Visa rules Dubai UAE

[shawarma]

New Dubai visa rules - started 29 July 2008.

Dubai FAQ visa information pages

Dubai visa - general UAE and Dubai visa information
Dubai visa list - Table of visas available
UAE visa cancellation - procedure for cancelling residence visa and work permit
Visa run Dubai - renewing a visit visa by air or road from Dubai

Other UAE visa question topics

Abu Dhabi tourist visa
Blood test for residence visa
Cancellation of UAE visit visa
Friend visit visa Dubai
Retirement visa UAE
Transfer UAE residence visa to new passport

UAE reciprocal visas

Gulf News today (25 December 2006) had a report that visa rules were under review - especially for European countries which require UAE nationals to obtain visas before heading there. The beef seems to be that although the UAE grants visas on arrival for EU member countries, those same countries do not have reciprocal rights for UAE citizens (not expat residents) entering those countries - UAE citizens have to go through tough visa application procedures before visiting those countries. Some excerpts from the report:

Dubai: The ministry of foreign affairs has been asked by the Cabinet yesterday to review its reciprocal visa procedures policy in light of "some foreign countries', particularly European," refusal to grant Emiratis the same treatment their nationals get at UAE ports. "We will negotiate with these countries to facilitate the entry of UAE nationals to those countries," Mohammad Hussain Al Sha'ali, Minister State for for Foreign Affairs told Gulf News yesterday. "We will hopefully find a suitable way to do it." ...

... "We receive complaints from UAE citizens and some establishments regarding visa transactions and the stringent terms imposed by those countries on businessmen, students and even patients with urgent cases," Al Sha'ali explained, without specifying those countries ... "In return we expect the same treatment from those countries. We had earlier spoken to them about the necessity to facilitate the entry of UAE nationals but we have not received a suitable response," he said.

[LISMAC]

Hi, there! This is my first forum so forgive me if I don't get it right! I'll get straight to the point: I am planning on visiting my son, who's working in Dubai. I want to go in March and will only be in the UAE for a maximum of 10 days. I have a full British Passport. My questions are:
1. Do I have to get a tourist visa or a visit visa? Or either of the two?
2. If it's a tourist visa I need, can I get the visa on arrival because I hold a British passport or is that only for visit visas? In which case, if I'm only staying for 10 days could I request a visit visa anyway?
3. If I have to get a visa before arrival, I'm told that the fact that I won't be staying at a hotel would mean that the travel agency or airline cannot carry out the visa formalities for me and that my son would have to do this in Dubai prior to my arrival - is this so?
4. And, lastly, if my son does have to apply for my visa, how does he do that, what does he require?

Thank you very much,
LISMAC

[shawarma]

Hello Lismac and welcome to the Dubai forum. Nothing wrong with getting straight to the point .

1. Tourist visa from hotel, travel agent, or airline company. Visit visa on arrival or if friend/relative/company sponsors you. Usually choose whatever is easiest to obtain. Both are permission to enter the UAE for a visit.
2. Visit visa good for at least 30 days (and maybe 60 days) but you can leave before the end of the visa. Get one on arrival with UK passport. You don't need to do anything beforehand (except buy a ticket, pack a bag, and make sure your passport is up to date).
3. Yes.
4. See the DNRD - he will need copy of your passport and his, and job, and money but they will probably tell him to tell you to get a visit visa on arrival.

Good luck and enjoy your stay .

[LISMAC]

Many thanks, Shawarma! Certainly clarified things for me. Dubai here I come!

[DubaiInformationSite]

the interesting about visa laws in dubai is that they can change almost on a daily basis...or by the minute if you really want to drive the point across. one thing to keep in mind however is your qualification. if you have something that dubai needs, then the door will find its way to open up to you. that said it is best to subscribe to regular updates such as RSS to dubai visa information.

[moore]

I would like to known how many times you can go over the border at Hatta Oman and back to Dubai

[shawarma]

Hello moore and welcome to the Dubai forums . Good question and I'm sure you're not the only one wondering about that. In theory, according to the Dubai visa fees table from the DNRD, a maximum of only once. In practice though, free Dubai visit visa nationalities seem to be able to do the Hatta visa run repeatedly. There are some visitors who have been doing it for a year or more.

An official answer is likely to be once (maybe twice). Unofficially, the maximum number is unknown until the authorities change the rules or implement the current rules more strictly. And you're unlikely to find out until it actually happens. Such is life in Dubai ...

[moore]

Thanks for your response it has helped.
I have been waiting for a visa as my husband is working in Dubai But we just found out I can't get one (After 6months)
AS I am older than him and over 59 (although he earns more than enough.) We have rented our house out to come here. Is there another way of getting around this or will I have to go home,AS we both love living here and not keen on me going home alone as his job dosn"t finsh till the end of the year.
Hoping you can help in anyway

[shawarma]

1. If you're from one of the free entry visa on arrival countries, then you should be ok doing a visa run each month for a while.
2. See if your husband can sponsor you for a 90 day visit visa. Do that repeatedly (you may have to exit the country for up to a month between visas since they're not renewable).
3. Try and approach someone in authority at the DNRD and negotiate a special case.
4. Find a company to sponsor you for a mission visa (a friend of a friend sort of thing - sometimes companies sponsor people even though they don't work for the company, although if you're 60+ then your age is against you for any work related sponsorship).
5. An investor visa - invest 70k with an Emirati business (I don't know much about this one, or even if it still exists).
6. Establish a company in a UAE free zone. I think a RAK FTZ hotdesk with trade licence etc was about AED 25,000-30,000 for one year. You'll have to at least appear to be doing something viable (submit business plan etc).

If you're not in Dubai yet, then at least come on a Dubai tourist visa or visit visa to start with. Then try and find a way around any restrictions. Being here in person and talking to people sometimes brings solutions to light that aren't apparent from websites and internet forums .