Latest news with #UAEvisa
Times of Oman
14-07-2025
- Business
- Times of Oman
New UAE visa rule requires hotel and flight bookings for expats
MUSCAT: Travelling to the United Arab Emirates just got a bit more complicated for many expats in Oman. Travel agents across the Sultanate have confirmed that hotel bookings and return flight tickets are now mandatory for obtaining a 30-day UAE tourist visa. Previously, applicants needed only a valid passport and a photo. Now, according to the new regulations, tourist and visit visa applicants must upload hotel booking confirmations and return air tickets at the time of application via the UAE immigration department's website. 'Travel agencies have been instructed to submit hotel and flight tickets with every visa application,' said Soumava Mukherjee, General Manager, Travel City/Travel Point LLC. 'If not, applications may face delays or even rejection.' He added: 'Air ticket and hotel bookings are required for the UAE visa application. In case an applicant visits his UAE with relatives, house agreement is required from the relative side.' Higher visa costs add to travel expenses In addition to the added paperwork, the cost of obtaining a UAE visa has gone up. What once cost around OMR30 is now being charged between OMR40 and OMR50, depending on the agency. 'Travel agents have started charging anything in between OMR40 and OMR50 for the UAE visa,' said T Sudheer, an Indian expat currently seeking a UAE visa. Travel agents report that the changes apply across both tourist and visit visa categories. The UAE authorities have clarified that these new requirements are part of efforts to streamline the visa process and improve regulatory compliance. 'This change, applicable to both tourist and visit visas, aims to streamline the process and ensure compliance,' said Taufiq Uzzaman, Managing Director of Taufiq Travel & Tourism in Ruwi. 'While offering convenience, the new rules have led to processing delays for some applicants since May.' Many applicants who were unaware of the changes have experienced hold-ups due to incomplete applications. 'These measures emphasise the importance of thorough preparation to avoid travel disruptions,' said a Ghubra-based agent. 'Applicants should not wait until the last minute.' Not all travellers are affected by the stricter requirements. Indian nationals who hold a valid U.S. visit visa, U.S. Green Card, U.K. residence visa, or EU residence visa can still benefit from the UAE's 14-day visa-on-arrival, which can be extended for another 14 days.
Arab News
07-07-2025
- Business
- Arab News
Pakistani interior minister to discuss ‘visa rejections' with UAE counterpart this week
ISLAMABAD: Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi said on Monday he would meet his counterpart from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) later this week to discuss the issue of visa rejections for Pakistani nationals, expressing hope for a resolution of the recurring problem. The statement comes amid ongoing reports of a sharp decline in UAE visa approvals for Pakistanis. Local media outlets have attributed the rejections to an alleged lack of respect for local laws and customs by Pakistani expats. The issue has also been linked to concerns over documentation and criminal record checks. 'You are right, this [UAE visa rejection] has become an issue,' Naqvi said during a news conference in Karachi when asked about the recurring problem of visa rejections. 'I am meeting the interior minister of the UAE regarding this two days from now [July 9] and I have a lot of hope that we will find a solution to this.' He acknowledged the matter was affecting a wide segment of Pakistanis, particularly those with business ties to the UAE. In February, Pakistan's ambassador to the UAE, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, described the refusal of visas to Pakistani nationals as a 'serious and significant' issue that authorities in both countries were working to resolve. He pointed to several contributing factors, including discrepancies in visa documents and criminal records of some applicants. Naqvi also referenced Kuwait's decision in May to lift a 19-year-old visa ban on Pakistani citizens, framing it as part of broader efforts by the current government to enhance Pakistan's global mobility and the standing of its passport. 'In the next two years, you will see this green passport that you have at a better position in the ranking,' he said. The UAE is Pakistan's third-largest trading partner after China and the United States, and is considered a critical market due to its geographic proximity and logistical advantages. The Gulf state is also Pakistan's second-largest source of foreign remittances, after Saudi Arabia, with over 1.8 million Pakistani expatriates living and working there.
