The 5-year multiple-entry UAE visa needs one type of insurance: health insurance issued in the UAE and valid for 180 days when you apply.
ICP has also confirmed that every later trip needs valid UAE-approved health cover for the whole stay.
Travel insurance is optional and covers flights, bags and cancellations. Start with the mandatory one: compare health insurance plans before you open the visa application.
Applying for the 5-year visa? Sort the mandatory UAE-issued health insurance first.
Get a visa health insurance quote5-year multiple entry visa insurance at a glance
5-Year Visa Health Insurance in Dubai vs Abu Dhabi
The health insurance rule follows the authority that issues your 5-year visa. GDRFA Dubai handles applications through Dubai; ICP handles Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates.
Applying Through Dubai (GDRFA)
GDRFA Dubai asks for valid health insurance in the UAE but does not state a policy length. Buy 180 days anyway, from an insurer licensed in Dubai, so the policy length never holds up the application.
Not sure which insurers can sell health cover in Dubai? Our guide to ISAHD health insurance explains how Dubai’s health insurance system works.
Applying through GDRFA Dubai? Get health insurance that works with Dubai hospitals.
Compare health insurance in DubaiApplying Through Abu Dhabi (ICP)
ICP is strict: health insurance issued in the UAE and valid for 180 days. Pick a plan with Abu Dhabi hospitals in the network. Applying from Sharjah, Ajman or RAK? Compare health insurance UAE plans instead.
Before you pick a hospital network, see our list of the best hospitals in Abu Dhabi.
Applying through ICP for Abu Dhabi? Get UAE-issued health insurance for the full 180 days.
Compare health insurance in Abu DhabiWhat Does “Health Insurance on Every Trip” Mean for the 5-Year Visa?
Every trip means every time you enter the UAE on the 5-year visa, a valid UAE health insurance policy must cover you from arrival day to departure day. The 5-year visa lasts five years; one health insurance policy does not.
Most confusion comes from two different “180s” that sound the same but measure different things.
| The “180” | What the 180 measures | What the 180 means for you |
|---|---|---|
| 180-day health insurance | The policy runs for 180 calendar days from the start date, whether you are in the UAE or not | The policy can run out while you are at home, so a later trip may need new cover |
| 180 days a year in the UAE | The visa lets you stay up to 180 days a year, counted from your first entry (90 days per visit, extendable by 90) | A visa year is 12 months, but the first health policy covers only about 6 of the 12 months |
5-Year Visa Health Insurance, Step by Step
- Before you apply: buy UAE-issued health insurance valid for 180 days and upload the policy to the ICP or GDRFA application. Where the insurer allows, start the policy close to your planned arrival.
- First trip: enter the UAE within 2 months of the visa being issued. The 180-day policy covers the first trip if you leave before the policy end date.
- Later trips while the first policy is still running: no new policy is needed, as long as the departure date is on or before the policy end date.
- A trip that runs past the policy end date: extend the policy, or buy new cover, before you fly, so arrival to departure is fully covered.
- Every trip after the first policy ends: buy new UAE health insurance that starts on arrival day and ends on or after departure day. Repeat for every visit until the 5-year visa expires.
- Extending a stay by 90 days: extend the health insurance to the new exit date on the same day you extend the visa.
Keep the current policy certificate on your phone on every trip. A hospital asks for the policy first, and the certificate shows your cover dates at a glance.
Before each trip, check your UAE visa status online to confirm the 5-year visa is still valid. Staying longer than 90 days? See how to extend a UAE visit visa.
How Long Should Health Insurance Be for Later Trips?
ICP publishes 180 days as the rule for the application. For later trips, ICP’s guidance is that cover must run for the whole stay; ICP does not publish a fixed policy length for each later visit.
The safe approach is a policy that covers every day from arrival to departure. If you want certainty before buying, call ICP on 600 522 222 and ask about your exact trip plan.
Which Trips Does a 180-Day Policy Cover? Examples
| Your trips (policy starts 1 March, ends 27 August) | Covered by the first policy? |
|---|---|
| 30 days from 1 March, then 45 days from 1 June | Yes, both trips end before 27 August |
| 30 days each in March, July and November | March and July only; November needs new cover |
| 90 days from 1 July, extended by 60 days | Only until 27 August; extend the cover for the rest |
| Any trip in year two | No, buy cover for the new trip dates |
Next trip falls after your policy end date? Get UAE health insurance for the new trip dates before you fly.
Get health insurance for my next tripIs My Next Trip Covered? 5-Year Visa Insurance Checker
Enter the end date on your policy certificate and your trip dates. The checker assumes the policy starts on or before arrival day.
A trip is covered only when the policy end date is on or after your departure date.
Next trip not covered? Quote health insurance for the new trip dates
Do You Need Travel Insurance for the 5-Year UAE Visa?
No, travel insurance is optional for the 5-year UAE visa. Health insurance pays for UAE hospitals; travel insurance pays for trip problems such as cancellations, delays and lost bags.
Want to see exactly what a travel policy pays for? Read how travel insurance works, from cover to cost.
Flying in and out of the UAE often? Add travel insurance for delays, bags and cancellations.
Compare travel insurance plansHealth Insurance for Parents on the 5-Year Visa
Parents over 60 pay more for visitor health insurance and face tighter rules on pre-existing conditions, so start early. Compare health insurance for parents and seniors before the visa application goes in.
FAQs
Not always. You need valid UAE health insurance for every trip, from arrival to departure. If your current policy is still running past your departure date, the same policy covers the trip. Once the policy end date passes, buy new cover before your next trip.
ICP asks for 180 days when you apply. For later trips, ICP’s guidance is cover for the whole stay, without a published fixed length. A policy matching each trip’s dates meets that guidance. For certainty on your plan, ask ICP on 600 522 222 before buying.
Not for the visa requirement. ICP asks for health insurance issued in the UAE, so a policy from an insurer outside the UAE does not meet the condition. Keep your home policy for extras like lost bags if you like, but buy a UAE-issued health policy for the visa.
Yes. Families with children under 18 apply as a family group, and ICP asks for proof of health insurance for every accompanying family member. Each child must be covered for the same trip dates as the parents. One family policy with matching dates keeps everyone covered.
No. Etihad’s free Daman cover lasts up to 15 days per trip and runs only for travel between July and December 2026. The 5-year visa application needs UAE-issued health insurance valid for 180 days, so the Etihad cover is a bonus on top of your own policy, not a replacement.
Read Also
- Travel insurance for a UAE visit visa
- UAE visas that don’t require a sponsor
- UAE visa status check online
- Ways to renew a visit visa in Dubai and the UAE
- How to check a travel ban in the UAE
