Visa Guide
Central Services has already informed you of most of the requirements for your move to the UAE. You may find some of the following information repetitive, but because it is so important, we have included it and ask that you please read through very carefully. It is sometimes easy to forget that this is a foreign country which requires adaptation and flexibility on our parts, especially in the areas of housing, visas, licenses, etc. For additional information, please refer to your contract schedule or contact the Personnel Officer at DWC.

Sponsorship
Perhaps the most challenging concept to grasp is that of sponsorship, which is a very important issue. As it is not possible to become a citizen of the UAE, everyone who is not a UAE national is a temporary resident of the country. Over 75 percent of the population is in this category as the UAE requires a large expatriate work force at virtually every level. To reduce illegal immigration, the government requires that every person who works here be sponsored by an employer. The sponsor is entirely responsible for the person sponsored, including behavior while in the country and guaranteed exit from the country at the end of employment. A letter of permission must be obtained from the sponsor to get a driver's license, buy a car, get married, etc. You may have worked in other countries in the Middle East, however please recognize that regulations governing sponsorship in other countries may differ from those here.

The HCT is responsible for the sponsorship of the employee only and cannot sponsor any other persons, including close family. The laws allow most employees who become residents to sponsor close relatives and servants. Thus, as an employee with a valid residence visa, you may apply to become the sponsor of your wife and children and have the same responsibilities and authority over them as any sponsor. Although this sounds rather restrictive, it does not effect your daily life and is infrequently a slight administrative bother. The Department of Immigration controls all visas and the HCT is subject to the directives of this department. Immigration has recently become very strict about issuing visas for male servants and servants who have any family connection with the applicant. Single persons and married persons where the wife is not working may have some difficulty in obtaining permission to employ a servant.

With your offer you were asked for personal details so that HCT (as your sponsor) can obtain your visa. Please assure that all requests are met. Entry to this country is strictly controlled and just one document that does not have the required signature or stamp may result in refusal of a visa and thus refusal of entry into the country.

Passports

Your passport must be valid for at least six months past your date of entry and have at least three unused pages; if this is not the case, please apply for a new one. If there are any amendments made to the passport copy you sent us, we must be informed and a new copy sent to us as quickly as possible. If passport details which we provide for the visa do not coincide with the passport you are carrying you will not be allowed entry. You cannot travel unless we have a visa waiting for you at the Dubai Airport.

It is highly recommended that each member of your family, including young children, obtain a separate passport. If a child is included on the passport of one of the parents it is impossible for that child to travel unless the parent is also traveling. This can lead to much inconvenience. Women who have children on their passport will not be given a visa by the Department of Immigration.

Any person who has a passport with a stamp showing that they have entered the Occupied Palestinian Territories (Israel) will be denied entry to the UAE.

Photos

You will be required to supply numerous photos when coming here or renewing your visa/s.

Please take note.

From now on Immigration will not accept Instant or Polaroid photos since they are having trouble scanning the same into their system.

Please provide proper passport size photos taken from the studio when requested to do so and also to renew all Residence permits.

Please contact us immediately if this applies to you.

Special note to British passport holders: please make sure that you do not enter the country without your visa. Those with British passports are allowed entry into the UAE for a brief visit without a visa, but you must have a residence visa to work here. So please pick up your residence visa at the visa desk in the airport before you go through passport control. Failure to do so may result in extra cost to you as you have to leave and re-enter the country at your own cost to validate your employment visa.

Visa Documentation and Costs

Central Personnel Services is responsible for collection and verification of all visa details such as passport copies, etc. Please do not send us your original passports as this will cause a delay. Make sure that the passport details sent refer to the passport on which you will be traveling – with no amendments after you have sent the copy.

The HCT will pay the cost of the Employment Entry Permit and Residence Visa for the employee only and the Visit Visa for dependents who accompany the employee at the start of the contract to take up residence. The employee is responsible for payment of all other visa costs including visit, residence visas and conversion for dependents. Extra costs associated with lack of documentation are also your responsibility. Various visa costs include:

Dependent or normal Visit Visa (Entry Permit) Dhs 100

Conversion of Visit Visa to Dependent Residence Visa Dhs 500

Residence Visa Entry Permit Dhs 100

Residence Visa Stamp Valid for Three Years Dhs 300

Renewal of Visit Visa Dhs 500

Dependent (over 18 years) Medical/HIV Dhs 200

Currently in Dubai there is a fee of Dhs 20 for typing each application document. This is paid by the employee only with respect to dependents.

Visitors to the UAE Visa Requirements

See http://www.uaeinteract.com/travel/visas.asp for up to date info

VISIT VISA UPDATE 31/03/03

The Cabinet has decided to reduce the visit visa period for citizens of 33 countries who are allowed to enter the UAE without a prior visa to one month non-renewable instead of three months. The Cabinet also decided to impose a charge of Dhs100 per visa to be collected on entry to the UAE through land, seaport and airport entry points.

The decision includes citizens from France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Finland, Malta, Spain, Monaco, Vatican, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Visit Visa
Citizens of the UK (with right of abode in the UK) will be granted a free of charge visit visa on arrival in the UAE: Passports will be stamped with the visit visa as you pass through Immigration at any airport in the UAE. Although the visa may be stamped for 30 days, it entitles the holder to stay in the country for 60 days and may be renewed once for an additional period of 30 days for a fee of Dh500.

Except for citizens of the Gulf Cooperation Council who do not require a visa and nationalities automatically entitled to visit visas on entry, all other visitors who wish to stay longer than 14 days in the UAE (see Entry Service Permit below) must obtain a visit visa in advance through a sponsor. The sponsor can be your travel agency, your hotel, the company or department with which you are doing business in the UAE, or an individual (eg. a relative or friend resident in the UAE).

You can pick up this visit visa on arrival at the airport, but there is a fee of Dh100 plus a Dh10 delivery charge for this service. In order to complete your application, your sponsor will require your date of arrival, flight details, and a photocopy of the first few pages of your passport, which should be valid for at least three months.

A hotel will only provide a visa if you are a guest. For an individual to sponsor a visit visa, he or she must earn over Dh4000 per month and hold a valid residence visa. Your visit visa must be deposited at airport immigration one hour before the arrival of your flight. Note that your airline may require evidence (e.g. a photocopy) before departure that a valid visa awaits you on arrival.

Please note that holders of British Overseas Citizens Passport who do not have the right of abode in the UK do need visas to enter the UAE.

Notarized and Certified Documents

It is a requirement in most Middle East countries, specifically in the Emirates, to have notarised copies of important documents. These documents are required as a condition of employment with the HCT as they are required for all government employees in the country. A certified document is a copy of the original, certified by the issuing authority. A notarised document is a certified copy of an original document duly notarised by a Notary Public or other authorized person.

In order to place you on the payroll, all notarised documents must be on file with us. We recommend that you have your documents notarised prior to arrival as this method is easier and cheaper. It is possible, however, to have this done after you arrive in the UAE. The procedure for notarization of documents by either method is outlined in the Central Services Contract Schedule (refer section 1.13). Notarized copies of the following documents are required: