Economic Times
DUBAI, Jun 9: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) government has announced a new visa regime that will come into effect from Aug 1.
The UAE's Federal Naturalisation and Residency Department (FNRD) announced 16 types of visas under the new regime, which includes several new visa categories specifying the reasons for the visit.
Under the new rules, there will be two kinds of visit visas.
"Visit visas valid for 30 days will cost 500 dirhams ($136)," FNRD director general Lt. Gen. Mohammad Salem Al Khaili said while announcing the new system in Abu Dhabi.
"This cannot be renewed. A person wishing to stay for an extended period must obtain a visit visa valid for 90 days that costs 1,000 dirhams ($272)," the Gulf News quoted him as saying.
"A new type of visit visa permitting multiple entries has been introduced. This visa is valid for six months from the date of issuance and a person can stay in the country for 14 days at a stretch," Al Khaili added.
Another new visa that is being introduced is the mission visa. It is issued for the purpose of temporary work in the country, has a maximum validity of 180 days and comes for a combined fee of 1,800 dirhams ($90). It is initially issued for three months against a fee of 600 dirhams and can be renewed for three more months against a fee of 1,200 dirhams.
According to Al Khaili, this new visa has been introduced to facilitate the UAE labour ministry's Temporary Work Permit system. An applicant must first obtain the permit from the ministry to get the visa.
Student visa and visa for medical treatment will each cost 1,000 dirhams.
For a student visa, the person should be registered with a university in the UAE and have health insurance. Additionally, a refundable fee of 1,000 dirhams has to be paid.
A medical visa will have a validity of 90 days and this can be extended by 90 days more on payment of 500 dirhams.
Those visiting to attend conferences or exhibitions can obtain a visa for this purpose at 100 dirhams ($27.2).
The tourist visa is available for tourists sponsored by tour operating companies and hotels. It is issued for 30 days for a fee of 100 dirhams and an additional 10 dirhams for delivery. This may be renewed only once.
For businessmen who are frequent visitors to the UAE and who have a relationship with a reputable company here, there is the multiple-entry visa.
This multiple visa is valid for six months from the date of issue and costs 1,000 dirhams. Each visit must not exceed 30 days. The visitor must enter the UAE on a visit visa and obtain the multiple-entry visa while he is here, according to the new rules.
For those wishing to strike a business partnership with a UAE national, there is the investor visa. The foreign investor must hold a minimum stake of 70,000 dirhams ($19,057) in the share capital to be eligible for this visa. It is issued for three years for a fee of 300 dirhams ($81.7).
Expatriates, who hold UAE residence visas, can bring their parents under the residence visa after special approval with a renewable validity of one year for a fee of 100 dirhams for each year. A refundable deposit of 5,000 dirhams ($1,361) has to be paid for each parent.
Apart from the 16 types of visas, complimentary visit visas could be issued by all government departments free of cost to delegates, dignitaries and others, the newspaper reported.
"The new types of visit visas are being introduced so that we are able to go hand-in-hand with the fast paced development of the country," Al Khaili said.