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I have the following flight itinerary booked as a single ticket through United:

  • United, EWR -> DXB
  • A <8 hour layover
  • flydubai, DXB -> KTM

Questions

  • Is a UAE transit visa required for nationals who are not eligible for a visa on arrival (like Nepali citizens)?
  • Is a UAE transit visa required to transfer checked luggage between these flights?

Has anyone else traveled on a similar itinerary recently and could share how it went?

My Research

According to Timatic (via http://www.iatatravelcentre.com/) and https://www.traveldoc.aero/, a visa is not required to transit airside. However, they also stay that:

Passengers transiting through Dubai (DXB) with separate tickets and checked-in baggage do not have to clear immigrations and customs if they use the baggage transfer service offered by the airport. Fees apply. The baggage transfer service offered at Dubai (DXB) is not available to passengers arriving on United Airlines (UA) due to a separate ticket bag check policy. Passengers must have documents to enter the United Arab Emirates and re-check their baggage to the non-interline departure carrier.

I spoke to a United phone support rep, and they said that a visa was required to connect in Dubai, and that my bags would be checked to my final destination. I think they are incorrect. This conflicts with Timatic and what many sources say online, that a visa is not required to transit airside. For example, flydubai's website states:

Please note, to transfer in Dubai to or from a flydubai flight:

  • You need to be at the boarding gate at least 45 minutes before the departure of your connecting flight.
  • If you don't have a UAE visa, the scheduled departure of the connecting flight needs to be within 24 hours of your arrival in Dubai.
  • Without a UAE visa, you won’t be allowed to leave the airport.

and also that

When you reach Dubai, go to the dnata transfer desk, where you'll be checked-in for your next flight.

  • If you’re connecting with an airline with which flydubai has got an interline agreement and your baggage is tagged through to your final destination, your baggage will be transferred at no additional cost.
  • If your baggage is not tagged through to your final destination or if you’re travelling with an airline with which flydubai does not have an interline agreement, you’ll need to pay a baggage transfer fee to dnata.
Willeke
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Cin316
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1 Answers1

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As you've correctly stated, you do NOT need a visa. Unfortunately phone agents are generally not the best people to ask such questions to, so it's not surprising you got an incorrect answer from them.

United Airlines not only have a baggage interline policy with flyDubai, but even specifically call out on their website that this agreement "[makes] check-in and baggage transfer faster and easier." Your bags will be checked through to your final destination.

You haven't stated your nationality, so I can't confirm your statements around Timatic saying you don't need a visa, but I'm also not aware of any countries who's citizens need a visa to do an airside transit in Dubai so I'd be fairly sure that your analysis here is correct.

You may want to try using the United Airline "Travel Ready Center" which should be linked from your booking on their website. This will allow you to enter all of your details and should state if a visa is required or not. Unfortunately it doesn't always handle connections on partner flights correctly, so may not give a definitive answer for your situation.

Doc
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