Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

I'm 19 and visit Dubai in the summer for 8-10 weeks at a time. I am almost always back in the UAE less than 6 months after I previously left.

Now the question:

Because I'm over 18 and therefore no longer can be classed as a dependant, how could I secure a Residence Visa? My family own property in the UAE (through Emaar) and we have a company. Is it an option to get Emaar to issue me with a residence visa, or can I get put on the company visa, and take a job, such as website designer?

RossBaku

sdamak wrote:Confusion is the right word.
I have visited Dubai and Abu Dhabi fifteen times during the last six years.
My Canadian passport was always stamped 30 days which was good for 60 days. After that I pay 500 Dhm and get further 30 days and when I needed more time I go to Doha on a friday and return on the same day to repeat the cycle.
On 7th August I entered Abu Dhabi thinking the same rules remain in effect. When my 60 days finished, I went to the passport office paid 500 Dhm pluse 40 Dhms insurance. When I checked the 30 day sticker, I found that it was only 10 days. I was told that the new rules do not entitle me 30 days. On the 10th day and as I approached passport control at the airport, I was told that the main office made a mistake by granting me 10 days and I should pay a penalty for further 10 days. He took my passport to his superior and came back to worn me to be careful next time but he let me pass.

That's very strange!

I can think of 2 reasons why this happened:

-You should've renewed before the 60 days are over, not after they are finished. When the 60 days are over you automatically become an overstayer and you will not be entitled to any renewals.

-The 10 days you were given should have been free anyway. A lawyer friend of mine told me that there is a new rule in effect which allows overstayers a grace period of up to 10 days to leave the country without a penalty. But for that's only for overstayers who have a renewable visa but do not renew their visa before it expires.

So apparentely when you asked for a renewal after the expiration of your visa, the system only allowed you the 10 days grace period, whether you paid for it or not.

The problem I see here is that they made you pay unncessarily. Perhaps the chap who took your money did not notice that the visa had expired, and when he put the requestt it in the system you only got the maximum allowable10 days!

Thanks Tom

In fact I applied for the extension on the sixtyth day of my stay so I was OK. but what confused me is the guy at the airport, he said the passport office made a mistake they should have fined you for extra ten days.

Also I asked two officers at passport control the same question and got two conflicting answers. The question was: sir I am an engineer of Canadian citizenship, when I leave Abu Dhabi do I have to be outside for a minimum of one month or this does not apply to me? One said yes the other said no.
There are eight hundred people stranded in Kish island and similar number in Masqat because of the one month rule. When they left hoping to get back on the same day but they were informed of the new rules.
Regards

Hi Guys,

Just to let you know, a US passport holder from my office done the Hatta run today and got 30 days!! So they haven't closed that door then! (Yet!)

sdamak wrote:Thanks Tom

In fact I applied for the extension on the sixtyth day of my stay so I was OK. but what confused me is the guy at the airport, he said the passport office made a mistake they should have fined you for extra ten days.

Also I asked two officers at passport control the same question and got two conflicting answers. The question was: sir I am an engineer of Canadian citizenship, when I leave Abu Dhabi do I have to be outside for a minimum of one month or this does not apply to me? One said yes the other said no.
There are eight hundred people stranded in Kish island and similar number in Masqat because of the one month rule. When they left hoping to get back on the same day but they were informed of the new rules.
Regards

From recent actual experiences of people I know, and from reading all the numerous relevant posts in this forum, I don't think you have to worry about the 30 day no return ban. It appears this ban is only for the other nationalities who are not from the 33 "privileged" countries!!!

Hello again,
I stayed in Dubai for more than 30 days. No problems going out.
I'm back in Dubai after 3 weeks in the Uk. No problems getting back in & I have a 60 day stamp. Hope this helps.

Hi everyone ....

Very confused ... not wanting to ask the same question again and again, but my parents arrived in Abu Dhabi on the 30th November with a 30 day stamp. They have visited me for years and have always been told that although it says 30 days on the passport .. it means 60.

I believe this has now changed and 30 means 30! Please help as I won't be around to help them organise any admin work and they are not of an age to be chasing around doing admin work. They are from the UK and are due to spend 50 days in the UAE. Do they need to get an extension to the 30 or is the 60 days still OK?

Thanks

With all the confusion, you're better off asking the immigration department. It SHOULD be 60, but they change things at the drop of a hat.

Hi,

Just spoke to Dubai Immigration (3 times) - although it says 30 in the passport you can still stay for 60 days and the extension applies only when you want to stay for 90.

However, that only applies to tourists arriving in Dubai ...Abu Dhabi may be a different story.... cannot get hold of anyone there ... if anyone has any experience with Abu Dhabi rules for UK passport holders, I would really appreciate your help!

Thanks