Dubai introduces a new visa process

Dubai, one of the premier cities of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has a new process in place for issuing visas to its citizens.

GDRFA (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs) Director General Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Marri, announcing this, said the residents of this emirate need not visit either the GDRFA headquarters or any of its external branches henceforth to apply for any visa or residency-related transactions, such as applications for new residency, residency renewal, and visa cancelation, among others. All these processes can now be done at approved typing centers.

As part of the “UAE vision”, an initiative to help citizens save time and effort, this decision is in accordance with the vision of His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, whose focus was to bring governmental services to the people’s doorsteps.

An official at the GDRFA, Colonel Hussein Ibrahim, said that clients should provide proper information at the typing centre, including phone numbers, mailing address and email, among others, to facilitate communication with them.

People who have applied for visitor’s visa would receive the visa through email as e-visas, while those who have applied for residency visa would get it through Zajel courier service, added Hussein.

Shahin P, owner of an office typing center, near the metro station of Emirates Towers was quoted telling Gulf News that the center had begun using the new system for almost a month on a pilot basis.

Once all the documents are submitted, the process of assessing the application would be initiated for ultimate approval/rejection by immigration authorities. Depending on the outcome, an appropriate SMS would be sent to the applicants. If granted a visa, the applicant would then need to visit the immigration headquarters once to have their passport stamped, said Shahin.

The number of visa applications being submitted at the typing center has reportedly grown in this period.

Shahin feels that this service is like a one-stop shop for all such transactions for the clients. The fees for applying will continue to remain the same, according to a GDRF agent.

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