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Gulfnews.com reports that a single application form for United Arab Emirates residence visas, labor cards and identification cards will be available later this year. Instead of providing the same biographical data (e.g., name, nationality, marital status) on three separate applications, petitioners will complete one application and the information supplied will be used to process all three official documents. Approved applicants will then be issued an all-purpose identification card.

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According to The National, the United Arab Emirates Ministry of Labour (MOL) plans to reform the system by which it accepts work permit applications through external typing offices, following reports of abuse, including forgery. The external typing offices submit applications directly to the MOL on behalf of individuals and companies, collect ministry fees and fines, and provide legal advice. There are approximately 5,000 of these offices, and currently they can operate without a license.

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Gulf News reports that remaining outside the UAE for six months or longer will result in the automatic cancellation of a residence permit. The condition is not new – it is contained in the Federal Residency Law – but it had not been rigorously enforced. Now, however, a residence permit holder who remains outside the UAE for more than six months must reapply for a visa to re-enter. Exemptions may be granted, but only under specific circumstances.

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Khaleej Times reports that the United Arab Emirates is leveraging technology to expedite residency permit applications. Specifically, physical fitness test results, a requirement for new and renewed residency permits, are being delivered electronically by the Dubai Health Authority directly to the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD). Previously, applicants had to manually retrieve and deliver the results. The new system notifies applicants via text message that their results have been delivered and that they should proceed to DNRD to complete further paperwork.

Officials estimate that the system can process 40,000 tests a month, with each result taking approximately five days to process. Nevertheless, applicants with an urgent need can apply for test results to be transferred within 24 hours.

Photo credit: Niklas Bildhauer

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Health certificates authenticating that individuals are free of the H1N1 virus will be required for visitors to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) who are performing Haj, the annual Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia. According to a Khaleej Times article, the certificate will be “issued by accredited government health providers, not private health facilities, to guarantee greater accuracy in medical examination.” The UAE will not permit pilgrims to travel to Saudi Arabia without the certificate.

In addition:

• the certificate will be signed by the doctor to ensure accuracy;
• an e-system will be used to prevent fraud; and
• screening for chronic diseases that impact immune systems will be conducted, with the goal of protecting pilgrims from diseases.

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Immigration officials of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) likely will approve a single visa application system, which would allow Gulf visitors entry to all six of the GCC member countries (the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait). As reported at zawya.com, the single Gulf visa application system was proposed and favorably received at a recent meeting of undersecretaries of GCC interior ministries. GCC representatives also are discussing a range of issues regarding security coordination among the member countries, aiming to facilitate movement of Gulf citizens and foreign residents within the GCC.

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As reported by the Al Arabiya News Channel, the United Arab Emirates Minister of the Interior has issued a decree granting expatriate property owners multiple-entry visitor visas allowing them to stay six months at a time. Previously, the UAE had allowed foreign investment in property, but the residency rights of foreigners who purchased residential property were unclear.

Details of the decree include:

• Owners of developed properties (wholly-owned residential units, suitable for accommodating a family) can stay for six months from the date of entry into the UAE.
• The visa does not allow the property owner to work in the UAE.
• Upon expiration of the six month period, the property owner must return to his or her home country or any of the GCC countries.
• The initial six month visa may be renewed if certain conditions (minimum monthly income and property value) are met.
• The property must be worth at least AED 1 million ($272,300), and the owner’s fixed income must be at least AED 10,000 ($2,723) a month, or the equivalent in foreign currency.

Property analysts commented that the new policy still required clarification before it would have the intended effect of reviving the UAE’s real estate market. For example, it is unclear whether the decree applies to leasehold as well as freehold properties.

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The Minister of Labour for the United Arab Emirates has announced proposed legal revisions that would allow foreign workers who have lost their jobs to stay in the UAE for up to six months. Currently, expatriates need to leave the UAE within one month after their employment is terminated. As reported in The National, the proposed law would apply to workers of all nationalities and would extend their visas by between three and six months, depending on the worker’s job. Also, visa application fees would be reduced for companies that hire unemployed workers already in the UAE. The legislation is awaiting approval by the Cabinet and is expected to become law within two months.

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Under new United Arab Emirates visa regulations effective at the end of July, jobseekers from India, Pakistan, Nepal, the Philippines and Bangladesh, who currently are not subject to visa fees, will have to pay a refundable deposit of Dh1,000 ($272) and secure health insurance while they look for work. One likely result of the new regulations, as reported at portstrategy.com, is a rush of would-be workers in the port of Dubai in the spring and early summer. Another probable consequence is that potential employers and recruitment agencies will need to search abroad to find workers in order to avoid a labor shortage. Anyone found working while on a visit visa can be fined more than Dh50,000 ($13,617) and banned from re-entering the UAE. Employers also will be subject to strict penalties for violations.

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