UAE Visa Rule Changes.

According to Federal Naturalisation and Residency Department, the Dh. 1,000 mandatory deposit for issuing visit, transit and some other types of visas could be waived for certain nationalities. The criterion for waiving the deposit depends on adherence to the new rules and regulations by the visa-seeking nationalities; the less violation of the rules, the more is the chance of a deposit waiver. Residents would not be allowed to bring in friends on visit visas. Only Emiratis will be allowed to sponsor friends on a visit visa on certain conditions. Residents can apply for a visa for their spouse or blood relative. Expatriates will not be allowed to sponsor friends. And sponsoring other blood relatives will require the approval of an undersecretary of the Interior Ministry or their representative. A visit visa holder would be allowed to enter the UAE once within two months from the date of issue of the visa.
The UAE will not charge 34 nationalities for an entry visa and the free entry permit on arrival will remain unchanged. Citizens of the 34 countries including the UK, US, Australia, Japan and Brunei and Singapore, will also not be subject to the Dh1,000 deposit or the health insurance applicable to subjects of all other countries. Visitors wanting to apply for a new visit visa after the expiry of their visa, must go back to their home countries. People applying for any visa will have to pay a refundable deposit of Dh1,000 and be covered by health insurance. Separate visas will be issued for various purposes such as medical treatment or studies. A visit visa may still be converted to a work visa, but residency departments may decide otherwise to prevent misuse of this facility.

The following new visa regulations are set to be enforced from 2008 July 29.

* Residents can apply for a 30-day or 90-day visit visa for their spouse or blood relatives of 1st or 2nd degree only.
* Expatriates will no longer be allowed to sponsor friends, and all visitors should have health insurance cover. A Dh1,000 refundable deposits is mandatory for all visas.
* Medical treatment visas for 90 days and renewable once for a similar period can only be applied through licensed hospitals and clinics.
* Education visas for 60 days and renewable twice for a similar period can only be applied for by a licensed educational institution.
* Exhibition, festival and conference visas for 30 days, non-renewable, can only be applied for by the organisers.
* Tourist visas for 30 days and renewable once for a similar period can only be applied for by a licensed hotel, a travel or a tourism agency.
* Visit visas for 60 days, renewable twice for a similar period, can be obtained for domestic helpers who accompany citizens of GCC countries.
* Residents in GCC countries and their domestic helpers can obtain a 30-day visit visa, renewable once for a similar period.
* Those found working on a visit visa can be fined more than Dh. 50,000 and banned from re-entering the UAE. Employers will also face harsh penalties.

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