Watch: Dubai residents urged to get entry approvals before flying in
In the second part in our series of exclusive interviews, GDRFA provides key answers
Dubai: Dubai residents can apply for entry approval before their departure as the permit validity lasts for 30 days, an official at the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai, told Gulf News.
Major Salim Bin Ali, Director of the Amer Department for the Happiness of Customers at GDRFA, said a big team was at work around the clock to clear requests for approvals from Dubai residents outside the country seeking to come back.
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“The approval is valid for 30 days from issuance. Dubai residents can apply for the approvals even before travelling. It is better for residents planning to go outside the country for vacation or business trips to apply for the approval while they are inside the country,” Major Bin Ali said during an exclusive interview with Gulf News at the GDRFA-Dubai headquarters.
The return approval is valid for one trip only.
“It is not a multiple-use approval. The approval can be used for one entry only,” further clarified. Major Bin Ali said if the application is rejected, then residents can apply again after five days. “We have a huge team working on return approvals for Dubai. There are requirements for certain professions as mentioned on the GDRFA website. If the approval is rejected, residents need to contact us to know if their visa is still valid or what is the reason behind the rejection,” Major Bin Ali explained.
Dubai residents can contact Amer call centre from outside the UAE on 0097143139999 or email at amer@dnrd.ae. “People can use our chat box at the GDRFA website also if they have a problem,” added Major Bin Ali. Dubai residents who get the approval can enter the UAE from Abu Dhabi or Sharjah airports as well and not only through Dubai International Airport, he added.”