Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

Hi all,
First I want to state that I am fully aware that the UAE requires a return ticket to issue a 30 day tourist visa.
However, as I am coming from Australia at my own expense and do not intend on returning for longer than I can extend a return ticket out for I am hoping there is a way around this as a return ticket is not just a little bit more than a one way in this instance.
1. My husband is in UAE, and has his residence visa.
2. I will be entering the country via Dubai with him as he will be joining me for holidays before we make our way to UAE together.
3. His PRO has said that is will be fine for me to enter without a return ticket if I enter with my husband who has his visa in his passport (however, I am reluctant to put my trust in the PRO).
4. My husband recently entered and he noticed that immigration really didn't pay very much attention and just stamped peoples passports without requesting further details - this was not true for all nationalities but was for the westerners he observed.
5. Is it worth the risk of attempting to enter and having to book a cheap flight to another country if we get stopped or do they just put you on a flight home no questions asked?
6. I have contacted the UAE embassy in Australia but they didn't know themselves whether a visa would be issued or not on arrival.

I hope to avoid having to book a ticket that we wont use.

Thank you for your help.
Aus :)

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

Maybe officially (first I heard this), in practice, never.

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

Thanks for your reply Millhouse.

Are you saying that you have not experienced yourself the 'requirement for a return ticket' to be given a 30 day tourist visa?

cheers,

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

Eight years of holidaying in Dubai and was never asked for sight of a return ticket; seven years living in Dubai with countless family members and friends visiting and none was ever asked to show a return ticket; have flown into Dubai from Muscat earlier this year for a visit and was never asked about a return ticket.

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

Thanks hnd. that confirms for me what my husband witnessed when he came through abu dhabi immigration.

cheers

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

I don't think your problem will be at the Dubai immigration desk it will be at airline departure desk in Australia as they will ask why no return ticket & visa to allow 1 way trip

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

Really? Don't most people nowadays just print off the eTicket for their flight when they check in on-line and use that for baggage drop off? We certainly do. We don't print off the ticket for our return flight until we are able to access the system in the 24 hours (or whatever) beforehand. And if the OP has an Australian passport they don't need a pre-arranged visa as they will get a 30 day tourist visa when they land at whichever airport in the UAE.

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

the 2 times I've ever flown one way tickets were country relocations and both times asked for visa (Australia & UAE at check in) have you flown a 1 way no return ticket before and checked in online / e ticket? if so you should be fine then becaause you wont get asked in the UAE

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

100% correct.

Further, what about all those people doing visa runs - they don't have return tickets.

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

The airline only cares if you have a visa as they are responsible for returning you if you are refused entry. They don't care about single tickets.

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

A friend of mine.. British.. who has worked here for several years.. freelance, no visa, she does visa runs every month. For the first time about 6 months ago she was refused boarding at Manchester on a flight here because she didn't have a return.. she had bought a ticket here for Dubai/Manchester/Dubai and didn't have a residences stamp. She had to get a flight booked from Dubai to Doha quickly and show the person at the check in desk the outbound flight!

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

Thank you all for your advice. Yes, I am traveling on an Australian Passport.

Not that it probably makes much difference but when I leave Australia I am flying via Bali (on a return ticket which I wont be using the return half of). My husband was offered this job unexpectedly after we had booked holidays to Bali and it was significantly cheaper for me to join him in UAE from Bali - our tickets to Bali were nonrefundable anyway - than to fly back to Australia and fly out from there.
We are flying out of Denpasar and I expect this will be were the problem occurs if one does occur.
We are flying Qatar Airlines via Doha. Is there not anyway to tell the airline that I intend to spend time in the ME traveling by car to Oman etc and intend to fly out from there thus I am not the airlines responsibility?
Or to show the airline my husbands visa and be truthful in telling them I intend to convert my tourist visa into a residence asap?

So at the worst I would need to book a ticket to Doha if they refused me? And this could also serve as my border run should I not be able to convert my visa within the 30 days?

Thank you all again :)

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

It is a bit risky but the chances are you will not be asked to show a return ticket.

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

It can be tricky - Mrs Auto & I flew back from Australia on Emirates, she was on visit visa before getting new visa and I have residency.

The check in desk were a bit funny about it but as we were travelling together it was allowed.

I seem to remember it's only Emirates that this happens with.

At immigration in UAE there will be no problems as far as we have experienced.

It is an airline policy issue, not immigration - as to how to get around it - it could be an idea like Patsy said to have a cheap flydubai ticket to Doha to show them?

Re: Aussie entering UAE on tourist visa with no return ticket
 

yep if you have a residence visa its not an issue... but its down to the airline, they will refuse you