered before 15 September 2026, your original stay stands. More in our visa exemption guide, the 30-day exemption news, and our nationality guides for Indian, UK and US citizens.
Even exempt nationals need the consulate for anything longer than the 30 days plus one extension (about 60 days in total, or 37 under the 7-day cap), Non-Immigrant visas for work, O-A retirement, or the DTV.
How to Apply as a UAE Resident
The consulate's e-Visa rules, in order:
- Be in the UAE when you apply. Applications submitted from Thailand or any country outside the UAE are rejected.
- Apply yourself, on the official portal only. The consulate says it has not authorised any agency or travel agent to process visas on applicants' behalf, and the fee must be paid through the portal.
- Prove your residence with one of these: a valid UAE residence visa (work, study, or family member of a UAE citizen) or a valid UAE resident identity card (Emirates ID).
- Upload a confirmed round-trip ticket from the UAE, issued by the airline. The consulate states that agency bookings and email bookings are not accepted.
- Match your hotel booking or invitation letter to the dates on that ticket.
- Check every field before you pay. The consulate cannot change an application after submission, and a rejection means a new application and a new fee.
- Watch your registered email for requests for more documents or an in-person interview at the consulate.
- Download and print the approval once it arrives.
Practical Notes
Allow a month. 5-20 days is the stated range, there is no express service, and the consulate recommends planning at least 20-30 days before departure. Eid dates move with the moon, and the consulate closes on both Thai and UAE holidays.
DTV for UAE residents. The consulate's announcement of 4 September 2026 says that from 31 August 2026, DTV applicants upload "proof of permanent residence" instead of the usual proof of current location, plus a certificate of criminal record clearance. The Thai embassy in Vientiane describes the same change as worldwide: applicants must be nationals or permanent residents of the country where they apply. The consulate does not say whether a standard UAE residence visa meets that test. Email the visa section before paying the AED 1,500 fee, which is non-refundable.
Fee table. Transit AED 200 per entry, tourist AED 400 single or AED 1,000 multiple (within 6 months), Non-Immigrant AED 800 single or AED 1,500 multiple (within 1 year), 3-year business AED 5,000, O-A AED 1,500, O-X AED 3,000, DTV AED 1,500, LTR AED 8,000.
Legalisation is by online appointment. UAE documents must be in English, or translated with the original and translation bound together, and attested by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dubai or Sharjah within the past year. Submission and collection run 14:00-16:00, processing takes 2-3 working days, and the fee is AED 60 per stamp, cash only.
Thai police clearance. Foreigners who lived in Thailand apply to the Royal Thai Police directly, but fingerprints must be taken in person at the consulate, by appointment.
Holidays still ahead in 2026: 13 October, 23 October, 2 December (UAE National Day), 7 December and 31 December.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do Indians living in Dubai need a visa for Thailand?
Not for a holiday of up to 30 days. From 15 September 2026 Indian passport holders are on Thailand's 30-day exemption list, and that applies whether they fly from Dubai or Mumbai. Don't count on extending to 60 days: Immigration Division 1 caps extensions for Indian nationals at 7 days. For longer stays they apply through the Dubai consulate with their UAE residence visa or Emirates ID.
Can Pakistani residents of Dubai get a Thai visa online?
Yes. Pakistan is not on Thailand's exemption or visa-on-arrival lists, so Pakistani passport holders living in the UAE apply for a tourist visa on thaievisa.go.th, choosing the Dubai consulate if they live in Dubai or the northern emirates.
Which Thai mission covers Sharjah?
The Dubai consulate. It describes its district as Dubai and the northern emirates and counts six emirates in it, which leaves only Abu Dhabi outside. Residents of the emirate of Abu Dhabi apply through the Thai embassy in Abu Dhabi.
How long does a Thai visa take from the Dubai consulate?
Up to 5-20 days after a complete submission and payment. The consulate recommends planning at least 20-30 days before departure and offers no express service.
Can I use a travel agent's flight booking for my Thai e-Visa in Dubai?
No. The consulate requires a confirmed round-trip ticket from the UAE issued by the airline. Agency bookings and email bookings are not accepted.
Can I apply for a Thai visa in Dubai on a visit visa?
The consulate's required documents include a valid UAE residence visa or Emirates ID as proof of your stay, so a short visit does not meet the requirement.
Sources
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai: E-VISA, important notes for applicants (eligibility, documents, processing)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai: Visa Exemption / Visa on Arrival (2026 revision summary, effective 15 September 2026)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai: Visa fee announcement, effective 15 July 2024 (PDF)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai: Contact us
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai: Office Hours / Holidays 2026
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai: Consul-General (Dubai and the Northern Emirates)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai: About Us (opened January 1992)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai: Consular district of Dubai and the northern emirates (Thai, 20 August 2026)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai: Visit to Fujairah, an emirate in the consulate's jurisdiction (Thai, 1 September 2026)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai: Visit to Ajman and Ras Al Khaimah, "two of the six emirates" in the consulate's jurisdiction (Thai, August 2026)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai: DTV supporting-document changes from 31 August 2026 (announcement, 4 September 2026)
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai: Legalization Service
- Royal Thai Consulate-General, Dubai: Police Clearance Certificates
- Royal Thai Embassy, Abu Dhabi: Thai e-Visa (processing time for the Abu Dhabi side)
- Royal Thai Embassy, Vientiane: Applying for a Visa (worldwide DTV requirements from 31 August 2026)
- Immigration Division 1, Bangkok: Visa extension criteria (7-day cap for listed nationalities)
- TAT Newsroom: New 30-day and 15-day visa exemption rules from 15 September 2026