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Sharjah International Airport Transit Visa 2026

Airside transit at SHJ is visa-free. To leave the airport, UAE visa rules apply — same list as Dubai + Abu Dhabi. Note: Sharjah is a "dry" emirate — no alcohol permitted anywhere including transit lounges.

Airside transit zone at Sharjah International Airport

SHJ is Air Arabia's hub. Airside transit is available but SHJ handles mostly point-to-point traffic, not long connections. Same UAE visa rules as Dubai/Abu Dhabi apply.

Usually need a transit visa

  • • To enter UAE: nationals not on visa-free or visa-on-arrival list

Usually exempt

  • • Airside transit — all nationalities
  • • UAE visa-free / visa-on-arrival: 100+ countries including all EU/Schengen + UK + US + Canada + Australia + NZ + Japan + South Korea + Singapore + Malaysia + China (2024)

Visa types + cost

Airside transit (no visa)

Duration
Unlimited within layover
Price
Free
Process
None.

UAE visa on arrival

Duration
30-90 days
Price
Free or AED 100-350 depending on nationality
Process
At immigration on arrival — instant.

Real scenarios

Scenario 1
Any passport, SHJ airside layover 3 hours
No visa needed — SHJ handles Air Arabia short-turnaround flights
Scenario 2
US citizen arriving to visit Dubai (SHJ → Dubai by car)
Free UAE visa-on-arrival 30 days — 30 min drive to Dubai
Scenario 3
Indian citizen on Air Arabia SHJ transit + hoping to see Sharjah museums
UAE visa-on-arrival (paid AED 250) — Sharjah has world-class art museums

Official source

https://www.gdrfad.gov.ae

Visa rules change frequently. Always verify with the official source before travel.

Staying the night in Sharjah?

If your connection is overnight and you can enter UAE, search hotels in Sharjah. Prices and availability are on the booking site; AirConnect earns a commission if you book through this link.

Sharjah hotels on Expedia

If you have Expedia Rewards points or a saved payment method, this is the fastest path to a confirmed booking. Free cancellation on most rates, price-match guarantee.

Search Sharjah on Expedia

US default

Expedia bundles the flight + hotel discount in-cart (5-30% off the combined book). Price-match guarantee means you can rebook if the rate drops before check-in.

See Sharjah rates