Visa help
 

Evening all,

I've done a search but i haven't had much luck in finding the answers unfortunately, so here goes...

I started my new job last week. I have my medical booked for the 15th and i'm told that my visa could take anything up to 2 weeks. Now the problem is that i'm due to travel back to the uk on the 24th December and my HR department are not certain that i'm going to be able to. I have read in my very helpful guide book that it's possible to get the visa done in a day once all the medical results are back etc, but that it costs an extra 100 AED. When i mentioned this to my work they said that it wouldn't be possible to fast track it...

Bit of a dilemma then... is there any way i can speed things up a bit? is there anything i can do to make this happen sooner? is it likely that i will get my visa in time to travel on the 24th december? i dont mind paying extra or even doing the donkey work myself, queuing, begging etc... i just desperately need it for that date

Any ideas, suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated

Thanks very much
j

Re: Visa help
 

Try sleeping with the P.R.O......?????

Re: Visa help
 

it's a woman?!??!? ;o)

So apart from sleeping with somebody to get it done are there any other ways i can fast track this whole thing?... im getting desperate! (but not desperate enough to do the above)

Re: Visa help
 

a sense of humour - excellent. You will do well around these parts....

Are you still on a visit visa and do you have your passport (or can you get it back off your employer??). If you are, then couldn't you nip home and re-enter on the visit visa???

It ought to be possible to get your residence permit in a 5-day turnaround - depends on how switched on your PRO is. I wouldn't try and do it yourself - the officials would have a field day with you....

Re: Visa help
 

sense of humour is essential...

So is it true that a visa can be done in a day for an extra 100 AED?

Re: Visa help
 

I didnt come in on a visitors visa i had an employment visa which i had to get stamped...i think this is right?!

is there any way i could get my passport back if i ended up having to travel?...

Re: Visa help
 

That I don't know - when I was living in the UAE I worked for what was effectively a federal dept. The visa was ready within 5 days...

Also, the rules change so damn often it's hard to keep up. Maybe someone with more recent independant experience can help you.

Re: Visa help
 

Thank you

Was that 5 days from when you had your medical results?... im really cutting it fine aren't i?!? x

Re: Visa help
 

Hmm. Yeah. Yes, it only took a day to get the medical people to declare me aids-free, then about 5 days after....

You'd be bloody lucky to get your visa before X-mas when you factor in w-ends....

Hey, X-mas in Dubai ain't so bad....

Re: Visa help
 

a day isnt long so thats one good thing...

let's hope there aren't too many visas being processed at the moment so it wont take much longer.

thanks again

Re: Visa help
 

First of all nope that rule doesn't apply any more to the new visa rules.
Second, if you not an engineer or you don't work with a strong company it takes a month for the visa to be done.
Third, you can travel out of the country as british passport holders can re-enter on visiting terms again. And when your visa is ready to be stamped on your passport, return your passport to your PRO and let him/her finish off your visa process. You are currently working illegally if you have no visa anyways ;)
If you want to speed matter more. There is an express visa process but its costly before the new visa rules it costs like 1000dh. I had my visa done in two days as I needed to travel back in the UK and I went through that process two years ago. Now not too sure about the price but its possible.

Re: Visa help
 

Thing is-and I don't want to sound like a half empty cup of doom and gloom here....if you exit w.o residence visa..doesn't that mean you have to do medicals/bloods again?...

Re: Visa help
 

nah cause the medical is valid for a month or three month not too sure. The visa process is short. The thing that takes time is ministry of labour. They just can't be arsed working. Thats why it takes upto a month to do your visa stamp. Basically when the PRO submits the papers. Its just an empost form to apply for a new visa, with the supporting documents such as the trade licence, medical, why do they wanna employ you etc...

Re: Visa help
 

okay.tft.

Re: Visa help
 

Thanks Tiger/Eva

I am seeing light at the end of the tunnel!

I work for a large company, i'm not sure if they would be classed as a strong though?...

I dont actually mind paying the extra money, it might mean there's no chritsmas presents for the folks though! :-O

So once my medical is done i can actually ask for my passport back, leave the country, return in the new year hand it back and continue with the process?... this is kind of what i had in mind but my HR dept. told me it wasn't possible. They said that i can't leave the country whilst my visa is in process. What would happen if it was an emergency?... or what happens when people need to travel for business? ok i dont but surely you must be able to leave and complete it on return?

thanks again!
jayne

Re: Visa help
 

As I said, I done it my self in January, it took the company three month to do my Abu Dhabi Visa due to the fact, I changed work and they f'd up on my papers and I was travelling weekly to Saudi for a project. What really takes time is the ministry approval and for that process, they don't hold your passport :) So yes you can take your passport out during the process, and yes you can travel with your passport as you don't need any visas to re-enter. Its given in the airport.

Re: Visa help
 

put the whole thing off until you get back. you can leave the country on a visit visa and return on a visit visa. do the medical after you get back and hand your passport in then. i work for a direct government company and I was told 40 - 45 days. Once I handed my passport in there was no getting it back - I tried last week for the Eid holidays. You are cutting it way to fine if you really want to go home and there is no reason why you can't put it off and have a merry christmas!

Re: Visa help
 

WOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!

I'm off to see Santa Claus!!!!

Ok... so, i have given my passport in at work already. But i haven't had my medical yet... so do you think my passport has actually gone anywhere? seeing as i havent got my med results yet they wont have submitted it would they?, or maybe its sat in the PRO's drawer whilst he enjoys his holidays? or if i put my medical off until the new year is it easy peasy to get my passport back do you think? what a nightmare, i'm never going to let my passport out of my sight again. EVER. Also, i didn't enter on a visitor visa i dont think? i entered on... what i was told was a temporary employment visa?.. My work emailed me a print out which i had to get stamped at the airport. will this make any difference?

Thanks for the help :o)

Re: Visa help
 

they won't do anything with your passport until you have the medical. Once the medical is done, they send the results and your passport off to immigration for residence visa processing. If you haven't had your medical done your passport will be sitting with your PRO / HR department. If your medical is scheduled for the 15th your passport won't be submitted until at least the 18th which doesn't leave you enough time to get it back.
You should be fine to travel on an employment visa but perhaps triple check with your PRO.
You are much better off getting your passport back now from your PRO and doing the medical etc when you get back as once the passport has gone to immigration you have no chance of getting it back until the visa is processed and at this time of the year that could be at least a month if not more

Re: Visa help
 

Thank you for your replies.

I have just been told again that i can't travel on an employment visa until i have my reseidence visa stamped in my passport. So i can't take it back and then travel and complete the process once i return, this sounds like such a strange rule?... there is no way im going to get it my residence visa before Christmas so im stuck here...how come others have done it?...

:(:(:(:(:(

Re: Visa help
 

I don't believe that is correct. I have not done it myself but we have people here who have done it as they are / have been in the same situation as you.