Dubai Forums Dubai Expat Forums Dubai Expat Help Forum

I have recently found employment in a european-origin consultancy here in Dubai. Came here as tourist on 1 Oct 2008 and during that time my new employer had converted the tourist visa to employment visa.

The problem started when I went for the medical test. The result came back from Municipality Clinic and it showed that I am medically unfit. The reason given was Hep B reactive. While I knew all along that my families (including me) are all Hep B carriers, I did not expect that being a carrier would be a problem to the immigration.

I am hoping that the forum readers could offer me advice on the following:

a) If I leave the country, will I be banned from entering UAE again? If there is a ban, how long will the ban last?

b) Could I still come in on tourist visa and indulge in visa run to Oman or bahrain?

c) Has anyone heard of the precedence case before this?

d) Could I apply for visa under the Jebel Ali Free Zone? Will my medical history be a hindrance again?

As my company is quite new in Dubai, they are not too sure of the law and regulations here as well. However, they are willing to transfer my visa to Free Zone if the situation calls for it.

Hep B, has always been one of the things they look for. You cannot work here with it. You need to check with Immigration regarding visit visas.

How about the Free Zone visa? Will it be the same? I am surprised that this is happening here as I had been working in Qatar for the past few years without much problem. Thanks for the advice.

Nope same. As freezone visas are still issued by the Immigration department.

Therefore, if i leave the country upon the expiry of the current visa, will I be banned from entering Dubai? If there is, how long will the ban be?

Dude, as I have said you will need to contact the immigration department for answers to those questions. I have no idea.

Chocs has given you good advice and she correctly points out you need to contaqct immigration.

If you are European/Western i would doubt you would not be granted a visit visa because of your health condition, but like Chocs say check it out to be on the safe side.

Thanks Choc and arniegang for the advice. Just to share with the rest. The Hep B carrier test was introduced on 1 Oct 2008. And there are about 200 cases of deportation due to this on a daily basis since then, according to a reliable source. I am preparing to leave Dubai now. But a lot of the cases involve Sub-continent labourers who had paid exhorbitant fees to come to Dubai only to be deported due to cases like this. My heart goes out to them.

Hi Spike,

Any updates from the immigration department on this matter? Your reply would be highly appreciated.

can anyone advise me regarding how to remove lifetime ban because of the medical issues? I badly need your help..
thank you.