All procedures and information outlined; everything about lost passports and exempt cases
UAE: According to a report by the Arabic daily Al Khaleej, the UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) has published a new resolution regarding visa guidelines and explanations for ex-pats.
Regarding the requirements and restrictions of Cabinet Resolution No. 65, which went into effect on October 3, 2022, Ali Mohammad Al Shamsi, ICP chairman has issued Resolution No. 74 of 2022, to this effect.
The new decision lays out the conditions and guidelines that apply to all visas of various sorts and lengths. This includes more than 15 different types of visas
Lost passports/ID
The UAE has reportedly decided to permit ex-pats who have lost their passport or ID to enter the nation. They are first required to file an entry request via the smart services platform and complete the necessary paperwork in person within three working days at the relevant department.
The new decision also specifies the prerequisites for issuing tourist visas, including that the sponsor or host be a tourism-related organisation, firm, or registered entity in the authorised facility card system and offer a tourism programme. Also, it outlines the prerequisites for truck drivers’ entry visas at land entry points or UAE embassies overseas, as well as for employees’ entry visas on cruise ships and picnic boats.
Entry visas
Here it states that entry visas are valid for 60 days after the date of issuance and allow the holder to remain in the nation by the type of visa issued. Each visit visa grants its holder the right to enter the UAE once or more, depending on the issuing authority. However, they are not permitted to remain in the nation for longer than 180 days.
In addition, this decision also provides new guidelines for granting a friend or family a visit visa. Regardless of the degree of kinship, the tourist entering UAE needs to be a friend or relative of an Emirati national to acquire a visa. Another option is if the visitor is a first- or second-degree relative of an ex-pat living in the UAE, the resident ex-pat must be employed at a first- or second-level position.
Border ports
A 90-day entry visa may be issued to foreigners at border entry points, following the Cabinet resolution. As long as the visa is still in effect, the holder may visit the UAE more than once and remain each time for no longer than 48 hours.
The visa holder is prohibited from working in the UAE, whether for pay or not, and must reside in the neighbouring border country.
Upon receiving a formal request, the Director General of Residence and Foreigners Affairs may grant ex-pats an entry visa if they are requested by the relevant UAE authorities. Also, those accompanying heads of state and ministers during their official visits to the UAE may request a “private entry permit” from the Director General of Residency and Foreigners Affairs.
5 Requirements of Humanitarian cases
Depending on the presence of a sponsor or host, the decision specifies the granting of a residence permit that is valid for one year and renewable. It also outlines 5 requirements that must be fulfilled before issuing a resident visa to ex-pats from nations that have recently experienced war, natural disaster, or turmoil. These prerequisites include a physical presence in the UAE, sufficient financial stability, and having suitable housing, having citizenship from a nation that the authority’s chairman does not consider to be in a state of war, disaster, or unrest.
Who are all sponsored?
An ex-pat in the UAE who is connected to an Emirati must provide proof to support their relationship. If the ex-pat is connected to a UAE citizen or their spouse, they may bring their parents, younger siblings (if they can provide for them financially), or the parents of their wife.
The report added that the ex-pat also needed to have enough housing and money to bring their own or their wife’s family.
If their monthly income is Dh10,000, they can bring in up to 5 people; if it’s Dh15,000, they can bring in up to 6 people. The authority chairman will assess the applicant’s suitability if there are more than six people.
Exempt cases in UAE
The resolution also mentions three groups of people who are exempt from having their residence visas cancelled if they stay outside for longer than 180 days. They include individuals with Golden Visas and their families as well as individuals with Green Visas and their families. Additionally, those who have received a valid exemption from the GDRFA and paid the requisite cost will be permitted to keep their residence permits until they expire.
In addition, there are six categories of foreigners who are exempt from the UAE’s passport validity requirements as long as their passports are still valid for at least one month. These include pilots, sailors, workers on a picnic and tourist ships, those with emergency, transit and entry visas and those entering neighbouring regions.
Also, five groups of individuals are allowed to remain in the UAE for a maximum of 180 days following the expiration or cancellation of their residency visa. They are holders of golden or green visas along with their families, as well as their spouses, parents, and children who are Emiratis or foreign passport holders. They also include foreign widows and divorced ex-pats who live in the UAE.
Only two groups of people, property owners and skilled professionals at the first, second, and third levels, are permitted to remain in the UAE for 90 days following the visa expiration or cancellation.
Those having visas given by sponsors or hosts could stay for 60 days, unlike others.
