Dubai Forums Dubai Discussions Dubai General Chat

dubaidog · Feb 10, 2011

First, Boo that the exile is over. I have a couple of questions though.

As my visit visa is being sponsored by my wife, does she need to be there at the airport to meet me? The visa is approved and I have a copy. Does she need to deposit it somewhere so I can get it? Can she do this ahead of time tomorrow, as my flight arrives late and don't want her to hang out waiting for me. I recall when I landed in DXB the first time in 2007, there was an Employment visa waiting for me which I picked up, and breezed through. I am flying Emirates..where would she deposit it if so?

Secondly. The past few visitors we had waited ages at immigration. Has anyone used the Marhaba service in the past? Is it worth it? If they can fast track me out, I would spend the 42 USD to do so. My flight arrives at around 11pm, and I know it is a crapshoot whether immigration is busy or not. Do you know if you need the 42USD package to get priority immigration, or does the 25USD package cover that?

Cheers guys.

desertdudeshj · Feb 10, 2011

Haven't done this in a long time so its a bit old info. Terminal 2 Arrivals to your right beneath/behind the escalators there is a small window where one should deposit the visa's for incomming passengers. And when you arrive ask someone where to collect the visit visa's. Since the redesign of the new airport have no clue where after landing. Most probably the same place where you picked up your employement visa the first time

With a copy they would let you clear immigration if you left your passport with them and you can comeback later with the original, dunno current procedure. But if someone has deposited it earlier then no need make sure its atleast a couple of hours earlier though.

I haven't used marhaba services but know people who have and say its worth it.

Hope that helps

dubaidog · Feb 10, 2011

Thanks for the info DDS. I am flying Emirates though, arriving terminal 3. It has taken me (now) 6 emails to them and they have answered 2.5/4 of my questions! Bl00dy useless. Hoping for a thorough response here in a bit. so typical. Ask four bulleted questions and get marginal responses.

Will let you know how I go. I feel like I am back already as far as the time wasting and useless customer service goes! It is 4:30 pm here and I am already into the mini bar!

Funny how even a service that is supposed to make your arrival easy can be so frustrating!

desertdudeshj · Feb 10, 2011

Nothing get done over the phone right here and nothing has solidified this with my ongoing red tape wars. Now if I want to know something I just drive down to where ever it is and ask atleast a couple of peole a couple of times as to exactly what the deal is, nothing names as I go along. Just in case, so I can also say I was here the pther day and a so and so told me this and mostly then this works

Anywhoo I'm guessing the procedure for terminal 3 should be pretty much the same aswell. Have the Mrs go down with your original Visa + flight details ( Take the metro if the Mrs doesn;t want to drive, it drops you off right inside the terminal ) and find the Marhaba counter or ask anyone of the yellow jacketed staff where it is. I believe all you got to do then is hand them the visa and the dosh and be done with it.

Ambassador · Feb 10, 2011

I would not sweat the visa thing...you are a Canuck and flying Emirates (so the "aim" of the visa acomplished).

Marhaba...you probably can't book it from outside.

If you are flying business, no problem (they will give you a "fast track" card in the cabin which takes you to the "fast track" line at immigration)

desertdudeshj · Feb 10, 2011

dubaidog wrote:As my visit visa is being sponsored by my wife

dubaidog · Feb 10, 2011

Ambassador wrote:I would not sweat the visa thing...you are a Canuck and flying Emirates (so the "aim" of the visa acomplished).

Marhaba...you probably can't book it from outside.

If you are flying business, no problem (they will give you a "fast track" card in the cabin which takes you to the "fast track" line at immigration)

Actually. It is a bit weird. Even though the visa was booked through Emirates, there is nothing that says I must book EK, nor had I booked at the time. You can book Marhaba from outside according to their website. After a dozen emails I have the half-whacked facts. If Mrs. DD deposits the visa ahead of time, it will be fine. I only need their AED 90 service to fast track immigration. Not flying business, as the exile was booked on my dirham.

I am really just looking for a way to breeze through immigration as I am pretty certain my egate is not going to work. The Mrs. and I have a party to get to so I don't want her waiting all night. If I do Marhaba, I should get through fast and just meet her there (if I am up to it).

desertdudeshj · Feb 10, 2011

Like I said I think the best option is to have the Mrs go down to the Airport anytime before you arrive and just drop and pay the Marhaba people. In theory you should have no problems with this.

Bethsmum · Feb 10, 2011

Ambassador wrote:I would not sweat the visa thing...you are a Canuck and flying Emirates (so the "aim" of the visa acomplished).

Marhaba...you probably can't book it from outside.

If you are flying business, no problem (they will give you a "fast track" card in the cabin which takes you to the "fast track" line at immigration)

Ambassador, I have a friend who works for BA so I often fly Business while paying economy. I have never seen a fast track card. May be you are only refering to Emirates? I always use e-gate which takes about 30 seconds. My friend says even if you fly economy always use the fast track as you are never asked for proof of your class. I would just say I have left my boarding card on board. I find I'm quite good at winging it.

I hope DD doesn't have to wait in those lines prior to immigration for his visa, where all those poor Pakistanis have to queue, what a nightmare!

When I was flying back from Dubai recently I was at check-in prior to arrival. I always check in on line. The queue was a mile long but no-one was queueing at Bag Drop except for one very attractive young man from Scotland. We got talking, as I'm prone to do, and he told me he hadn't checked in on line but was prepared to take his luggage on board. I told him to just tell the girl at check in that he had tried to check in on line, had got an error message on his iphone and wasn't sure whether the check in had worked or not but that he thought it had and smile at her sweetly.
As predicted she checked him and his luggage in prior to everyone else waiting and he bought me a drink in the bar. As I said I can usually wing it, I hate queueing.

-- Thu Feb 10, 2011 4:35 pm --

dubaidog wrote:
Ambassador wrote:I would not sweat the visa thing...you are a Canuck and flying Emirates (so the "aim" of the visa acomplished).

Marhaba...you probably can't book it from outside.

If you are flying business, no problem (they will give you a "fast track" card in the cabin which takes you to the "fast track" line at immigration)

Actually. It is a bit weird. Even though the visa was booked through Emirates, there is nothing that says I must book EK, nor had I booked at the time. You can book Marhaba from outside according to their website. After a dozen emails I have the half-whacked facts. If Mrs. DD deposits the visa ahead of time, it will be fine. I only need their AED 90 service to fast track immigration. Not flying business, as the exile was booked on my dirham.

I am really just looking for a way to breeze through immigration as I am pretty certain my egate is not going to work. The Mrs. and I have a party to get to so I don't want her waiting all night. If I do Marhaba, I should get through fast and just meet her there (if I am up to it).

DD, use your egate! I used my expired one for about 6 months, just look blank when it doesn't work and go to the desk at egate and he will stamp you through. No sweat!

dubaidog · Feb 10, 2011

Well, DD will be taking BM's advice. marhaba has turned into a joke. Scan and print and sign and mess around. 12 emails and 8 hours later they tell me they are booked. What a bunch of losers. They owe me another day in exile. Am defo trying the egate trick, although it expired a year ago, and if not then the fast track line. Thank god this will be my last time coming into that sand pit. Tell your Canadian friends not to bother. Just not worth it.

Bethsmum · Feb 10, 2011

Good luck DD, keep smiling and try to be good humoured, I’ve found it works a treat! I know you’ll manage it.

dubaidog · Feb 10, 2011

Bethsmum wrote:Good luck DD, keep smiling and try to be good humoured, I’ve found it works a treat! I know you’ll manage it.

Smiling like no one's business here! Just looking forward to getting in and getting out! I will be so surprised if this immigration business goes right, but we'll see!

desertdudeshj · Feb 10, 2011

God speed mate !

Bethsmum · Feb 11, 2011

Now we have sorted your travel plans DD and DDS has bid you God speed, my mind has turned to a God like ditty.....

A little girl finds her dog dead with it's legs in the air and asks her dad why it's like that? Dad says it's died and it's like that so God can pick it up and take it to heaven.
Next day she says 'Dad, mum nearly died today! She was on her back with her legs in the air, shouting Jesus, I'm coming! If it wasn't for the bin man holding her down, we would have lost her!'

Have a good trip DD

dubaidog · Feb 11, 2011

My goodness, BM, you can spin a thread! Thanks for the laugh and the wishes. Won't know till 12:30 local time if the Murhabra business will work.We'll see. Can I nip into the duty free infidel juice in line you think?

Bethsmum · Feb 11, 2011

While you are waiting for your luggage to be off loaded just pop into the Duty Free DD and load up on 4 people allowance. that's 4x4lts.

When the lady on the checkout asks 'how many passengers Sir?' say 4 and glance over to the luggage carousels as if looking for your wife and her aunty. Smile and pay what she asks and when going through customs, don't make eye contact with the local police man. With any luck he will be too busy picking on some random Asian to be bothered with you!

sage & onion · Feb 11, 2011

Bethsmum wrote:While you are waiting for your luggage to be off loaded just pop into the Duty Free DD and load up on 4 people allowance. that's 4x4lts.

When the lady on the checkout asks 'how many passengers Sir?' say 4 and glance over to the luggage carousels as if looking for your wife and her aunty. Smile and pay what she asks and when going through customs, don't make eye contact with the local police man. With any luck he will be too busy picking on some random Asian to be bothered with you!

And when the poor fellow gets pulled up at the Custom's inspection, will you be there with your local buddy to get him out of trouble???????????????????

Bethsmum · Feb 11, 2011

No sorry Sage! DD is a big lad and takes responsibility for his own actions! I can only advise! I save Mr Emirati for BM's indiscretions although I haven't needed him yet!

As an after thought the worst that would happen to DD is that he would get his haul confiscated and I have to say it's never happened to me in 10 yrs of visiting Dubai x 5 to 6 times a year!

dubaidog · Feb 11, 2011

Thanks for the tips, BM and for the words of caution, Sage. I think I will be ok with a couple of cases of beer and some wobbly-pops for the Mrs. I am stocked up at home with all the good stuff. In a funny twist of irony, I am cabbing it directly to a farewell party where 3 friends are leaving!

-- Fri Feb 11, 2011 8:40 am --

Quick Update. A good friend of mine (actually, an old poster here, Fayz) was at the airport this morning dropping someone off, and booked me on the Mahabra Diamond Service! Yay! No waiting for DD. Happy times.

kanelli · Feb 11, 2011

Yay Fayz!

dubaidog · Feb 11, 2011

kanelli wrote:Yay Fayz!

Isn't it funny, Fayzal and I have been friends for years. I only learned after Waf's wedding that he was the poster "Fayz" from yester-year! Such a good guy, and I am grateful for people like him that go that extra mile for their friends. He read my whinging on FB and took it upon himself to offer. Not many people would!

kanelli · Feb 11, 2011

I thought you knew!

Fayz is always helpful. :cheers:

dubaidog · Feb 11, 2011

kanelli wrote:I thought you knew! Fayz is always helpful.

He will be one of the missed ones, that is for sure.

Looking forward to a movie and some serious sleep on the plane. I reckon I will get 5-6 hours no prob. Taxi from the airport to the going away party and see Mrs. DD, have a couple of Infidel juices, then home and sleep till in noon in time for "Swine Saturday"..(Mrs. DD does a half kilo of bacon and brekkie and makes me the strongest coffee in the world (after 9 years still can't get it, but I water it down when she is not looking). I am then predicting a full afternoon of heavy-duty TV catching-up (Californication and the like) followed by me resuming my chores as housemaid.

Life is grand.

kanelli · Feb 11, 2011

Sounds nice DD! I'm glad that all has worked out smoothly. Enjoy the farewell party, some quality TV, but more importantly some nice Valentine's romance with Mrs. DD :love1:

desertdudeshj · Feb 11, 2011

I guess its one of those I told you so tales. No point in doing anything over emails or over the phone here. Glad it all worked you for you fella. Always good to hear about friends comming to the rescue.

Dubai Forums Dubai Discussions Dubai General Chat

DD Coming Back Tomorrow..couple Questions.

Go To

Dubai Discussions

Dubai Expat Forums

Dubai Business

Dubai Tech Discussions

Dubai Classifieds