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Do you know anyone who did a Visa Run lately?


canadianmuslim Do you know anyone (from the 33 countries) who did a Visa run to Oman in the past few days or weeks? The reason I ask is because there is so much conflicting information. I have a 30 day visa which was given upon arrival, I am wondering if I can go to Oman and come back to get another 30 days hopefully. Thanks!
debstaaa I'm from Australia and I did one around 20th September bridge You have another option: 2. Go to the department of naturalization and residency and renew it once for a cost of 650 AED. You visa will only be renewed for 30 days. Rather than paying the 650 for renewal, you can travel somewhere in the middle east for the same cost through al jazeera or air arabia. The visa renewal could be done at the Amwal center in the hyatt regency hotel. Tom Jones Before you do a visa run and go through the trouble of travelling or paying 620 or so, check with the DNRD first. I don't think you need to renew if you're staying less than 60 days. There are enough reports to indicate that your 30 days visa is actually good for a 60-days stay. To double check, you can call the toll free help line of the DNRD (in English and Arabic). The number is 800 5111. Pls report back to us when you find out. Thx! arniegang NOPE even Brits only have 30days stamped on arrival now - its 30 days not 60 unless you know this for absolute certain and can quote from the gov website you should be careful what you quote nuzbim
well me and my wife just returned to dubai and she got 60 days stamped on her passport, shes' from malaysia. my folks arrived last nite and they got 60 day stamps as well. it seems it all depends on who you get at immigration Tom Jones I don't think the Immigration officers pick and choose whom to give 30 days and whom to give 60 days (from among the visitors of the 33 countries.) The law applies to all. But apparently what happened was that the new law, which came into effect on 29 July, did indeed reduce the visit duration to 30 days, but then it later was amended back to 60 days without any official announcements. Why? I don't know. Perhaps not to appear to be showing too much favoritism to certain nationalities. It also appears that those who got stamped 30 days after the amendment date (around mid August as reported by another member) were also allowed to stay 60 days on these visas. Why weren't they stamped 60 days in the first place? I am not sure. Maybe they were too slow to change the stamps, because now it seems more visitors are getting the 60 days stamp. I honestly don’t know! I remember years ago that the UAE Immigration also used to stamp the 33-countries visitors for only 30 days but that visa was for sure valid for 60 days. Here is an excerpt from an article by Gulf News - which it says it was up date until June 8, 08: "Citizens of the certain countries (listed in the next paragraph) can get a 30-day visit visa free of charge upon arrival, entitling them to stay for 60 days: Britain, France, Italy, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Portugal, Ireland, Greece, Cyprus, Finland, Malta, Spain, Monaco, Vatican, Iceland, Andorra, San Marino, Liechtenstein, United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia and Hong Kong." (The link: ) So now if some people from the 33 privileged countries are getting a 30-day stamp and some are getting a 60-days stamp, it should mean a 60-day stay to all, because the law is not supposed to differentiate between the various nationalities of this category. In any case, no one should take what is mentioned in this forum and in other forums as absolute facts, because no one can determine these rules with an absolute certainty in the absence of an official announcement from the DNRD. As such, the prudent thing to do is to always check with the DNRD. However, I still urge anyone who can shed more light on this issue, to please let us know. Thanks! canadianmuslim Hello,
I just got off the phone with DNRD (I called their 800 5111 hotline) and the representative told me that the 30 day visa stamp on the passport is actually GOOD FOR 60 DAYS and I confirmed with him that I DO NOT NEED TO DO ANYTHING FURTHER which means I can just leave after the 30 day expiration without any issues and it is perfectly legal.
[color=darkred] In conclusion, even though the on-arrival stamp says 30 days, it is actually good for 60 days. My on-arrival visa was stamped on SEPTEMBER 14, 2008 in case anyone cares to know. [/color]
This is applicable to citizens from the 33 countries.
Basically if you're not going to stay for more than 60 days, there is no need for a visa run to Oman or any other country.
Thanks. Tom Jones Canadianmuslim, Thank you very much for this important information. It's one more solid confirmation that those 30 days visas are actually good for a 60-days stay. Thanks again and good luck. Tommy Scratcher Has anyone had a succesful visa run by car through the Hatta border in the last week or so? My Italian girlfriend only received a 30day stamp and it expires very soon. I am unsure whether to try the Hatta border or go to the DNRD office and buy the extension. The cost of the DNRD renewal is not the question, I would prefere a day trip to Oman, but am concerned she will not be let back into Dubai. Anyone care to share their experiences with the Hatta border?

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Tom Jones Scratcher, Despite what is mentioned above (and in other posts), you still don't seem to be convinced that your girlfriend's visa is good for 60 days, and you're insisting on doing an unnecessary visa run or paying for an unnecessary extension. Perhaps I cannot blame you for being too worried in the absence of official written evidence. However, instead of doing all that, why don't you call the DNRD or go over to their office and inquire for yourself. If you still want to pay, I'm sure they'll gladly take your money and give her an extension. In this case, the extension will likely be for a total of 90 days, which may not be a bad idea if she’s staying for more than 60 days. If you do go the DNRD, please let us know how it went. Anyway, we would also still love to hear from anyone who did a visa run lately to see whether they had any problems coming back. Scratcher Tom Jones, I am pretty much convinced that her visa is good for the 60 days. But, before we could go to Oman for the weekend and get another 60 days. But now it is not so clear. Is the visa runs still possible for certain nationalities (the list of 33 countries)? Or are the gov enforcing the no return for one month rule to all nationalities? If it is possible to the the Hatta visa run before the 60 days expires, and have no problems re-entering Dubai, then that would be better. So as Tom mentioned in his post, has anyone done a Visa run in the last few weeks through Hata? Tom Jones Hi Scratcher, I don't know if this is of any help or not, but see a post by Hilbo (under the topic titled "New Visa rules for UK passports" in which Hilbo said she called the UAE embassy (I assume in London) and the British Consulate (I assume in Dubai), and they both confirmed to her that the return ban for 30 days does NOT apply to UK nationals (and probably the other 33 countries nationals). Naturally that is not enough to let one chance a visa run yet. So c'mon guys...I'm sure somebody out there has done a visa run lately or knows of somebody who has. Please let us know!!!!! Tommy Scratcher So we went to the DNRD office and had it confirmed that the 30day visa is indeed valid for 60 days, which can be extended by another 30 days (to a total of 90days) by paying the fee at the DNRD office. This was confirmed by others, and now by me. But, the fact remains that within the next 30 days we have to either pay for the extension, or attempt the visa run. I prefere the weekend to Oman as it is great to get out of Dubai, if only for a couple of days. However, I am not so sure if it is a good idea when I keep hearing stories of the 30day non return. So, does anyone have any recent experiences for a Hatta visa run? Tom Jones Thanks Scratcher for the additional confirmation reg. the validity of the 30 days visa. Very reassuring to anyone who still had any doubts about it! As to the renewal, I think you still have time for that. Since your girlfriend’s visa is good for 60 days, you don't need to renew until a few days before the 60 days are over. By then we might have some more information regarding the 30 days ban (whether or not it applies to the 33 countries nationals.) Perhaps you forgot to do it, but it would’ve been helpful if you had asked about this ban when you were at the DNRD. Maybe you still can inquire about it through their 800 number help line. Cheers! bridge My friend just did a visa run to Hatta this weekend (Canadian citizen). furbian I've just done the Hatta run today for my mother and grand ma (both foreign born UK citizens the processing of whose residence Visa is turning into longwinded a nightmare). They came on the 19th of August, so were well over their 30 days stamp, there was no fine. The lady stamping the new Visa told me (twice, as I didn't understand her at first) that it's valid for "2 months", I assume that's the same 60 days as before. I've read about insurance. Having done 4 runs (accompanying others who needed renewals), I have never bothered looking into it, to no adverse effect. As for the Omanis stamping the exit stamp on the spot, my father told him they did this for him, but they have never done this for me. This time as I drove up to the entry window on the right of the building, the chap was quite flustered asking me about the Omani Visa in Arabic (he didn't appear to be able to speak English, and my Arabic is poor), then another chap appeared behind him, showed him the Visa pages, and told me to drive around the building to the exit window, I did this and it was plain sailing from this point on, almost. Another thing worth mentioning is what happens with me with my UK passport with a residency Visa on it. The last time I went, the Dubai official asked me if I was just doing the 'run', so didn't stamp it. In Oman they asked why it wasn't stamped, so I told them why, and they said no more. But when I came back to Dubai, a lady official asked about the stamp too, she too said nothing when I told her it was not stamped by her colleague across the road. This time again I was asked if I was just doing the 'run', I said yes, so no stamp again. In Oman I immediately tried to explain that I have no stamp, but the chap said fill a form in. However when I gave him all 3 forms and passports, he looked at the residency visa, and crossed out the form, binned it and gave me my passport back. No one asked for my passport when I returned to Dubai. .. and yes there's more, we have a driver who got off before we crossed the border, I picked him after I re-entered Dubai. I noticed a Police car was nearby at the time. Ten minutes later we were pulled over, and a policeman asked to see our drivers documents, he gave them a card (not sure which), they took it away, and retuned it a few minutes later, sending us on our merry way. Hope this help whoever is interested. Furbian. Scratcher Furbian, thanks for sharing your experience. I am now very relaxed about going to Oman, and will now enjoy the weekend without worrying about the return border control. Thanks, Scratcher Tom Jones Thanks to all those who have contributed to this topic. Now I think we have established the following, with a high degree of certainty: a- that the 30-day visa given to UK and the other 33 countries nationals is indeed valid for 60 days, just like the old days -- prior to the new visa rules of July '08. b- the new rule regarding the 30-day no return ban does NOT apply to those nationals either. Furbian: I have always heard that the Oman-Dubai borders posts are run with an easy going relaxed manner, and even more relaxed at the other cross points in Abu Dhabi. They are not too concerned with people who have UAE residency visas, esp. those who are returning right back. But If you're going deeper into Oman like going to Muscat, I'm told you must insist on having your passport stamped by the UAE and the Omani chaps, otherwise you might get into trouble later when coming back. Scratcher, well it seems you're all set for a nice weekend with your girlfriend. Enjoy... and let us know how it went (I mean just the part that has to do with visas and visa runs :lol: !!!!)
timmychimp Just called DNRD, and got another confirmation that the 30 day visa IS in fact a 60 day visa. I also checked on the legality of visa runs to Oman, and was told I could do as many as I wanted. However, the gent did stress that I might like to check on this before each attempt, as 'rules can change' - as we know. Tom Jones I highly doubt you can do as many visa runs as you want. It was limited to only two times even under the previous "lenient" visa system. After that, you would’ve had to stay away for one month before returning to the UAE. The guy you spoke with was right. The rules do change over here practically on daily basis. Anyway, thanks for the additional confirmation. The more the better! Kili Re the number of visa runs you can do. It may have been restricted under the old rules but I know 2 people who lived here for two years and did them repeatedly during that time. I can also confirm the 'no return for 30 days' rule doesn't apply. Soon after the new rules came in I called the DNRD 3 times and got conflicting information about various aspects of the new rules but the one thing they were all certain about was the 'no return for 30 days' rule. I went down to the DNRD in person and was told it didn't apply. When I pressed the lady there and told her three different people from her office had told me it did apply she just said 'not for your passport'. I've been in and out of Dubai 3 times in the last six weeks so it definitely doesn't apply (I'm British, btw). rossbaku Well having read all the posts that confirm the 30-day visa is actually a 60-day visa makes me a lot happier....I visit Dubai every summer for 8-10 weeks at a time and really relied on the 60-day validity of the visa. 2-3 years after I've finished uni I'll hopefully be resident in the UAE so I won't have to worry after that! (Unless something changes again! Lol). RossBaku :-D arniegang nope, i am a brit and i recently asked at immigration at DXB, and a 30 day stamp means a 30 day visit as is the no return rule. the government website also confirms this. In dubai you can ring any government office and speak to 10 different people and get 10 different replies to the same question. . Do not advise people contrary to this unless you can give an official confirmation to correct the official immigration stance already published. The woman at the DNRD Office does not stamp your passport or there on exit to issue a fine for an overstay. Tom Jones C'mon... Arniegang! You have to be kidding! You mean all these people who have repeatedly confirmed that this 30-days visa is actually good for 60 days are all wrong. Hey... remember that all their confirmations were not based on guesses but came from direct inquiries of government officials and from actual travel experiences. No one, I repeat no one, has ever told us something to the contrary. So why be a profit doom or a profit of fear? I myself contacted the DNRD reg. both the 30 day visa and the 30 day no return ban and was told the same thing as confirmed by everyone in this forum. A British friend who came to Dubai on the 5th of Sept, and got a 30 day stamp on arrival, left for home yesterday. He told me by phone from the departure gate that he was not fined for staying 45 days. He also told me that he too asked the Emirati who stamped his passport on exit about this visa, and was told that it indeed was good for 60 days even if the stamp says 30 days! So lighten up buddy, and don't put any doubts in people's minds unnecessarily unless you know for sure of someone got fined for going over 30 days or of someone who could not return within 30 day! bonk
In theory. I've seen a passport with a dozen or so consecutive visit visas from visa runs. muyesser
It wouldn't be right to give the 'yes' answer as you say it yourself that there's variety of different experiences, however, I myself went to muscat three weeks ago and had 60 days visiter visa issued on the way in
xl Scratcher Mrs Scratcher's 30 day Dubai entry stamp was confirmed as valid for 60 days at the DNRD office. After nearly 60 days we went to Oman for the weekend via the Hatta border and had no problems exiting UAE. 2 days later we returned to Dubai and Mrs Scratcher recieved a new stamp, this time valid for 60 days. Mrs Scratcher has a passport from one the privaliged 33 countries. All of this is very recent. I hope this info helps those who are considering a visa run. Scratcher tridxb Yes I need an answer to the Sharjah question too? DNRD have told me to contact Sharjah but when I do, the guy there told me he can't speak English. ARGH. UAE Gov website said a 30 day stamp is valid for 60 days but I don't know how upto date that is. Chocoholic Arnie, Sorry but BS. Here's the link to the Government website: It clearly states under Visit Visas that people with UK passports, although it might be stamped with 30 days, it's actually valid for 60! Plus I have several mates that have recently done visa runs, no probs whatsoever. However, here's a question. What if you come in through Sharjah or AD? muyesser
I've come in through Sharjah..
xl Chocoholic And.....? Is your visa for 60 days then matey? That's what I want to know. As my friend got told it's the same for all UAE ports of entry, but then they were like oh well not too sure about it. Odin I did a visa run last week to Oman as a Brit. I did one 60 days before that. With effect from 2nd October, Brits get 60 days on a visit visa. Granted the stamp does show 30 days but we guess that is because they don't have any 60 day rubber stamps! The cost of a 30 day extension is far more than popping over the border. Furthermore, you don't have to buy car insurance anymore providing you return immediately. Make sure they stamp your passport for exit at the same time they stamp you for entry. Also, take a pen with you, there's none in the Oman passport office. skyscraper I have spent a day on the phone enquiring about entry visas into the UAE via Abu Dhabi for a UK passport holder ... the rules are different to Dubai. Yes you get a 30 days visa but you must apply for an extension of a further 30 days by applying at the Immigration office in Abu Dhabi .. this cannot be done in Dubai. It costs 620.00AED. Does anyone know if a visa run to Hatta would still be OK on tourists entering through Abu Dhabi? Thanks furbian Since my previous post, my parents and maternal grandmother came over to live with me. As such due to Visa complications (in short they refused my grandmother a Visa as they say she should be living with her son back in Britain!) they have been doing the Hatta run ever since every 60 days. They were on their 4th or 5th (lost count!), and decided to leave the UAE today, 60 days since the last Hatta run. Immigration handed them a fine of AED6500, that's about £1300, for overstaying their '30 days' Visa, by 30 days, the immigration official (Terminal 2 Dubai airport) simply insisted it says 30 day, so it's 30 days. The 'government' website (which I can't post since I have less than 15 posts on this board):- w w w dot STILL states:- "Citizens of the UK (with right of abode in the UK) will be granted a free of charge visit visa on arrival in the UAE: Passports will be stamped with the visit visa as you pass through Immigration at any airport in the UAE. Although the visa may be stamped for 30 days, it entitles the holder to stay in the country for 60 days and may be renewed once for an additional period of 30 days for a fee of Dh500." So this appears to be a lie, and we were also lied to at the Hatta border post last time telling us that you could stay for 60 days. Yes, all concerned are British citizens with British passports. So you have been warned, the 30 days/60 days limit IS subjective. I'll get my father to e-mail me the proof of fine so that I can take it up with immigration here and see what they have to say, which I doubt will be very much. skyscraper I feel very bad for your grandparents - this visa situation really needs to be clarified. I am interested to hear what feedback you get from the immigration department about their case. In the end I did the Hatta run with my parents. They came out on holiday to Dubai for 2 months but entered via Abu Dhabi - we had to do the visa run before the 30 days expired as we were informed they would also be charged a fine on departure if the visa was not renewed, as Abu Dhabi have different regulations to Dubai. However, when they were stamped with the new visa at the Hatta border, the officer stated that although it says 30 days, UK passport holders can stay for 60 .....!!! It seems its a different rule for whoever is on duty at the time ...... Please post your update ... I am interested to hear what they say ..... furbian I complained, had a 'resolution' i.e. they are keeping the money and ignored my questions (so much for the 'through investigation'), I claimed a 'grievance', to which I received a reply:- "Dear Customer, Your complaint number xxxxx has been resolved. We hope that our resolution will meet your expectations. You can provide us with your feedback on the proposed resolution within 10 days if it by currier & within 3 days if by other means; otherwise the complaint will be automatically closed." So I thought let's have a look, within minutes of reading the e-mail, however they had closed it anyway. "Dear Complainant : This is our procedures.. If you have stamp on your passport for 60 days before the rules has been changed we will return your money otherwise we cannot if the is stamp is for 30 days.. Our official web site is: w Best Regards.. DNRD.." Well, read the following (parts of their reply are in slightly garbled grammar, but still intelligible). If it's too much to read, in short, they have simply refused to answer the direct question "Why does your OWN government website say you can stay 60 days, but you imposed a fine for staying over 30 days?", and "Why do they tell you the same at the Hatta border post, i.e. that it's valid for 60 days, even if it is stamped for 30 days". They're insisting that it should have been stamped for 60 days. On your government web page it clearly states the following:- "Citizens of the UK (with right of abode in the UK) will be granted a free of charge visit visa on arrival in the UAE: Passports will be stamped with the visit visa as you pass through Immigration at any airport in the UAE. Although the visa may be stamped for 30 days, it entitles the holder to stay in the country for 60 days and may be renewed once for an additional period of 30 days for a fee of Dh500." w Also my parents and grandmother were told the same thing, that the Visa was valid for 60 days, at the Hatta border post. However when they were leaving Dubai via Terminal 2 at about 2PM on the 28th of March, 60 days from the date of their visit visa, they were fined AED6500 (£1300) by your immigration officials for overstaying their visa, they insisted it was only valid for 30 days, and when my father said they were told at Hatta that it was valid for 60 days on a British passport, he was told look at the passport stamp, which says 30 days. As such have you changed the policy over the last 30 days, and not changed the website to reflect this? We were also told that the Visa was valid for 60 days at the Hatta border post also indicates that the immigration officials at Terminal 2 Dubai Airport did not follow their own rules. I believe my family should be refunded the amount that has been fined, and the visa position clarified for British Citizens such as myself, my parents and grand parents. If this was a mistake, then it should be rectified by a refund of the fine imposed, otherwise I think the British Consulate should advise it's citizens to be careful when visiting Dubai, and not to stay for more than 30 days, as they could be fined, and to carry at least AED 10000 cash, in case they are fined if they take the risk based on some of your own advice that states that one can stay for 60 days on a British passport. Regards, Ref No. xxxxx Token No. xxxxxx Dear Complainant ; We thank you for raising your complain to us, because it’s our main responsibility to handle any problems that our customers faced; and provide them the suitable solutions that must satisfy their concerns. As a result from our extensive investigations that we made, we in this letter would like to clarify that the New amendments to law of entry and residence of foreigners is issue and that visitors who don't require visas (33 nationalities) must get entry permits from the UAE entry points upon arrival, free of charge. The entry permit allows the visitor to stay in the country for 30 days which can be extended for another 30 days, after paying the required fees. on 18/2/2009 exemption issue from the Assistant Director at the Department of Naturalisation and Residency say that for the passenger who arrive on Dubai and get stamp of 60 days on his passport no need to pay delay fees . If you have stamp of 60 days valid on your passport and you paid the fine , please visit DNRD Account department and meet with a head of the department , bring with you your original passport and fine receipts. Our working hours from 7:30am till 2:30pm Sunday to Thursday. But if the stamp on your passport is valid for 30 days and you over stayed we will not return your money. Best Regards. Your reply actually shows that you did NOT read my complaint properly in the first place. on YOUR OWN e-government website, AND your staff at the Hatta border post state that:- "Although the visa may be stamped for 30 days, it entitles the holder to stay in the country for 60 days and may be renewed once for an additional period of 30 days for a fee of Dh500." w Yet you are now saying that there must be a 60 day stamp, when NO ONE will put a 60 day stamp on. Also you have ignored that this rule appears to be for BRITISH CITIZENS, NOT for the 33 other nationalities. You are fully aware that the stamp on my parent's and grandmothers' passport is for 30 days, yet you say that they must have a 60 day stamp (does one even exists?), otherwise no refund. I'm trying to be civil here, and you've sent me a reply which clearly indicates that you have not even read my complaint properly. If you are adamant that this is not a mistake, but policy. i.e. telling people that their visa is valid for 60 days when stamping it for 30 days for British Citizens, and then fining them for staying the 60 days, than this is dishonest. If I do NOT receive an assurance of a refund, then obviously you have a Visa rules that you do not follow properly yourself, and this matter must be taken up with the British Consulate, so that they can warn other British Citizens, and I will also write to the British media (newspaper and TV channels) to warn them of this, very costly, deception. dresden ^ Sorry to hear about your difficulties mate. Many people advised me that 30 means 60 as well, but in a country such as this where the law is subject to individual interpretation I chose to follow what's on my passport! The Customer Service people are using canned messages, hence you getting nowhere. Even if they agree with you, they are not empowered enough to be able to do anything about it. I suggest you visit the DNRD and speak to the head of the dept. Your only chance of getting anywhere. Good luck, keep us posted. truffs1010 Completed a visa run yesterday; it appears they have fully instigated the 30 day rule. As a British passport holder since January I have left twice on the 60 day cusp and not a word. Yesterday I was told 30 days means 30 days and has done so since January. I received a wacking fine and a ticking off from the friendly border peeps! I remonstrated but to no avail, showing them the last two entry and exit stamps and the days in between but it didnt help. My thoughts are that this could be a one off but now won't risk it cos I dont fancy paying the fines. On my return a few minutes later, they wanted to refuse entry, saying a needed a visa, it took about ten minutes of arguing with them to realise I was a British citizen and was entitled to enter through the port with nothing and be stamped in. Maybe I just had a look about me they didnt like, cos I was also pulled over, searched and had car torn apart!!! Overall, I think from now on 30 means 30!! dresden We all tried to warn you mate. 30 mean 30. At the end of the day, its what's in print that matters.



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