Go Back  British Expats > Living & Moving Abroad > Middle East
Reload this Page >

Dubai Visa's - Whats the process

Dubai Visa's - Whats the process

Old Oct 16th 2010, 4:49 pm
  #16  
Just Joined
 
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 24
Dubai GRO is on a distinguished road
Default Re: Dubai Visa's - Whats the process

Originally Posted by Meow
Quite a few banks will allow you to open a bank account that has a cheque book prior to having residency. Even easier is to open an account with the bank your employer uses with a letter from then confirming your visa is in progress.

You must have a local bank account for your salary and day to day expenses. Constantly transferring monies from one currency to another is just throwing money away


I can't be the only one laughing at Dubai GRO's comment assuring that a visa only takes a week to organise. In reality it can be done quicker, but usually takes a lot longer...

you can laugh as much a s you like... .. I'm a GRO (Govrnment Relations Officer) or known as PRO and do this on monthly basis. It cannot take less than a week because you need a day to arrange all paper work, another day to send the guy for medical check-up and results arrive through "EMPOST" with 3 days remaining days for labor card and residence visa application... ... this statement is from a GRO me lad!
Dubai GRO is offline  
Old Oct 16th 2010, 5:27 pm
  #17  
Just Joined
 
Joined: Oct 2010
Location: Soon to be Dubai
Posts: 6
Guernsey Donkey is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Dubai Visa's - Whats the process

Thanks all for comments on timing - now off to book some flights for my official accommodation advisor
Guernsey Donkey is offline  
Old Oct 16th 2010, 5:59 pm
  #18  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Millhouse's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Disneyland, Dubai
Posts: 15,887
Millhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Dubai Visa's - Whats the process

Originally Posted by Victor Meldrew
Correct.
I arrived in Dubai September 2007. My visa was done by March 2008.

My work colleague - similar story.

It is something you should address with your potential employer - ask them what the typical turnaround time is within the company you will be working for.
Wow... my first visa took about 3 days, second one was about 2 weeks - the delay being 1 week for the test results to come back, me going away for a couple of days and an additional clearence required for my 'special' status before we could start proceedings.

That said, both are government in one way or another one thing is true... it all boils down to how good your PRO is.

Last edited by Millhouse; Oct 16th 2010 at 6:09 pm.
Millhouse is offline  
Old Oct 16th 2010, 6:11 pm
  #19  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Millhouse's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Disneyland, Dubai
Posts: 15,887
Millhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Dubai Visa's - Whats the process

Originally Posted by Guernsey Donkey
Thanks all for comments on timing - now off to book some flights for my official accommodation advisor
surely you don't need to book them now ... you're not coming until jan!
Millhouse is offline  
Old Oct 16th 2010, 10:47 pm
  #20  
Confirmed grumpy old man
 
Victor Meldrew's Avatar
 
Joined: May 2005
Location: Moved back to Riyadh KSA 2016
Posts: 1,298
Victor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond reputeVictor Meldrew has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Dubai Visa's - Whats the process

Originally Posted by Dubai GRO
you can laugh as much a s you like... .. I'm a GRO (Govrnment Relations Officer) or known as PRO and do this on monthly basis. It cannot take less than a week because you need a day to arrange all paper work, another day to send the guy for medical check-up and results arrive through "EMPOST" with 3 days remaining days for labor card and residence visa application... ... this statement is from a GRO me lad!
I presume from the quote included in your post that you are responding to Meow.

She is certainly not a lad, she is definitely a lady.
Victor Meldrew is offline  
Old Oct 17th 2010, 1:48 am
  #21  
Just Joined
 
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 24
Dubai GRO is on a distinguished road
Default Re: Dubai Visa's - Whats the process

Originally Posted by Victor Meldrew
I presume from the quote included in your post that you are responding to Meow.

She is certainly not a lad, she is definitely a lady.
OoOOooOOooops... never thought to look at her gender. apologiezzzz Meow; an unintentional mistake! ... I must confess though, your reply sounded like of a lad... me lady!
Dubai GRO is offline  
Old Oct 17th 2010, 4:15 am
  #22  
Bored liberal
 
Meow's Avatar
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Over there ----->
Posts: 13,713
Meow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Dubai Visa's - Whats the process

Originally Posted by Dubai GRO
OoOOooOOooops... never thought to look at her gender. apologiezzzz Meow; an unintentional mistake! ... I must confess though, your reply sounded like of a lad... me lady!
Apology accepted although your assumption was rather sexist.

And as anyone here will tell you, visas take way longer than you are claiming.
Meow is offline  
Old Oct 17th 2010, 1:55 pm
  #23  
Lost in BE Cyberspace
 
Millhouse's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2009
Location: Disneyland, Dubai
Posts: 15,887
Millhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond reputeMillhouse has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Dubai Visa's - Whats the process

Originally Posted by Meow
Apology accepted although your assumption was rather sexist.

And as anyone here will tell you, visas take way longer than you are claiming.
Why is this? Ours have only took a couple of days (both times).
Millhouse is offline  
Old Oct 18th 2010, 4:46 am
  #24  
Bored liberal
 
Meow's Avatar
 
Joined: Feb 2007
Location: Over there ----->
Posts: 13,713
Meow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond reputeMeow has a reputation beyond repute
Default Re: Dubai Visa's - Whats the process

Originally Posted by EmiratesMillhouse
Why is this? Ours have only took a couple of days (both times).
Because most companies have slow and lazy PROs and HR Departments.
Meow is offline  
Old Jan 12th 2011, 9:50 pm
  #25  
Forum Regular
 
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 37
mamijaka is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Dubai Visa's - Whats the process

Hello can you please help? I arrive Al Ain for a new job in 3 weeks time, flying into Dubai International. My employers have advised I say nothing to airport immigration guys that I have a job or show them my contract letter. My question therefore is what justification do I give for entering their country? don't they ask questions and request to see cash and hotel bookingas in their country as other countriues do when a foreigner visits. what is the process at immigration?
any help will be greatly appreciated
Originally Posted by haloola
I'm in Al Ain but anyway - my work arranged my health screen for the day after I started work, took 2 days for the results to come through and a week after that I had my visa. I didnt have to do anything apart from go to hospital, as is how it should be I believe.

Got my Visa on Thursday, bank account today (without my certificate of salary). Should have my cheque book in 3 days and cash card in 5 - both being sent in the post. Guess Al Ain is a bit behind Dubai
mamijaka is offline  
Old Jan 13th 2011, 3:26 am
  #26  
Forum Regular
 
haloola's Avatar
 
Joined: Aug 2010
Location: Al Ain
Posts: 77
haloola is an unknown quantity at this point
Default Re: Dubai Visa's - Whats the process

Originally Posted by mamijaka
Hello can you please help? I arrive Al Ain for a new job in 3 weeks time, flying into Dubai International. My employers have advised I say nothing to airport immigration guys that I have a job or show them my contract letter. My question therefore is what justification do I give for entering their country? don't they ask questions and request to see cash and hotel bookingas in their country as other countriues do when a foreigner visits. what is the process at immigration?
any help will be greatly appreciated
Hi. All I can tell you is that I had a temporary visa waiting for me at the airport whcih my employers arranged. I have the impression that this is normal but I'll leave that to others to confirm.

I assume you can enter on a tourist visa but I don't know how long they are valid for. You might want to check, as from what I gather the time it takes for a visa to come through can vary. Mine took about 10 days for the whole process but I know someone who is still waiting after 2 months (although this is out of the ordinary).

If your employers cannot arrange a visa to be waiting for you at the airport I'd be slightly nervous about them arranging a residence visa before a tourist visa expired! Do you know anyone who is already working for the company that you can ask about it? Good luck! I'm in Al Ain too btw.
haloola is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.