31 May, 2008

Visa fee hike

"A one-month visit visa will now cost Dh500 as compared to Dh100 earlier which was valid for two months."

That's a 400% increase, though technically it's an 800% increase! How's this going to help businesses, tourism or common folk - or perhaps, am missing something?

More here & here
Posted by rosh at 4:38 am
Labels:

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Ah, not sure how that affects anything really. The most important tourists to the UAE get in for free, no questions asked.

Also, residence and work permits are what have been increasing quite a bit as well. TECOM's 2008 tariffs have essentially increased by 30-50% depending on the item.

So, we stopped hiring people here and starting a gradual process of moving things elsewhere.

31 May, 2008 09:40
Anonymous said...

Actually it might affect a lot of local company who employs Asian workers without providing them with a Visa, relying instead on the employees to renew their own visa every two months.

With that new price it might not be affordable for an employee to do a Visa run to kish island or oman every month. We're talking about people people paid around 2500-3000. Five hundred plus the trip cost every month will probably be prohibitive for them.

It will be tough for the people currently living and working here with a tourist visa but we may hope that it might provide a financial incentive to employers to provide visa. (otherwise they won't find employees or they will be more expensive)

Or.. it will increase the cost of Visa on the black market, adding a little bit more to the current inflation since a lot of time those "employers" don't have visa slot available anymore and requires their employees to buy it themselves to someone else.


Anyway, just like DE my company, after a 60% increase in rent by TECOM last month and 30-70% increase in a lot of other items we are now in the process of moving to another place which doesn't exhibit this "we screw you because we can" attitude.

Dubai is just too expensive nowadays.

31 May, 2008 11:10
Proud Emirati said...

so what is the difference between the 100 dirhams tourisim visa and this 500 dirham visit visa?

31 May, 2008 12:04
Anonymous said...

Before that visit visa's duration of stay was 30 days too.

31 May, 2008 12:50
samuraisam said...

There are two types of visit visas; those people who get visit visas on arrival (duration 60 days, mostly european/australian/american countries that get this) and those that have to have a sponsor... which are they increasing the price for?

31 May, 2008 13:54
nzm said...

Dubai Entrepreneur: we're doing the same. TECOM has got very greedy and very bureaucratic.

We're looking at RAK or UAQ.

31 May, 2008 14:27
Tim Noble said...

IT's a recipe for killing off your economy!

31 May, 2008 18:01
rosh said...

DE: I think it hurts those who need help. BB's got a few valid points. I was also thinking about those kids, raised in the UAE, visiting their folks on holidays from uni's abroad an' all. Many need to have visas, because they've been out of the country for 6 months or more.

PE: I don't know, honestly - thought they were the one & the same?

Sam: I think exempt categories remain exempt (there never was a fee to begin with). The hike affects those require a sponsor.

Personally 've got nothing against a hike. It's the incremental increase/multiplier - 400/800% a wee bit crazy?

31 May, 2008 19:53
Proud Emirati said...

rosh, who are u referring as "those who need help"? btw, the toursim visa and visit visa are not the same, at least according to what was written there.

I think the next step is to demand (yea not ask) a mutual treatment to those 30+ countries who get visa approval upon their arrival to the country. The UAE confirmed that they are working on it and that they will have other procedures if those countries didn't approve a treatment based on equal relationship.

31 May, 2008 23:44
rosh said...

PE: sorry by help, I meant, who need a visa - referring to expat folks who've lived/worked 30-40 yrs in the UAE, often visit to see children, friends etc. A fee of 500 Dhs per visit shall hurt those folks, now in retirement.

Re: visa waiver must be mutual, however, I doubt those nations are going to change their stand? Even if they do, its mostly likely some folks shall pull you aside. I say so, 'cause there are times I get pulled aside, given my place of birth, even though I hold a passport from one of those 30 nations. Hence, not sure a waiver is going to do any good?

In a way, it's not fair to compare visas of most other nations to UAE visas - for instance, a US visa has longevity upto 10 yrs. And more absurdly those 30+ nations, do not require "visit" visas for those born in any of those nations.

01 June, 2008 05:00
Anonymous said...

Not economical anymore, we are waiting to sell out our business and leave.

02 June, 2008 03:27
Anonymous said...

A tourist visa to France costs max 35 EUROS = 200 AED NOT 500 AED

02 June, 2008 03:30
Proud Emirati said...

^^ A UAE tourist visa cost max 18 EURO = 100 AED not 200 AED

02 June, 2008 09:28
Anonymous said...

Dubai Entrepreneur,
"not sure how that affects anything really".

Are you for real? Or just plain snob?

03 June, 2008 13:39
Anonymous said...

I mean a multiple visa 90 day valid for 3 years in EUROPE WHICH COSTS NOT MORE THAN 200aed, NOT A 1 MONTH VISA THAT IS GOING TO BE 500AED.

03 June, 2008 14:21
Anonymous said...

Its time to leave the UAE....enough is enough...if we don't make a move, every penny of ours is going to be taken away... I wonder what they will charge us next with.....

09 June, 2008 16:40
Unknown said...

Deciphering the UAE's visa overhaul

The UAE will have new visit visa rules in place from August 1, and the list of new criteria is lengthy. The Naturalisation and Residence Department says there will be a greater range of visa options to match the different reasons to visit, and that more information will be sought on visitors.

We can be sure of a few things:
more click
http://www.kippreport.com/kippsblog.php?articleid=1303&day=3

10 June, 2008 10:49

Post a Comment

NOTE: By making a post/comment on this blog you agree that you are solely responsible for its content and that you are up to date on the laws of the country you are posting from and that your post/comment abides by them.

To read the rules click here

If you would like to post content on this blog click here

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)