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What is the change? United Arab Emirates authorities have expanded the number of Indian nationals who are eligible for the UAE’s visa-on-arrival program, implementing a change that was approved in September.
What does the change mean? Indian nationals with a valid visa or resident permit for the United Kingdom or a European Union country and a normal passport may now travel to the UAE for business or tourism and obtain a visa on arrival that is valid for up to 14 days.
Background: Last year, the UAE opened its visa-on-arrival program for Indian nationals with United States green cards or visas valid for at least six months. With the new process, Indian nationals holding a valid visa or resident permit for the U.K. or an EU country or a green card or visa for the U.S. are allowed to remain in the UAE for up to 14 days on a visa on arrival. Those who intend to stay longer than 14 days may obtain one 14-day extension for a charge.
BAL Analysis: The expansion of visas on arrival will facilitate travel and reduce processing for more Indian nationals traveling for business or as tourists to the UAE, especially those needing to travel on short notice. Those with questions about what types of activities are permitted on a visa on arrival should contact BAL.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group and our network provider located in the United Arab Emirates. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.
Copyright © 2018 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.
IMPACT – MEDIUM
What is the change? The UAE will grant one-year residency to nationals of countries affected by war or other disasters, regardless of their current status in the UAE. Additionally, widows and divorcees will be eligible for one-year extensions of their visas after divorce or death of their husband without needing a sponsor.
What does the change mean? Nationals affected by conflict or natural disasters must apply between Aug. 1 and Oct 31. The program for widows and divorcees will be introduced in the last quarter of 2018.
Background: The UAE Cabinet announced the decisions Monday and Tuesday. The programs are intended as a humanitarian gesture toward tens of thousands of foreign nationals who are living in the emirates and unable to return home due to conflict or natural disasters and to give women time to make plans for themselves and their children after divorce from or death of the head of household. Under current rules, women sponsored by their husbands must depart the UAE if they divorce, and, in the event of the death of their husband, they must leave when their dependent visa expires.
BAL Analysis: The humanitarian program will allow potentially tens of thousands of foreign nationals to gain temporary residency, and will also exempt them from overstay fines. The residency extension for spousal dependents will enable widows and divorcees to maintain their residency for an additional year and stabilize their plans.
This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.
IMPACT – HIGH
The Cabinet of the United Arab Emirates has adopted a raft of reforms aimed at boosting economic activity by eliminating bank guarantees for foreign workers and liberalizing a number of visa rules.
Key reforms:
Background: Recent years of reduced oil revenues and recent burdens imposed on companies, including the imposition of a value-added tax, have taken their toll on the UAE’s private sector. These changes are intended to free up money held as guarantees, stimulate economic activity and reinvestment of those funds, and reduce barriers to recruiting foreign workers and doing business.
BAL Analysis: This is the second set of major reforms the UAE has adopted in as many months. While the first allowed foreign companies to set up fully foreign-owned ‘mainland’ entities, this liberalization of visa rules and release of 14 billion dirhams in bank guarantees are additional welcome developments for the business community.
What is the change? Brazil and the United Arab Emirates have implemented a visa waiver agreement.
What does the change mean? Citizens of Brazil and the UAE may travel visa-free between the two countries for up to 90 days per year for business or tourism.
BAL Analysis: The visa waiver will facilitate business travel between the two countries. The UAE has actively pursued visa exemptions, and the number of countries allowing UAE nationals to enter without a visa now exceeds 155.
What is the change? The United Arab Emirates Cabinet has approved new immigration incentives aimed at attracting foreign investors, top international specialists and high-performing students.
What does the change mean? Under the program, the UAE will provide 10-year residency visas to qualifying investors and specialists, a group that could include doctors, engineers, scientific and technical researchers and entrepreneurs, among others. The UAE will also provide five-year residency visas to students and 10-year visas to high-performing (“grade ‘A’”) students. Officials will also review the possibility of providing residency permits to principal visa holders’ children who graduate from a university while in the UAE.
Background: The 10-year visa program has been discussed for some time, and the Cabinet voted to move forward with the plan on Sunday. “The UAE will remain an incubator for creators and destinations for investors,” Sheikh Maktoum said, announcing the Cabinet’s approval. Details must still be finalized, including the eligibility criteria and application process for the 10-year visas.
BAL Analysis: Visas in the UAE are normally issued with validities of one to three years. The change is intended to boost the economy by attracting more foreign investors, specialists and students interested in working or studying in the UAE, by giving them more stability in their immigration status with 10-year validity. BAL will continue following the implementation of the plan and will provide updates to clients as more information becomes available.
What is the change? Paraguay has extended visas on arrival to nationals of the United Arab Emirates.
What does the change mean? UAE nationals may apply for a visa on arrival and pay a $100 government fee at the border without needing to obtain a visa before travel. The visa on arrival is valid for 30 days.
Background: The foreign ministers of the two countries met in March and promised to increase business, economic and trade relations. Last week, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the Paraguayan Embassy has agreed to waive visas for UAE nationals.
BAL Analysis: The expansion of visa-free travel for UAE nationals to the South American country is consistent with numerous visa waiver agreements that the UAE has recently reached with other countries, including China, Ireland, Switzerland, Uruguay and Ukraine.
What is the change? The UAE Cabinet has approved a plan to expand its transit policy in order to boost tourism and short visits.
What does the change mean? International travelers transiting through the UAE would be granted a 24-hour visit visa.
Background: The move is intended to encourage transit passengers to visit the emirates and boost tourism revenues. Last year, about 70 percent of passengers who landed at one of UAE’s airports were in transit.
BAL Analysis: The plan is intended to improve the UAE’s economy and follows an initiative by Dubai’s tourism bureau to attract transit passengers to visit the emirate.
What is the change? Dubai International Airport is revamping its smart gates system to streamline the process of going through passport control.
What does the change mean? Travelers with biometric passports or Emirates ID cards will be able to move through passport control more quickly. The system will replace the current e-gates system in the Dubai airport.
Background: Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, director-general of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai, announced the introduction of the revamped smart gates last week at the Dubai International Government Achievements Exhibition. Al Marri reportedly said the system would allow travelers to pass through passport control in just 10 seconds. Smart gates will not be available to children under the age of 18 or to holders of manual passports.
BAL Analysis: The change will ease immigration clearance procedures for travelers with a biometric passport or Emirates ID card. E-gates cards will no longer be used with the smart gates system.
What is the change? The United Arab Emirates and Uruguay have agreed to waive visa requirements for each other’s citizens.
What does the change mean? The visa exemption, which is intended to increase business ties and economic cooperation between the two countries, is valid for stays of up to 90 days.
Background: The UAE is actively pursuing visa waiver agreements, most recently gaining visa-free travel to China, Ireland, Switzerland and Ukraine.
BAL Analysis: The visa-exemption agreement is good news for Emirati and Uruguayan business travelers, especially individuals making repeat visits or traveling on short notice.
What is the change? Dubai plans to open 70 additional Amer Business Centers to replace typing centers and centralize visa and residency services. Last year, the centers were introduced with the opening of 15 offices and authorities had originally projected they would only open 50 more.
What does the change mean? Amer Centers provide services for foreign residents, including visa and residency applications, residency renewals, visa cancellations and related applications. As more centers open, foreign residents and visa applicants in Dubai should expect shorter wait times and an improved application process.
Background: The Amer centers were introduced in November in response to requests from the business community. More centers are expected to open so that eventually anyone seeking visa and residency services in Dubai will have easy access to them. Typing centers have since stopped processing visa-related services.
BAL Analysis: Delays are still possible during the transition period, but Dubai’s plans to increase the eventual number of centers should further improve wait times and the application process in the emirate. Contact BAL if you need assistance in determining where to submit applications.