Visit/Tourist visa to UAE

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

wemorgan

MB Enthusiast
Joined
Apr 5, 2008
Messages
8,106
Car
A205 C220d
I've spent a lot of time on various websites trying to understand how to obtain a visa for my Polish wife to visit the UAE.

The UAE London Embassy website says:

'Please note that application forms are not obtainable through post or agencies and are, therefore, only available at the Embassy'

But visiting the Embassy in London between 9:30 and 13:00 Monday-Friday is not an option for my wife who works.

But yet there are commercial websites that claim to arrange a visa for £300 entirely online with no visits to the Embassy.

Why can't I individually access this online service too?

Any help very much appreciated, as we're running out of time.

edit: just to clarify, that we bought our Qatar airline tickets through Expedia, who do not process visas themselves. Also we're staying with my sister who works out there. So the option of the hotel arranging the visa is also not an option. The visa on the UAE wesbite costs only £100.
 
Last edited:
I've spent a lot of time on various websites trying to understand how to obtain a visa for my Polish wife to visit the UAE.

I was under the impression that with the UAE you could get your hotel to sponsor a short visit - up to 14 days.
 
I was under the impression that with the UAE you could get your hotel to sponsor a short visit - up to 14 days.

Yes I beleive you're correct.

Fortunately/unfortunately we're not staying at a hotel, but with my sister.

It would be interesting to know the hotel's process of visa application as I doubt they wait in a long Embassy queue.
 
Can you sister act as sponsor?

Yes she can and that's what we're hoping for.

But in the visa application form it says only the applicant can apply in person for the visa.

It's not clear how a local sponsor might apply for the visa in the UAE without the visa applicant. This 'has' to be an option though, as this is what hotels do I presume.
 
Just checked with Mrs E, who sent the following:

The procedure for arranging visa through a sponsor in the UAE is a well-established one and has been exercised for many years now. The process of arranging visa in this way takes between one and five days. (Extra time should be added in case of either the UK or the UAE public holidays.)



Sponsorship means an invitation for the visit and therefore the acceptance of a measure of responsibility for the visitor during his/her stay.



This method of arranging visa is appropriate for tourist visitors intending to stay at a hotel (including travellers on stopover visits for a day or two) and those wishing to visit their relatives or friends in the UAE. It is also suitable for business travellers who may find it inconvenient to make application to the London Embassy in person.



SPONSOR



Sponsor may be any individual resident or corporal entity based in the UAE. The categories of sponsors may be rendered as follows:



1- A business contact at whose invitation the visit is being made

2- A relative working or resident in the UAE

3- A hotel at which the applicant has made a reservation (Travel agencies are in a position to arrange visas through hotels as well.)



PROCEDURE



1- The applicant’s particulars (copy of the passport showing photo and validity details) are sent to the sponsor at least five days prior to the planned travel date.

2- The sponsor makes the application to the immigration authority in the emirate of residence. When the visa/entry permit is approved it is then forwarded to the immigration at the airport of visitor’s arrival.

3- The sponsor confirms to the visitor that the visa has been arranged (usually by sending a fax copy), and that he/she will be met at the airport on arrival.


This can be found on OBTAINING VISA THROUGH SPONSOR IN THE UAE
 
But yet there are commercial websites that claim to arrange a visa for £300 entirely online with no visits to the Embassy.

Why can't I individually access this online service too?

I'd imagine that the contact between you and the agency is online, but they will actually send somebody down to the embassy to hand in all the paper work (including passport that you will have sent to them) and then pick it up after.
This was the case when I was applying for visas for Russia.

Nick
 
2- The sponsor makes the application to the immigration authority in the emirate of residence. When the visa/entry permit is approved it is then forwarded to the immigration at the airport of visitor’s arrival.

Thanks for the useful link.

It's not clear, to me at least, whether the sponsor visa application form is the same as the visit visa application form, for use in the UK:

http://www.uaeembassyuk.net/images/eapplication.pdf
 
It's not clear, to me at least, whether the sponsor visa application form is the same as the visit visa application form, for use in the UK:

You don't have to fill out any form - just send a copy of the passport to the sponsor (plus details such as adress, etc). They fill out a form, hand into the immigration bods and the visa is issued at the airport.

Mrs and Master E went through the same process with Bahrain earlier this year - they punch up the passport details on their screen and then issue the visa.

Edit: Mrs E says that is similar to the form the sponsor fills out, signs and send in - except there would be no space for the applicants signature. Best bet is to get whoever you're visiting to check in-country as there may be an on-line version open for residents to sponsor visitors.
 
Last edited:
You don't have to fill out any form - just send a copy of the passport to the sponsor (plus details such as adress, etc). They fill out a form, hand into the immigration bods and the visa is issued at the airport.

Mrs and Master E went through the same process with Bahrain earlier this year - they punch up the passport details on their screen and then issue the visa.

Do you know if the form exists online?

I only ask, as my sister is extremely busy and if possible I'd like to be able to supply here with all the relevant information in one email. Rather than her drive to the relevant department office, collect the form, realise she doesn’t have all the information, drive home, email me, then drive out again.

Thanks again :)
 
Email from my rather frustrated sister:

We compiled all the paperwork last night as you are aware, and he took it down to the Immigration Office this morning. He was passed from pillar to post and asked where he got the application form from. No one in the immigration office speaks English (!!!) so it was a real struggle. They then sent him to the typing shop next door to get the form translated. They wanted to charge ~£200 for the translation, even though it turns out the form is wrong. So then he went back the immigration office to try to get hold of the correct form but still had no luck as they kept pointing him back to the typing shop. In the end an official suggested he speak to one of the other customers in the queue!!! So he asked this Indian chap (whose English was marginally better than the official’s) what he knew. The guy tried to help but of course he doesn’t really know the process either. In the end the Indian chap suggested that we contact Etihad Airways but as you’re not flying Etihad that won’t work. At which point the Indian guy just shrugged his shoulders in resignation.

She says that somewhere online there is a half Arabic half English visa form, but I'll be dammed if I can find it.
 
Well supposedly we will have the visa tomorrow. :)

The final solution was to get friendly with the main contractor who's building the F1 circuit. Within that company there is a Public Relations Officer whose job is to assist people with immigration applications. Being a local certainly helps in the UAE it seems.

Time to go shopping for factor 60 suncream.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom