Originally Posted by
rankourabu
Was the $500 really the only option????
As best as I can see, yes. Per
UAE Embassy in Ottawa
a. The Embassy issues two types of visit visas:
i. Short term visa (Single Entry), with a validity of 29 days (non-renewable) – CAD $250
ii. Long term visa (Single Entry), with a validity of 89 days (non-renewable) – CAD $500
There are private agencies that claim to arrange visas for UAE. The one appearing to be the same one as used by EK seems to charge similar amounts. Some other ones show lower prices, but no easily verifiable track record.