UAE | Visa
It's business as usual on Kish and Oman visa runs
A top official has clarified confusion over the renewal of visit visas by leaving the UAE for another country, the so-called "visa-run".
- By Anjana SankarSenior Reporter
- Published: 23:46 August 13, 2008
- Image Credit: Gulf News Archive
- People having their visa transaction at Immigration Office. Picture is for illustrative purposes only.
Dubai: A top official has clarified confusion over the renewal of visit visas by leaving the UAE for another country, the so-called "visa-run".
People who want to renew visit visas or convert these into employment visas can do so by going to any country of their choice, the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) said.
Brigadier Obaid Bin Surour, Acting Director General of the DNRD, said it is not compulsory that visitors travel to their home country to renew visit visas.
"There is no rule that visitors have to return to their home country to renew visit visas. At DNRD, we only check whether they left the UAE or not," Bin Surour said.
Earlier, a senior Interior Ministry official at the launch of the new visa rules in July had said: "People wanting apply for a new visit visa after the expiry of their visas, must go back to their home countries or distant countries."
Tour operators and airlines that do visa runs by ferrying people to neighbouring countries to change their visas, said their businesses are still flourishing.
A senior official from Kish Airlines that has five daily flights to the tiny island in Iran, said it is business as usual. "We have read the reports. But there are still hundreds of people who go to neighbouring places like Kish, and they get their visas changed or renewed," said the official who requested anonymity.
A tour operator from Deira said nothing has changed. "Every day people approach us for visa runs. We arrange trips to Oman for Dh350. The majority of people on visit visas cannot afford to fly home to get a new visa."
Counters open on Sunday
Health insurance policies for visitors will be available at the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency (DNRD) offices from next week, a top official has said.
Brigadier Obaid Bin Surour, Acting Director of the DNRD, said two insurance companies, Oman Insurance and Aman Insurance, will offer health policies for visitors and will open counters at DNRD's headquarters and other branches from Sunday.
Speaking to Gulf News, Iqbal Mankani, Chief Operating Officer of Aman Insurance, said they are doing final preparations.
"It happened suddenly and we have hardly had time to put it all together. But we have worked out the formats, and hopefully we will be ready by Sunday," said Mankani.
He added they will have temporary arrangements at six DNRD offices and the head office, with two staff members at each counter.
"We have also set up an online system for people to purchase policies," he said.
Abdul Muttalib Al Jaidi, general manager of Oman Insurance, said they will open their counters by Sunday or Monday. "We are ready to start our services from the DNRD offices. We plan to start with two staff members at our counters, and will increase the numbers depending on the demand," said Al Jaidi.
There will be three different types of health policies. Prices start form Dh40 for short-term policies valid for 30 days, Dh90 for policies valid for 90 days and Dh185 for policies for multiple entry visas valid for 180 days. The policies will cover accidents and emergencies during the visitor's stay in the country.
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