Visit Visa extension Dubai

[newtodubai]

Hi,

My partner and I arrived in Dubai on 3rd January 2009 on visit Visas (Australian passports). Our visa was stamped for 60 days. My partner has secured a job that he will be commencing shortly, and I am still searching for work. We went to do a visa run today to get an extension for 30 days and discovered that our passports were incorrectly stamped and we were only allowed 30 days (due to the new laws). Apparently this was the airports fault and we won't be charged the late fees if we got to the airport, but this could not be fixed at any of the border crossings. However does anyone know if it is possible to get this ammended at the airport without actually having to fly? The cost of a flight for a visa run this week is quite high, and we would prefer to either pay for an extension or drive across the border.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks!

[shawarma]

Hello newtodubai and welcome to the Dubai forums .

That's confusing, to say the least. Ever since the rules changed in August 2008, there have been different stories of a visit visa for Dubai being 30 days or 60 days but opposite numbers stamped in passports. Which border crossing did you go to? You could try a different one, or the same one at a different time. Sometimes there is a degree of flexibility in how rules are applied. Otherwise I'd suggest you try the DNRD and see if you get any help there (visit later in the afternoon or evening, it's not so busy then). I don't think you can do an airport visa run without flying. Have you tried Kish Island? Maybe that's a cheaper option?

[Researcher]

I was told when I went to extend my visa that all passports including British ones are 30 days on entry, extendable by 30 days, i.e. they have removed the 60 day entry rule.

[shawarma]

Hello Researcher and welcome to the Dubai forums .

Thanks for the update. I moved your post to this topic from the UAE labour department rules topic since it seemed more appropriate here .

[newtodubai]

Hi Shawarma,

Thanks for your advice. We went to the DNRD and after a bit of tooing and froing managed to get it sorted out. It was a mistake that teh airport had made, and they waived the fees and allowed us to pay for an extension for 30 days (giving us up unti lthe 13th March, so an additional 30 +10 on top of what we were supposed to get). From now on, we should be clear to do visa runs, and after speaking to them, they seem to think that on an Australian passport we are allowed to do as many visa runs as we wish. Fingers crossed, and I'm sure we'll find out in March!

Thanks again

[shawarma]

Ok, glad to hear it got sorted out, and thanks for coming back with an update. Good luck for March ... if the DNRD are saying you can renew indefinitely then you should be fine .

[Vsfchan]

Dear All

I came form Hong Kong and arrived on January 2, 2009. I went to do my visa extension this morning. The immigration gave me 10 more days. The officer explained it was new rules, only granted for 60+10 days.

[shawarma]

Hello Vsfchan, welcome to the Dubai forums and thanks for the update .

[brittanyscales]

Hello,

I came to dubai from australia in december and only had a 30 day visa, I have done one visa run to oman via eithad and now looking to do another one soon. How did you renew your visa? Is there somewhere I can go in Dubai? Or should I go to Abu dhabi where I flew in? Also does anyone know of a visa run to oman border and back sharing a ride? Thanks for any advice! I will be Very grateful

[shawarma]

Hello Brittany and welcome to the Dubai forums. Here's information about the Hatta visa run . It shouldn't matter which emirate you arrived in when you do a visa run.

[newtodubai]

Hi,
Just a quick update, my partner and I did a visa border run on the weekend at Hatta and had no problems at all. We were given our entty and exit stamp at the one counter (we didn't even need to drive any further!) and the cost was 60dhs each.

[lal1]

Hi everyone, can anyone please give full details/costs of visa run to Oman from Dubai - I'll have to do this soon and it's freaking me out! Plus we have a hire car only insured for UAE whats the procedure regarding insurance for crossing the border. Be grateful for any advice.

[shawarma]

Hello lal and welcome to the Dubai forum .

Here's all you need to know about the Hatta visa run. You should be fine with a rental car because you can park on the Dubai side of the Oman border control building and do everything on foot - you don't need to drive into Oman (usually - if you need insurance, you can get third party at the border but that means your rental car isn't covered for damage). Costs depend on nationality but allow 30 dhs to exit Dubai and 70 dhs for Oman visa (plus petrol cost to drive there and back, and money for sandwiches if you stop for lunch). If you've overstayed then there'll be an additional 100 dhs plus 100 dhs for each day (although I thought I saw a report saying that had increased to 200 dhs per day).

[lal1]

Thanks for the info. Is anyone doing a "visa run" next week and wanting company/ share expenses etc?

[derbymatt]

hi, my girlfriends visa runs out tomorrow. what is the best way to get it extended? either here at the immegration office on SZR or go to Oman? if i go to Oman i will need to take the day off unless i go at the weekend but that will incure a fine. does anyone know what the fines are for sure? hope someone can help. thanks matt

[shawarma]

Hello derbymatt and welcome to the Dubai forums .

The SZR visa office in Dubai is closer so it would be quicker than going to Hatta but I think more expensive since you have to pay for a visa extension.
Oman is a visa renewal so cost is cheaper (if you're from one the countries with a free visa on arrival).
Allow 100 dhs overstaying fine plus 200 dhs per day (so the first day will be 300 dhs). It was 100 dhs per day but I thought I heard it had increased to 200 dhs per day. Can't find confirmation of that though.

[Ian M]

Hi I am going to renew my Holiday visa this week and i want to do this via the SZR Visa Office In Dubai rather than border hopping. i have been here 25 days and I am a British citizen. There is no reason why my visa would not be extended and i need to change my flight asap, but can anybody please advise me if this is a garunteed service that the visa office offers.. at the price of AED500. or there is there any way they can decline my request? thanks in advance for your time and feedback.

[shawarma]

Hello IM and welcome to the Dubai forums .

I don't think visa issuance, renewal, or extension is guaranteed anywhere, but based on what you've said, you should get a visa extension. The only obvious restriction in this case that I'm aware of is that you can only get one extension, otherwise you have to leave the country.

[jasonxargo]

Hello,
just thought people should know this, it may help...
yesterday i went to renew my visit visa, from 30 days for another 30 days, went to the typing shop ,paid the fees, then went to the immigration dept,
i was told 30 days was now the limit and no extensions were granted beyond that, the rules seem to have changed again,
i asked if all i had to do was leave and come back, the immigration chief said yes, no problem, just go out and come back in again, but 30 days was now your limit! i have been here for a year or so now and thought it might be because i have been coming and going , but the didnt even look at my passport, and i also checked with the head of immigration at that office, it seems that the rules are changing every day!

i have also left out of sharjah apirport before now and was warned that i must really exit from the Emirate that i entered, that took 4 days to sort out on the UAE computer system!

[shawarma]

Hello jasonxargo, welcome to the Dubai forums and thanks for the update .

I think that sort of makes sense. When you go to the Dubai immigration department, you're applying for a visa extension, which was only possible once, as far as I know. When you cross the border and re-enter the UAE, then you're getting a new visa or visa renewal (although I think your file number with immigration remains the same), which is different from an "extension". The exit and entry from the same emirate isn't something I'd really thought of but I expect the difficulty might be because each emirate runs their own immigration department so perhaps the computer systems aren't hooked up to make the process easy. Good information you posted anyway - should help clarify things for other readers. Thanks.