Mission Visa Dubai

[mackee]

Hi! i just came here in dubai last april 30, 2009 as a tourist visa.. i took the exam in HAAD, AD. I passed the licensure exam and eventually proceed wd my sponsor private company in al ain for hiring procedures... they said, the HAAD license wil took about one and a half month before it will be released. so the company suggested to get me 1st a mission visa so that i can work immediately once available while waiting for my license. just today, they called me that my mission visa application was canceled in the immigration because i have an outstanding tourist visa. they said, i need to exit 1st to other country and cancel my tourist visa then re-enter here holding a mission visa. my questions are..
1. if i will go exit from UAE, how long(days) will it wait for me outside before the mission visa will be released? - coz i really dont want to wait outside for so long as much as possible...
2. mission visa is good for 3 months, is it renewable? for another how many months? do i need to exit again to other country in order to renew my mission visa?
3. if i will be going to exit, should i go back to the country of my origin or nearer country can be?
4. if my license is already released, the working permit and the working visa is also ready, should i need to exit again?in my country of origin or nearer country can be?

thank you so much! your response is highly appreciated!:)

[shawarma]

Hello mackee and welcome to the Dubai forums .

The Dubai Mission Visa needs to be applied for by your company PRO at the UAE Ministry of Labour (MOL), not the DNRD. You could call the MOL for further clarification, but here's what I understand.

1. That depends on how efficient your PRO is at getting the visa organised. It should only be a day or two.
2. Mission visa is valid 90 days (slightly less than 3 months), is renewable once, I think can be done without exiting country.
3. Should be ok to any country. After new visa rules in July 2008 there were reports that visitors had to go to their home country, but I think that was changed to any country.
4. You should be ok just to transfer the visa/sponsorship, although there was a report last year that an official said Mission Visa holders did have to exit the UAE to get transferred to a new residence visa and work permit, so expect the unexpected.

There may be a restriction on what professions can apply for a mission visa, especially for females. Check with the MOL, or maybe your PRO knows.

[Update: additional Mission visa topics split from this one]

Expiry period of Dubai mission visa
Labour ban avoidance with UAE mission visa

[mackee]

the company's pro actually suggested me now to exit so that my tourist visa will be canceled and so that they can apply for my mission visa. thank you for your urgent response. i was enlightened. keep up!:)

[mackee]

hi!
wanna ask if a tourist visa has a grace period?if yes, how many days?ty again

[shawarma]

Yes, 7 days .

[mackee]

many thanks shawarma...!:)