UAE | Visa
Hundreds left stranded in Oman waiting for UAE visas
More than 200 people, mainly Filipinos, are stranded in a hotel on the outskirts of the border town of Buraimi in Oman as they attempt to get new UAE visas.
- By Aftab Kazmi, Bureau Chief
- Published: 00:02 October 1, 2008
- Image Credit: Hadrian Hernandez/Gulf News
- Filipina Lina J.P. sits in a hotel 20km outside Buraimi proper in Oman on Tuesday.
Al Ain: More than 200 people, mainly Filipinos, are stranded in a hotel on the outskirts of the border town of Buraimi in Oman as they attempt to get new UAE visas.
Every day they hope to return to the UAE where they work and live, but many are worried as their money is running out and charity organisations here are trying to get them some assistance.
The families of some of the stranded men and women at home in the Philippines have been sending them money.
"It's a desperate situation," said Lina J.P., a 43-year-old Filipina.
The hotels have renewed their Omani visas for them as these people are here on a so-called 'visa run' from the UAE.
Hundreds of expats are stranded at about four hotels here. Filipino diplomats did visit and took down their names but never came again, say the angry Filipinos.
Lina said some have already lost hope. "They have to travel more than 400 kilometres to Muscat to catch a flight.
"I have been stranded here for the past 16 days after my visa application was rejected," said Lina, saying she will apply for a fresh application like others to get the visa.
Humanitarian problem
"It has become a humanitarian problem now since nobody has been taking care of the stranded people," she said.
Many of her colleagues at the hotel also criticised the Philippines embassy in Muscat.
Joseph Paredes, another Filipino, said officials from the embassy had visited the hotel in Buraimi and made lists of the stranded persons.
"That was it, they took our names and signatures and did not show up again," he said.
He appealed to his government to take immediate measures, either to rescue them or at least review the issue with the UAE authorities to find a solution.
Mery Santos said some members of the Filipino community in Oman have started providing some assistance to the stranded people. "Some families and groups have been visiting us to deliver edibles and other goods," she said.
Many of the UAE visit visa aspirants were working in Dubai, Abu Dhabi and other UAE cities and got caught unaware of the new visa regulations. It is now mandatory to exit the UAE for one month before applying for a new visa.
Thousands of Filipinos, Indians, and people from other nationalities have become stranded in Buraimi and the Iranian Kish Island - the two most popular visa change destinations among the UAE expatriates.
Talking to Gulf News, many of them said they had no knowledge of the change in the regulations and their travel agents also kept them in the dark.
Visa changes: Many unaware of rules
Travel agents who offer visa change services have said they are still getting inquiries from people who want to renew their visit visas or change their visit visas to residency visas and that many people do not know of the changes.
According to new rules and regulations, those who wish to obtain a fresh visit visa to the UAE must leave for one month before being issued another visa. Shiju KT from Jaas Tourism who arranges visa changes, said they did not know about the new rule until last month.
"We were told by immigration officials that people can come back only after one month when we gave applications for visa processing," said Shiju.
According to him, people who got stranded in Kish and Oman are directly flying to their home countries as they cannot enter the UAE for a period of one month. The agency is still being approached by people who are not aware of the new rules, Shiju added.
Another tour agency that takes people to Oman by bus for visa changes said they are still not sure about the rules as they are getting contradictory answers from various official sources.
Do you know anyone stranded at Buraimi or Kish Island? Who do you think is at fault?
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