Dubai: Visa Requirements and Info

Everything you should know about visa requirements and different types of visas in Dubai (UAE) has been listed below. Please note that the visa regulations are subject to change and therefore, should be verified with the travel agent or nearest UAE embassy or consulate or your airline before you travel.

The following are eligible for non-renewable 30-day visa on arrival at approved ports of entry:

AGCC Residents: are residents who are not GCC nationals, but hold high professional status such as Company Managers, Accountants, Auditors, Business People, Engineers, Doctors, Pharmacists or employees working in public sector, their families, drivers and personal staff sponsored by them.

National Citizens of the following countries are given free of charge visa for a single visit upon arrival:

UK(with the right of abode in UK), France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Finland, Spain, Monaco, Vatican, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, South Korea and holders of Hong Kong SAR passports.

Visa not required for:

AGCC Citizens: Citizens of Arab Gulf Co-operation Council member states, including Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Oman. Visitors, who do not fall into any of the said categories, will require a visa and a sponsor for their visit. The sponsor usually applies for the visa on behalf of the visitor. Valid Sponsors: Hotel and Tourism Companies can apply for visas on behalf of the tourist for a Tourist Visa with 30 days validity, or a Service Visa valid for 14 days or a Visit Visa valid for 30 days which could be extended by another 30 days. Airlines and Airline Handlers are eligible to apply on behalf of their crew members for a 96-hour Transit Visa. Even other organizations based in the UAE may can apply for Visit Visas and Service Visas. Individuals (friends or relatives), who are already residents in the UAE, subject to guidelines, can also apply on your behalf for a Visit Visa.

Parent Visa:

UAE residents can sponsor parents for a period of one year, which could be renewed under special permission from the FNRD. A refundable deposit of Dh.5000 (per parent) and visa fee of Dh.100 will be charged.

Short Term Visa Types:

Other visit visas all of which require a deposit of Dh.1000 include:

Student Visit Visa

The student must be registered at the UAE University (for short-term courses) and should already hold a residence visa (for long-term course). It can be renewed twice for Dh.500.

Conference/Exhibition Visa

Is valid for 30 days for Dh.100 and is non-renewable

Medical Visit Visa

Is renewable for 90 days for Dh.500 and costs Dh.1000.

Investor Visa

For Expats who invest a minimum of Dh.70,000 share capital under a business partnership with a UAE national. This visa has a 3-year validity with a visa fee of Dh.300.

Property Visa

For most if not all of Dubai Property purchases, these pieces were suspended. Inquire with the appropriate government authority in Dubai with the master developer. Do not however take the word of the property developer or the real estate agent.

Mission Visa

There are a couple of types of mission visas in Dubai and UAE area. A 90-day visa (be careful, that’s not necessarily three months) is called a mission visa and it is for the express purpose of permitting expats to be employed there for short time; it is also for probationary workers. The sponsoring company applies for it at the department of labor. It may be multi-entry and/or renewable. A visa for special mission entry is good for 16 days and is referred to as a Dubai transit visa (do not confuse this with the transit visa that is good for 96 hours). It is good only for single entry and cannot be renewed.

Entry Service Permit:

An Entry Service Permit is applicable to the following categories and their families, such as Company Manager's representatives, Account Auditors, Sales Managers, delegations from companies or establishments to carry out commercial activity in the UAE, consultants sought by the UAE companies to perform certain urgent tasks. The visa will have to be used within 14 days from date of issue, as it is non-renewable. This type of entry permit will be issued only for urgent purposes, and the holder may enter and depart the UAE through any airport. The Entry Service Permit Visa can also be availed by nationalities authorized to obtain a tourist visa, as per the decision by the Ministerial Council.

Visa delivery service to airport:

Visit visas and entry permits obtained by sponsors for visitors to UAE should be normally delivered minimum three hours in advance to the airport before the arrival of the visitor. Visitors will have to look for a DNATA or DNRD visa delivery counter at the Dubai International Airport or near the arrivals area.

Note: Visa rules are subject to sudden change without notice.

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Si Engineer at ang kanyang Videocam

Kahapon lamang hinikayat ako ng aking mga kaibigan na magpunta sa mall baka daw makabili kami ng mga murang gadgets (mura pero may quality). Sabi ko sa kanila di pa panahon ngayon at malayo pa ang Dubai Shopping Festival – ito ang festivity ng Dubai kung saan ang participating shopping centers ay magbibigay ng mga malalaking diskwento sa mga bilihin. Wala din naman akong ginawa sa bahay kaya nagpasya akong sumama sa kanila at para magkapaglibot na rin.

Tinunton namin ang Dubai Festival Center. Sa aming paglilibot napuna kong may Sale pala ang mga videocam. Gusto ko nang magkaroon ng sariling videocam para may magagamit ako sa panahon ng pangangailangan. Baka kakailanganin ko ito para makapag-post ng video dito sa munti kung tahanan. Isa-isa kong tiningnan ang mga naka-display. Halos lahat ng model magaganda, magagara. Pero may isang model ang nagbigay pansin sa akin na para bang kailangan kong sisiyasating mabuti – isang model na pawang bumubulong sa akin na kailangan ko siyang bilhin. Humingi ako ng paumanhin sa Saleslady para mahawakan at mai-test ito. Nang mahawakan ko ito doon ko lang naalala na minsan na pala akong nagkaroon ng ganitong model.

Mahigit dalawang taon na ang nagdaan. Pinuntahan ako ng aking kaibigang si Jimmy para magsangla ng isang videocam. Kailangan daw ni Engineer ng pera. Hindi ko kilala ang nasabing Engineer. At hindi ko rin kailangan ng videocam. Tinanggihan ko si Jimmy pero nagpumilit siyang maisangla ito kasi hindi daw niya matanggihan si Engineer. Labag man sa kalooban ko at dahil sa hindi ko rin matanggihan si Jimmy (malaki kasi ang naitulong niya sa akin at ng aking kapatid) binayaran ko na ito sa kondisyon na pagkaraan ng dalawang buwan kailangan na niya itong tubusin.

Curios ako kay Engineer. Sa pagkakaalam ko kumikita ng malaki ang mga enhenyero sa Dubai. Bakit kailangan pa niyang magsangla ng mga bagay sa kunting halaga? Diba sapat ang kanyang kinikita? Ito’y mga karaniwang tanong lamang ng munti kong isipan. Kaya kinausap ko si Jimmy na kung maari ipakilala niya ako kay Engineer at nang makilala din niya ang taong may hawak ng kanyang videocam. Dinala ako ni Jimmy sa bahay ni Engineer.

Noon ko nalaman na si Engineer pala ay kumukupkop ng mga visit visa – mga Pilipinong napadpad sa Dubai na hindi siniswerte, hindi pa nakahanap ng trabaho, mga walang pera, walang pambayad sa bahay, at napabayaan na ng mga taong nag-sponsor sa kanilang visit visa. Hindi madali ang ginawa ni Engineer. Sabi niya, sa kasalukuyan daw meron siyang pitong inalagaang visit visa. Kaya daw niya pinasangla kay Jimmy ang kanyang videocam ay para daw maitustos sa isang alaga nitong nag-expire na ang visa at kailangang mag-exit muna ng Kish Island.

Nakakapintig damdamin ang kwento ni Engineer. Ang magkupkop ng mga taong di kaanu-ano, patitirahin mo sila ng libre sa bahay mo na alam mong ang mahal mahal ng renta nito – libreng pagkain at kahit mga personal na gamit ay ipu-provide mo sa kanila.

Dito sa Dubai bihira lang ang mga taong kasing bait ni Engineer. Nagtatrabaho hindi lamang para sa kanyang sarili, hindi lamang para sa kanyang pamilya kundi pati na rin sa mga taong nangangailangan ng tulong. Naway dadami pa ang katulad niya.

Note: This is an entry to PEBA 2009. Follow this link to visit PEBA's main page.

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DUBAI: NEW VISA RULE TO BE IMPLEMENTED

For individuals from the sub-continent (India) and other countries of the world who are seeking for immediate employment in Dubai, you need to be aware that effective end of July 2009, a new visa rule is to be implemented. Thus, you have only limited time (spring and early summer) to find a suitable placement.

It has been predicted that due to this new visa rule, there would be a problem of labour shortages. Workers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Philippines and Bangladesh who will come to Dubai on a visit visa will have to pay for a refundable deposit of AED 1,000.00 (USD 272.00) and take out health insurance while they hunt for work.

This new visa rule is intended to regulate the market and make the process of travelling to the UAE simpler because of job hunting which could impair or underwrite the importance of tourism to the country.

On the side of the jobseeker:

If the new visa rule is to be implemented (I am confident it will be), thousands of jobseekers will be greatly affected. Why? Who will spend AED 1,000 + health insurance and try his luck in Dubai under this current crisis? There’s nothing in Dubai but “uncertainties”. The economy is not stable (true also to some cities). Many companies are shutting down. On this issue, how can a jobseeker be sure that when he enters Dubai he can be employed? For me, I will not gamble.


On the side of the employer:

The new visa rule means potential employers and recruitment agencies will have to go abroad to find workers to avoid labour shortages. Employers are never going to pay money up front for people to come and visit, because they don’t know if they are going to take on the person or not. Employers will have to go to the countries concerned to select people and hire them from there.

It will be more costly for employers because they will have to fly in people to start working. There will be less people coming in to look for work because the fee is a lot of money, so companies will chose to recruit from countries of origin.

What might happen is that it might be a quicker recruitment process, because employers and recruiters might carry out interviews over the phone. If employers don’t want to make the decision there and then through a telephone interview and want to do it face-to-face, they will have to fly the person out, pay for their visit visa and their accommodation. So it will probably be more costly for employers.

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