How UAE Residents Can Claim Over Dh3,000 in Rewards Under Dubai's New Invite Scheme?
Date: 29-07-2026
UAE residents can now earn over Dh3,000 in rewards, including hotel stays, dining experiences, attraction tickets, and lifestyle offers, simply by inviting family or friends from overseas to visit Dubai.
The programme, called "A Dubai Invite," was launched by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) and runs until October 31, 2026. Residents register their visitors through an online nomination form before they arrive, and rewards are automatically unlocked once the guest's entry into Dubai is verified through government systems.
This article covers every detail of how the programme works, what residents need to do to qualify, what their nominated visitors need in terms of visa and entry requirements, and where the most common eligibility gaps occur. The guidance below draws on direct familiarity with UAE visa frameworks and government initiative processes that affect how residents interact with these kinds of tourism programmes.
How Does the A Dubai Invite Programme Work?
The programme's logic is straightforward. Dubai has more than 200 nationalities calling it home, which means residents collectively maintain direct personal connections with families and friends across most of the world. According to Visit Dubai, the emirate welcomed 19.5 million international tourists in 2025. "A Dubai Invite" channels the existing social relationships of those residents into a structured tourism push, offering tangible rewards as an incentive for residents to actively encourage travel rather than simply mentioning Dubai as a destination.
Once a resident nominates a visitor through the Visit Dubai nomination form and that visitor arrives in Dubai within the eligible window, DET automatically verifies the entry through authorised government systems. The resident then receives a reward email within 72 hours containing their package of benefits and instructions on how to redeem them. Reward distribution begins from August 2026 and remains valid until December 31, 2026, though individual brands within the package may set their own expiry dates or blackout periods.
What the Reward Package Includes?
The package covers a curated set of offers across hospitality, transport, and leisure. Participating brands confirmed at launch include W Dubai Mina Seyahi, The Westin Dubai Mina Seyahi, Le Méridien Mina Seyahi Beach Resort and Waterpark, Meliá Desert Palm, IHG Hotels and Resorts, Careem, and Hala.
Leisure offers include discounted access to Aquaventure Waterpark and IMG Worlds of Adventure. The full package value exceeds Dh3,000, combining hotel discounts, dining vouchers, and free or discounted attraction entry.
It is important to understand that this is a resident-facing reward scheme. The visiting guest benefits from being in Dubai and spending time with their host, but the formal rewards, the vouchers, hotel offers, and attraction tickets, go to the resident who made the nomination, not to the visitor.
Who Qualifies and What the Rules Are?
| Programme Condition | Details |
|---|---|
| Resident eligibility | UAE residents and citizens aged 18 or above with a valid Emirates ID |
| Visitor eligibility | Non-UAE residents arriving on a tourist visa or eligible for UAE visa-on-arrival |
| Visitor arrival window | July 20 to October 31, 2026 |
| Nomination submission deadline | September 30, 2026 |
| Maximum nominations per submission | Up to 5 visitors |
| Additional nominations | Allowed through separate submissions after completing the first |
| How many times a visitor can be nominated | Once only throughout the campaign |
| Maximum reward bundles per resident | Three separate bundles |
| Reward validity | Until December 31, 2026, unless individual brands specify otherwise |
| Visa support | Not included, visitors must arrange their own visas independently |
Step-by-Step Process for Residents
The process from start to reward claim involves four clear stages. Understanding each stage avoids the delays that come from incorrect or incomplete submissions.
- Registration. Residents access the official nomination form through the Visit Dubai website at visitdubai.com/en/invite/nomination. The form requires the resident's personal details including their Emirates ID number and contact information, followed by the details of the visitor being nominated, name, passport number, nationality, and expected arrival date.
- Visitor arrival. The nominated visitor travels to Dubai within the July 20 to October 31, 2026 window. Their entry is automatically cross-referenced with government border systems, residents do not need to do anything additional at this stage.
- Reward receipt. Within 72 hours of the verified arrival, the resident receives an email at the address provided during nomination. The email contains the full reward package and redemption instructions.
- Benefit redemption. Rewards can be used at the participating brands before December 31, 2026. Residents should check each offer's specific terms, as some hotel promotions or experience packages may have blackout dates during peak periods or require advance booking.
What Visiting Guests Need to Arrange Independently?
The DET confirmed explicitly that "A Dubai Invite" does not include visa arrangements. This is the single most important distinction for residents to communicate clearly to their guests before the trip is planned. Visitors are fully responsible for obtaining their own entry documentation. Depending on their nationality, this means one of three routes:
- Residents of countries eligible for UAE visa-on-arrival can arrive without prior arrangement, provided they qualify under the current eligibility rules.
- Nationals of countries not on the visa-on-arrival list must apply for a UAE tourist visa before travel.
- Some nationalities may also apply for a visit visa through a UAE-based sponsor, which is a separate process from the "A Dubai Invite" nomination.
The nomination form does not generate, process, or expedite a visa. It registers the visitor's expected arrival for reward tracking purposes only. Guests who arrive without the correct entry documentation will be denied entry regardless of whether a nomination has been submitted.
Things to Confirm Before Submitting a Nomination
- The visitor's visa status is confirmed first. Submit the nomination only after the visitor's entry route has been established, whether visa-on-arrival eligibility has been checked or a tourist visa application is underway.
- Visitor's travel dates fall within the window. Arrivals before July 20 or after October 31 do not qualify, regardless of when the nomination was submitted.
- The correct email address is used for the resident. The reward package is sent to the email submitted during nomination. An incorrect or rarely-checked email means the package may expire before the resident realises it has been sent.
- Each visitor is only nominated once. Attempting to nominate the same visitor twice does not double rewards and may cause processing issues with DET's verification system.
Where Visa Support Helps Before a Visit?
Since the programme explicitly excludes visa arrangements, residents whose guests need a tourist visa before travelling must handle that separately. This is particularly relevant for visitors from countries that require a pre-approved UAE visa, including many South Asian, African, and Central Asian nationalities, where the application process requires correct documentation and accurate submission. BizVibez Consultants assists with the following:
- Tourist Visa: Support preparing and submitting tourist visa applications for visitors whose nationality requires pre-approval before entering the UAE, ensuring documentation is accurate and complete before travel plans are finalised.
- UAE Visa Services: Broader visa guidance for residents navigating entry requirements across different nationalities, including visit visa eligibility checks and application coordination.
- PR Services: Government liaison and documentation handling for residents managing multiple visitor nominations or coordinating group travel arrangements under the programme.
Key Takeaways
"A Dubai Invite" is the most straightforward resident reward scheme DET has launched in recent years, nominating a visiting guest before they arrive, and receive over Dh3,000 in hospitality and leisure benefits once they land.
The critical steps are submitting the nomination in advance, confirming the visitor's visa or entry eligibility independently, and using the reward package before December 31, 2026. The programme does not handle visas or entry arrangements, which means residents need to ensure their guests have the correct documentation before travel is booked, not after.
Plan the Visit Properly Before Submitting the Nomination
Getting the visa piece right before submission makes the process run smoothly from arrival to reward redemption. For residents whose visiting guests require a UAE tourist visa or need help confirming entry eligibility, BizVibez Consultants can be reached at info@bizvibez.com or +971 55 424 8875 to discuss what a specific visitor's situation requires.
