Important Before You Begin: Immigration officials in Dubai adopt a wait-and-see policy before imposing the controversial Dh2,000 bond for people arriving on visitor visas.
The Ministry of Interior and the Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department (DNRD) agreed to postpone the implementation of the new rule until the department evaluates the results of implementation in Abu Dhabi and the Northern Emirates.
Visit visa document for waiting in Dubai
It is good that the Nationality and Residency Department in Abu Dhabi yesterday started implementing the visit visa guarantee, while the departments of Sharjah and Ajman did so last Tuesday.
Colonel Saeed Matar bin Balila, director general of the department, told Gulf News yesterday that the rule requiring the payment of a bond of Dh2,000 by the sponsor will be implemented at a later stage after evaluating the experience of the citizenship and residency departments in other emirates. .
“The Dubai Naturalization and Residency Department is a major issuer of visitor visas in the UAE. We don’t want to disturb the current system. We will see if the rule will succeed in controlling the number of overstayed visitors in other emirates before we start,” he said. .
“Before applying this rule to individual sponsors for visitor visas, we need to do a thorough study of the process in our department.
"We will carefully study how the immigration and residency departments in other emirates apply the decision. We don't want anything affecting the smooth flow of work within the department in Dubai."
He added that the administration is waiting for the ministry to receive the evaluation of other departments regarding implementation.
"After that, a decision will be taken on when and how this department will implement the new rule," he stressed.
A source in the ministry told Gulf News that the department in Abu Dhabi will issue visitor visas and implement a bond worth 2,000 dirhams paid by the sponsors of people entering the emirate.
“We suspended the issuance of visitor visas in Abu Dhabi last Tuesday because we needed to make adjustments in the department’s administrative process. However, a visitor visa is granted to everyone if the visa sponsors meet certain requirements, including the payroll.”
According to the source, the sponsor is required to pay a deposit of 2000 dirhams for each visa requested.
He explained that the sponsor will deposit the money in any bank he wants and will bring proof of this deposit to the Immigration and Residence Department.
This "guarantee" will be kept at the department and will not be returned until the visitor leaves the country. This procedure will be carried out in cooperation between departments and banks.
“This deposit is intended to ensure that visitors leave the country when visitor visas expire and do not reside illegally in the country.
"It will not be refunded if they overstay the visa, until the overstay fine is paid," he said.
On the other hand, PR officials of a private company in Abu Dhabi complained about the new rule. They said that the bond worth 2000 dirhams is of no interest.
A public relations officer at a branch of a multinational company in Abu Dhabi, who asked not to be named, said: “If the amount is only Dh2,000 to guarantee the visitor’s return to his homeland, everyone who wants to enter and stay here illegally will pay Dh2,000 and then overstay in the UAE. United Arab Emirates.
“The Nationality and Residency Department should establish a system to punish sponsors and arrest those residing in the country instead of violating the visit visa system.”