dominoman

My mother in law is staying with us in Abu Dhabi on a 30 day tourist visa. She needs another 30 days added on top, so I think we'll have to do a visa run?

Does anyone have any advice on visa runs to Oman? I've done plenty of googling, but most of what I find looks out of date.

A few specific questions

• What's the best place to do the crossing to Oman?
• Do I need special insurance to drive the car into Oman?
• Will they add 30 days to the existing visa expiry date, or its just 30 days total from when we re-enter UAE?
• Do I need to pay too if I go with her? I am a UAE resident (with work visa and Emirates ID)

My mother in law is Colombian so they need visa in advance for the UAE, not just a visa on arrival.

Thanks for any help. It's stressing my wife out as we have a new baby and need her mum's help.

CJPTFC

We did it 3 times in the short period I lived in UAE.

Best place from Dubai was Hatta crossing, it was pretty easy there. Not sure about best place from Abu Dhabi. However, they closed the straight route along the E44 and I'm not sure if it's reopened. We had to take the E102 Kalba road then the mountain road back down to rejoin the E44. This avoids going through Oman before the official border post. (It used to be allowed but wasn't last time I went)

If taking a hire car, the rental company need to give you an Oman insurance paper which costs 100 AED I think. I also took my own car on two occasions and had no issue and wasn't asked for insurance papers. (Although my policy covered driving in Oman)

I believe it's 30 days from re-entering UAE, so she'll have to do the same again in another month.

Yes you need to pay 50 AED in Oman I believe even if you are UAE resident. Your Mother-in-law will have a fee to pay upon leaving UAE but I think you're exempt from that.

Sorry I don't have a clue how it works with a Colombian passport and if the rules are any different. My experience was with my wife and two kids and they are all UK.

If it's a hassle to drive, maybe consider looking for a cheap flight to Bahrain and back? (That's the norm for visa runs from Saudi) Might get lucky with a midweek flight. (Again though, i'm not sure of visa rules for Colombians in that scenario).

All the best.

Dubaiexile

OK it would be best in your case to pay a company to do all this for you quickly and hassle free, try these people they will advise and arrange

PRO Service, Business Setup Services, Company Formation

Millhouse

there was a time when you just pay 500dh at immigration and save the hassle. worth looking into that.

Dubaiexile

Forgot about that, well worth a trip just to ask...

dominoman

Thanks. We tried going to Immigration (in the UAE embassy in Colombia they said we could extend it there) but they told us that option is now closed.

Anyone done the crossing from Abu Dhabi recently?

Millhouse

yes, you drive to Hatta.

Hatta hotel for lunch is nice, proper 80s affair with a prawn cocktail starter...

scrubbedexpat141

If she's visa in advance will she leave on old one, turn around and enter on a new prepared visa?

Will she need one to get into Oman?
I got stamped in and out immediately but will she need a visa in advance for that small part of it?
Easier to just fly?

I've done the Hatta one before, but understand the shortcut is closed off now.

hnd

According to this people from Columbia can get a visa on arrival but I would double check to be sure as ROP website sometimes aren't updated as regularly as they could be:

Royal Oman Police Website - Country List 1

dominoman

Thanks. I'm getting more worried the more I google! I think she should be fine as a Colombian to get an Oman visa on arrival. But to then get back into the UAE seems to be a problem. I've read she has to go home and reapply from there.

It's so hard to find info. The Immigration department here in Abu Dhabi told us normally they could extend for a fee, but her 30 day visa (that I sponsored her for) has a note on it saying no extensions. However the UAE embassy in Bogota said extensions were fine and there was no need to do a visa run.

Does anyone happen to know any Colombians here in UAE? Perhaps that's my best chance of finding out.

dominoman

What happens if we just ignore the visa end date and she stays an extra 30 days? I guess there's a big exit fine before she's allowed on the plane home?

Miss Ann Thrope

From AD, surely Al Ain is much easier and closer. It also offers the choice of the Mezyad/Hafit crossing where the border posts are very close together though possibly busy, or the quieter but much further apart crossing in Khatam/Wadi Jizzi.

Miss Ann Thrope

I think this is the key point: if she needs a visa in advance to fly then how can she get a new visa at the land border having left the country? Once she leaves she may need to wait 30 days before being able to re-enter - this is the case, for example, for Indians and Chinese: plays havoc with scheduling meetings with colleagues on busy projects... The visa run works for those who get UAE visa on arrival but I can't see how it can work if a visa in advance is required.

I think getting an extension from the immigration people while she is still in the country may be your only option...

scrubbedexpat141

Thanks for explaining it a bit better.

Can she not get a 60 or 90 day visa?
Can she apply for two in advance? Use one, fly out, fly in, use second?
I would think it's the UAE who get to decide if it's extended, right? Not the Colombian embassy?

Millhouse

I think you've found the perfect excuse to send the mother in law back home.