UAE residents rush to beat visa deadline

Abu Dhabi/ Dubai: Naturalisation and residency departments across the country saw a massive rush on Monday as residents thronged to beat today's changes to the visa system.

The new rules took effect at midnight, making it easier for people to obtain visas - and for authorities to track them down. But the new visas also cost significantly more: a visit visa under the old system cost Dh100; this now costs Dh610 in addition to other fees. And most visitors will have to provide proof of health insurance on entering the UAE.

Despite the additional cost and paperwork involved, authorities are confident the new system will be more effective.

"Applicants for visit visas could obtain them within 10 minutes for no extra charges," said Brigadier Nasser Al Awadi Al Minhali, Acting Director-General of the Federal Naturalisation and Residency Department. "Others may have to wait for not more than 90 minutes for security checks."

He confirmed staff were ready, the software was in place and visas have been printed. That didn't stop last-minute rushes at offices across the country.

Waiting at the Sharjah Naturalisation and Residency Department, Miriam, a PRO at a local construction company, wasn't having much luck. She said there was no one at the Sharjah office to help.

The new visa regulations take effect today and the costs are significantly higher.

Officials at the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) asked visitors to leave the office if they had completed their applications to help reduce the number of people there.

"I am here to apply for three visit visas on behalf of my company," said Ali Mohammad, A Pakistani, who works as a PRO for a company. "They are bringing people to work here,"

Mohammad said he wanted to get the visas issued yesterday as the cost is much cheaper.

"When the new system takes effect [today], the rates will be higher," he said.

A visit visa under the old system cost Dh100. This will rise to Dh1,000 in addition to other fees.

Work was going smoothly at the DNRD, but it was another story at the Sharjah Naturalisation and Residency Department (SNRD).

"I have been here since the morning," said Mariam, a PRO at a construction company in Sharjah. "I have spent four hours trying to apply for visit visas. I have the forms printed and am waiting to submit them at the department, but none of the officials are responding."

She said there was no one at the Sharjah office to help.

"Officials didn't seem to have a clue. They were confused on how to shift from the old forms to the new," she said.

An official from the SNRD said confusion was expected to happen during the first few days, but he stressed that work would soon run smoothly.

DNRD officials said that those who had applied before the new visa system takes effect will benefit from the old visa rules.

Ahmad from Egypt, who was applying for visas for his relatives, said a visit visa was cheap under the old system and no deposit or health insurance was required. He was waiting for his visas to be approved.

A DNRD official said hundreds of people had applied for visas yesterday to take advantage of the cheaper rates.

Health insurance

Brigadier Obaid Muhair Bin Surour, acting director of the DNRD, said the new visa rules took effect at midnight and departments across the country switched to the new system.

Brigadier Bin Surour said there are new categories of visas covering visitors for education, festivals, health and conferences. Health insurance has been made mandatory. He said those under 18 do not require health insurance. Health insurance must be in force for the duration of the visa.

People coming from abroad and who have valid health insurance from their countries will not be required to apply for health coverage. But they must submit a letter from their health insurance company and this will be accepted here.

Citizens of 34 countries who obtain a visa on arrival are exempt from the health-insurance rules.

Brigadier Bin Surour said there will be a refundable deposit of Dh1,000 on each visa, in addition to the costs of obtaining health insurance. Each tourist company will be given a visa quota.

Major Mohammad Al Hammadi, Director of the Entry Permits Department at DNRD said the residency law has not been amended.

"The changes involve visas, the kind of visas and the fees, but there have been no changes to the residency law itself," he said.

He said the kinds of visas and how they are issued has changed, but the process is still controlled by the Interior Ministry's rules.