Since July 29 of the current year, the UAE Interior Ministry Decision No. 322 of 2008 entered into force, establishing a new system for issuing UAE entry visas for temporary stay in the country. The system for issuing resident visas (residence permits and / or work permits) is still the same, as is the system for issuing entry visas for residence and employment, and today they will not be discussed.
Considering that the largest number of visitors enters the country on entry visas for a temporary stay in the UAE, the Russian Emirates gathered together scattered information and tried to outline the general picture of the new visa policy of the Emirates specifically regarding tourists and people who come to visit relatives.
The new system for issuing entry visas for temporary stay in the UAE is significantly different from the one that existed for many years and meets the realities of today. Now it has sixteen (16) basic types of visas, and not seven (7), as it was before. All previously valid types of these visas are canceled, but visas issued according to the old rules will be valid until their expiration.
The new visa system is the same for all emirates of the UAE, as it is regulated by a decree of the federal ministry. Each emirate can make additional decisions, but it is not a right to change the system itself.
Visas for temporary stay in the UAE are issued by the departments of naturalization and residence at the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the UAE, which are available in each emirate. For example, in Dubai it is the Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department (DNRD), in Abu Dhabi it is the Abu Dhabi Naturalization and Residency Department (ADNRD), and so on.
In advanced Dubai, the majority of visa processing and issuing transactions are electronically via the website www.dnrd.gov.ae/DNRD, where links to electronic forms for applying for a visa are posted. When submitting an application in electronic form, the state duty is 10 drx less than when submitting documents personally to a branch of the Department.
Visa transactions in Abu Dhabi can be made through the UAE's Interior Ministry website www.moieserv.ae/website/index-en.html. in other emirates, the petition must be submitted in person, or through the website of the UAE Ministry of Internal Affairs.
Visa fees are also unified, but the total cost of a visa may vary slightly from the emirate to the emirate.
All documents submitted for a visa must be properly executed and provided in good quality.
UAE requires compulsory medical insurance
As part of the new UAE visa policy, a provision has been adopted on compulsory health insurance for people entering the country.
Insurance in Abu Dhabi and other emirates is provided by The National Health Insurance Company (Daman). Two insurance companies have been appointed official insurers in Dubai - Oman Insurance and Dubai Islamic Insurance Reinsurance Company (AMAN), whose racks operate in all branches of the Department of Naturalization and Living in Dubai.
Insurers offer three insurance options, depending on the length of stay in the UAE. In Dubai, for example, if you have a visa for a period of 30 days, the cost of insurance will be 40 drx (US $ 11), for a period of 90 days - 90 drx (US $ 25), for a period of 180 days with the possibility of repeated entry - 185 drx (US $ 51 ) Insurance is valid only in the territory of the United Arab Emirates.
The insurance will cover 100% of the cost of medical services in case of accidents or other accidents leading to hospitalization, including operations and the patient's stay in the hospital. It also covers the cost of the medicines that a particular hospital has.
The insurance includes compensation for the rehabilitation period as part of the visa and dentist services if the insured's teeth were damaged due to an accident. In the event of the death of the insured, the insurance company incurs financial obligations in the amount of 7,000 drx (US $ 1944) for sending the body of the deceased to the country of registration.
The insurance does not cover cases of activation of chronic diseases, pregnancy and childbirth, ophthalmological and dental services. Help with the activation of chronic diseases can be obtained for free if the patient's condition poses a threat to his life.
The National Health Insurance Company (Daman) has several other conditions, which can be found on www.damanhealth.ae/home.aspx and in all branches of the UAE's Ministry of Internal Affairs.
16 vs 7
As mentioned above, now there are 16 basic types of visas for temporary stay in the UAE.
From now on, visit visas for residents of the UAE can only apply for their immediate family. Invitation to visit a visa of other relatives and acquaintances of residents requires special permission from the management of the immigration service. Only UAE citizens are allowed to invite friends to guest visas in the UAE.
Long term Guest visa (Long Term Visit Visa) valid for up to 90 days. It is not renewed or restored if it has not been used within 60 days from the date of issue. It can be issued both under the sponsorship of an individual, if the kinship of the sponsor and the applicant is proved, and under the commercial structure. The package of documents with an individual sponsor includes: a photograph of the applicant certified by the sponsor, a copy of the sponsor’s passport, a copy of the applicant’s passport, a salary certificate or a copy of the sponsor’s employment contract, a document confirming the relationship between the sponsor and the applicant, medical insurance.
The package of documents in the presence of a sponsor - commercial structure includes: a photograph of the applicant certified by the sponsor, a copy of the sponsor's passport, a copy of the certificate of registration of the company in Dubai, medical insurance.
The total cost of a visa is 1110/1120 drx. Mandatory for the applicant is a deposit of 1000 drx, which is returned to the sponsor after the departure of the sponsored person from the UAE.
Short term guest visa (Short Term Visit Visa) is designed for a 30 day stay in the UAE. It is not renewed or restored if it has not been used within 60 days from the date of issue. It can be issued both under the sponsorship of an individual, if the kinship of the sponsor and the applicant is proved, and under the commercial structure. If an individual sponsor is available, the package of documents includes: a photograph of the applicant certified by the sponsor, a copy of the sponsor’s passport, a copy of the applicant’s passport, a salary certificate or a copy of the sponsor’s employment contract, a document confirming the relationship between the sponsor and the applicant, medical insurance.
The package of documents is the same as for a long-term visa.
The total cost of registration is 610/620 drx. A deposit in the amount of 1000 drx is also paid for the applicant, which is returned to the sponsor after the sponsor leaves the UAE.
Multiple a visa (Multiple Entry Visa) is valid for 6 months and allows its holder to stay in the UAE no more than 14 days after entry. A multiple entry visa application may be submitted to the UAE while the applicant is in the country on a guest visa. Not renewable and costs 2110/2120 drh. Nevertheless, there was no point in checking the conditions for issuing multiple visas at the embassy of the state in which the applicant resides, as they may vary depending on nationality.
Hotel rooms in the register of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Russian Federation are guest and multiple visas issued under the sponsorship of foreign embassies in the UAE. The only difference from the generally accepted provisions in this case is that from the embassies duties on the processing of these visas are not levied at all.
Right to request tourist Visas (Tourist Visa) are only licensed hotels or travel agencies. If earlier the permitted list of countries for issuing tourist visas included less than 80 countries, now this restriction has been completely removed. Tourist visas valid for 30 days can be renewed twice for an identical period of time. A visa is not refunded if it has not been used within 60 days from the date of issue.
The total cost of registration is 210/220 drh. Updating a tourist visa costs 610/620 drh. A deposit in the amount of 1000 drx is also paid for the applicant, which is returned to the sponsor after the sponsor leaves the UAE.
Transit visa (Transit / 96 Hours Visa) is designed for 96 hours of stay in the UAE. It is not renewed or restored if it has not been used within 30 days from the date of issue. It is issued to the traveler provided that the interval between flights is at least 8 hours. To obtain a visa, you need a copy of your passport, a completed form for a 96-hour visa, a ticket for the next flight, hotel room reservation. Issued at customs, costs 165 drh.
Education Visas
(Education / Student Visa) can only be obtained on behalf of UAE licensed educational institutions. The applicant at the time of application must be accepted for training and have on hand medical insurance. A deposit of 1000 drx is charged upon receipt of the visa, and returned after the expiration date. This type of visa is issued for a period of 60 days and can be updated four times.
First student a visa costs 1110/1120 drh, renewal - 610/620 drh.
New type of visa for exhibitors, festivals and conferences (Visa for Exhibition, Visa for Festival, Visa for Conference) is issued for a period of 30 days only to government agencies and private companies. It is not renewed or restored if it has not been used within 60 days from the date of issue.
The package of documents includes: a photograph of the applicant certified by the sponsor, a copy of the sponsor’s passport, a copy of the company registration certificate, a copy of the company’s license, an official letter from the organizer of the exhibition, festival and conference about the event, indicating the date, place and time, medical insurance. It is worth any of the subspecies of these visas 210/220 drh.
Another new type of visa - for treatment (Medical Treatment Visa) - issued only if the sponsor is a medical institution licensed by the Ministry of Health of the UAE. A visa is issued for a period of 90 days and can be extended twice for 60 days. It is not restored if it was not used within 60 days from the date of issue.
To obtain this type of visa, you must submit: a photo of the applicant certified by the sponsor, a copy of the certificate of registration of the medical institution, a copy of the certification certificate of the hospital card from the Ministry of Health, medical insurance. There is a visa 1110/1120 drh, renewal - 610/620 drh.
Another type of visa - short-term work permit (Service Visa) is issued to foreigners who need to work in the UAE for no more than 14 days. It is not renewed or restored if it has not been used within 14 days from the date of issue. This visa costs 310/320 drx.
Considering that for Russian-speaking visitors to the UAE, such types of visas as an entry visa for residents of GCC member countries and accompanying persons, a gift visa (issued only by state institutions) and a visa for citizens of 33 privileged countries, which do not include any country of the former USSR, are not are of great interest, we placed information about them only in the table.
Visa change
When the expiration date of any type of entry visa is suitable, the problem arises of changing them, caused primarily by the need to leave the UAE to switch to a new visa.
The introduction of new types of entry visas and the rules for obtaining them did not change the procedure for leaving and entering the UAE to switch from one visa to another, which has existed for many years. And this is information from an official source.
As the team leader Obeid bin Surur, executive director of the Department of Naturalization and Residence of Dubai, told the press, "to change entry visas for a new or another type of visa, the expatriate must leave the country and come back with a new visa."
An expatriate does not have to travel to a country of citizenship to change a visa: the UAE Ministry of Internal Affairs does not make such a requirement. The main thing is that the alien’s passport has a stamp on his departure from the UAE and the relevant information is in the computer database of the immigration service. There are no plans to introduce changes to the procedure for changing entry visas.
Thus, traditional trips to the Iranian island of Kish and Oman will continue. For example, Kish Airlines currently operates five flights a day between the UAE and the tiny Iranian island.
Future plans
The UAE Ministry of Internal Affairs announced that from January 2009, transactions for all types of visas will be carried out only through the Ministry’s Internet resource, which will significantly reduce their time. The traditional method of obtaining visas, when documents were submitted in paper form, will be completely abolished.
From January 2009, it will be possible to apply for a visa through the website www.moieserv.ae, receive a ready-made document, and pay fees with a credit card.
All visas, with the exception of resident visas, will be issued to the applicant through the website of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Resident visas will be transferred to the sponsor. The personal presence of the applicant, sponsor or their official representative will be required only if the Ministry of Internal Affairs doubts about the legality of issuing a visa.
