Emirates: onward ticket checks

What Emirates' conditions of carriage say

• Article 13.1.1: check the entry requirements of every country you visit, even as a transit passenger, and obtain, hold and present all passports, visas and other documents your journey needs.
• Article 13.1.3: contact the embassy or consulate of each relevant country before and at the time of booking, and again before you travel if the trip is not immediate.
• Article 13.1.6: Emirates will not accept you if your visas or travel documents do not appear to be in order, even after you have flown part of the journey.
• Article 7.1.17: Emirates can refuse carriage when immigration at your destination, transit point or stopover has told it you will not be admitted, even with valid documents.
• Article 13.2: if you are refused entry, you pay fines, detention costs and the fare to fly you, and any escort, out of that country, and the fare to the airport where you were refused is not refunded.

The version we read was published on 28 December 2024 and notes that other conditions of carriage may apply depending on where you live.

UAE visas through Emirates need a paid ticket

The page sets further conditions. The departure and return dates must match your hotel reservation if you are staying in a hotel. The online service is only for confirmed Emirates bookings where the ticket has already been issued, and the flights into and out of Dubai must be Emirates flights on one booking (PNR); itineraries with flights to or from Dubai on other airlines are not eligible.

Emirates' 48-hour and 96-hour transit visas are valid for travel with Emirates tickets outbound from Dubai. Extensions are requested at the airport office and need your original passport and a ticket copy.

Dubai immigration may also select visitors for a random visual screening and ask for a hard copy of the visa or the visa number confirmation page. Without one, a charge of AED 30 per copy applies, payable in AED.

Other destinations on Emirates

Outside the UAE visa service, Article 13 points the check at your destination's rules. If you fly one way to Bangkok, Manila or Denpasar with a connection in Dubai, the test is Thailand's, the Philippines' or Indonesia's, and Article 13.1.6 lets Emirates refuse to board you in Dubai if your documents do not appear to be in order.

Changing planes in Dubai without leaving the airport does not make the UAE your destination. If you will pass through UAE immigration, the UAE page covers visas on arrival and visit visas, and the Thailand, Philippines and Indonesia pages cover those arrivals.

What Emirates passengers can do

1. 01Visa through EmiratesBuy the return or onward Emirates ticket first. The visa service needs it issued, not held.
2. 02Visa on arrival or another visaCheck the UAE rules for your passport and, if you continue elsewhere, the next country's.
3. 03One way beyond DubaiMatch the exit to your final destination's rule and keep it in your hand luggage for the transfer in Dubai.

FlyProof is independent and not connected to Emirates. Its reservations are real bookings with a reference that can be looked up, useful where a destination asks for proof of onward travel; they cannot be used for Emirates' visa service or anywhere a paid ticket is required.

Questions

Sources

1. 1Emirates Conditions of Carriage for Passengers and Baggage · Emirates · checked 30 October 2026
2. 2UAE visa information · Emirates · checked 30 October 2026

Last reviewed 30 October 2026. Rules change: confirm with the airline and the official source before you travel. How we research · Report a correction