Embassies and consulates · United Arab Emirates
Dubai: U.S. visa waits, scheduling and visas issued
As of September 17, 2026, the State Department lists a wait of 5 months for student visa appointments and 11.5 months for visitor visas at Dubai. 181 of 186 posts list a shorter student wait.
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
By visa type
Appointment waits at Dubai
The State Department lists how long applicants at each post wait for an interview, in months. It published these figures for Dubai on September 17, 2026.
| Visa class | Dubai | Median post | Posts with a shorter wait |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available | 11.5 months | 1 month | 173 of 187 |
| Student and exchange (F, M, J) | 5 months | 15 days | 181 of 186 |
| Petition-based work (H, L, O, P, Q) | 4.5 months | 15 days | 175 of 184 |
| Crew and transit (C, D, C1/D) | 5 months | 15 days | 167 of 174 |
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
Dubai student wait over time
Dubai has ranged same day to 5 months across 23 months on record, and today's figure is at the high end. It has been faster before, so re-check before making an irreversible decision. The median over that time was 15 days.
Source: U.S. Department of State: Global Visa Wait Times · Published 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · Coverage 2022-11/2026-09
Visas issued at Dubai
The State Department reports how many visas each post issues every month. These counts are where visas were issued, not the nationality of the people who received them.
Nonimmigrant visas, February 2026
5,497
9% fewer than February 2025 (6,016). 65,389 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Immigrant visas, February 2026
0
0 over the past 12 months (sum of monthly reports, not an official total).
Sources: U.S. Department of State: Monthly Immigrant Visa Issuances and U.S. Department of State: Monthly Nonimmigrant Visa Issuances · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2022-10/2026-02
Every visa class issued at Dubai →Visitor visa refusal rate for United Arab Emirates nationals
The State Department publishes refusal rates by nationality, counting applicants at every post, not by post. A refusal is what applicants usually call a visa rejection. This is the rate for nationals of United Arab Emirates wherever they applied, not a rate for Dubai.
Adjusted B visa refusal rate, FY2025
2.17%
Ranks 196 of 199 nationalities, highest first.
How the rate is calculated →Source: U.S. Department of State: Adjusted Refusal Rate, B-Visas by Nationality · Retrieved 2026-07-24 · Coverage FY2025
Get an email when Dubai changes
Visitor (B-1/B-2), next available: 11.5 months now
We email you once each time the State Department publishes a different figure. Every email has an unsubscribe link.
Other U.S. posts in United Arab Emirates
- Abu DhabiStudent wait 15 days
Where these figures come from
- U.S. Visa Appointment Wait Times by EmbassyPublished 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-09-17
- U.S. Student Visa Appointment Wait Times Over TimePublished 2026-09-17 · Retrieved 2026-09-17 · Coverage 2022-11/2026-09
- U.S. Immigrant Visa Interview Scheduling by EmbassyPublished 2026-10-07 · Retrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2026-10-07
- U.S. Visa Issuances by Post, MonthlyRetrieved 2026-10-15 · Coverage 2022-10/2026-02
- U.S. Nonimmigrant Visa Refusal Rates by NationalityRetrieved 2026-07-24 · Coverage FY2025
The State Department publishes each of these separately, on its own schedule. We show each one with its own date and never add figures from one to another.