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The main entry requirement of
obtaining a visa in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and its seven
emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al
Khaimah, and Fujairah) are that your passport is valid for at least
2-6 months before your arrival. Information about the various UAE
visa categories are explained in detail below.
Visit Visas
A visit visa applies to tourists who wish to spend more than 14 days
in the UAE, whether it is to visit relatives or for business
purposes. The categories given below identify whether an individual
requires a visit visa before arrival or whether one can be issued to
them at the airport or entry point.
AGCC Citizens
Citizens of the Arab Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) member states
(Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Saudi Arabia) do not need a visa.
AGCC Residents
AGCC expatriate residents may obtain a non-renewable 30-day visit
visa upon arrival.
British Citizens
Residents of the UK, with the right to abide in the United Kingdom,
may obtain a free visa on arrival, which is valid for 60 days and
can be renewed for an additional 30 days for Dhs. 500 (US$ 137).
Holders of the British Overseas Citizens Passport, who dont have the
right to abide in the UK, will also obtain the free visa.
33 Privileged Countries
There are 33 countries that are given the same on arrival free UAE
visa on arrival similar to UK citizens. These countries include
citizens of France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium,
Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal,
Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Finland, Malta, Spain, Monaco, Vatican
City, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, United States
(US), Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brunei, Singapore,
Malaysia and Hong Kong. A new law was passed on March 31st 2003,
where the citizens of these 33 countries can only obtain a one-month
non-renewable visit visa on arrival, which costs Dhs. 100 (US$ 28).
Though the government officially passed this law, it does not seem
to be always implemented.
Other Nationalities (Tourist Visas)
Citizens of countries that are not mentioned above require the
sponsorship of a UAE resident (relative or friend), hotel, travel
agency, or company, in order to obtain a visit visa. This type of
visit visa is also known as the tourist visa. For a relative or
friend to sponsor a tourist visa, he or she must earn over Dhs.
4,000 per month and hold a valid residence visa. A hotel can sponsor
a tourist visa, only if the visitor stays at the hotel, and they
will hold your passport until all hotel payments are cleared.
Procedures involved in issuing a tourist visa require that the
visitor fill out a visa application form and submit it to the
sponsor along with a first few pages of their passport. With these
details, the sponsor can apply for a tourist visa, which will cost
Dhs. 650 (US$ 178) and take a maximum of 7 days to issue. The
sponsor must deposit the visitor's tourist visa at the airport
immigration at least one hour before the visitor's flight arrivals,
which will cost Dhs. 10 (US$ 3) for processing.
Transit Visas
This type of visa is a 4-day (96 hour) visa, which is issued by
sponsorship of an airline operating in the United Arab Emirates. A
transit visa can only be issued if a visitor has a valid ticket for
an onward flight and the issuing of transit visas are normally free
of cost. |
Other Visit Visas
There are two other types of visit visas issued by the UAE
government. The first is a 14-day visa, also known as an Entry
Service Permit. This visa must be sponsored by a United Arab
Emirates company or hotel and will normally take 2-3 days to issue.
The second is a Multiple Entry Visa, which is useful for individuals
who are continuously visiting the UAE. This visa has special
privileges for visitors from Germany and the United States. More
information and requirements about these two visas can be found to
your right.
Residence Visa
For individuals planning to live in the United Arab Emirates, you
have to obtain a residence visa, which is also referred to as an
employment visa. A residence visa will be issued by the Immigration
department of the emirate you will be staying in and provided to you
by your sponsor (the company or person you are working for). If you
have entered the country on a visit visa, you can transfer to a
residence visa by either re-enter the country or else make the
transfer at the Immigration department.
If you are coming to the UAE with family members, you should obtain
a family visa, which will allow you to sponsor your parents, spouse,
daughters, and sons under the age of 18. Family visas are only
possible if you earn more than Dhs. 4,000 (US$ 1,100) a month.
Residence visas are normally issued for 3-years and in order for it
to be processed, you will need to take a medical test and obtain a
health card. Individuals who test positive for AIDS will not be
permitted to obtain a residence visa. A health card costs around Dhs.
300 (US$ 82) and should be renewed yearly. It can be issued at the
Ministry of Health or else at a recognized private hospital.
Overstaying
A penalty charge of Dhs. 25 (US$ 7) - Dhs. 100 (US$ 28) per day is
imposed on visitors who overstay. If the overstay extends to a
significant amount of time, then a court hearing is issued and the
judge will decide what penalties will occur.
Issuing Authority
The Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department (DNRD) is the sole
administrative authority of the Ministry of Interior that deals with
issuing visas to foreigners visiting the country. Most visit visas
issued in the UAE are issued through the Dubai International Airport
and are sometime mistakenly referred to as a Dubai visa
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