Emirates ease visa requirements
Mar 21, 2001, 11:23 am
#1
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Emirates ease visa requirements
The United Arab Emirates on Wednesday announced North American, European and some Asian visitors will be granted visas upon arrival. An Interior Ministry statement said the easing of visa rules, which came into effect Monday, was aimed at boosting relations with friendly nations.
http://www.msnbc.com/news/547581.asp
http://www.msnbc.com/news/547581.asp
Mar 26, 2001, 7:47 pm
#2
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I wonder if they will also ease restriction on prior Israeli travel. Does anyone have any info or can venture a guess? A number of years ago I was given bad information in that regard by a US Embassy official, and applied for a UAE visa. Fortunately, only (a copy of) my application was stamped and returned 'Persona non grata,' and not my passport. That led to my obtaining a second virgin passport, which I have to maintain to this day (also for travel to other Gulf states).
Mar 26, 2001, 9:30 pm
#3
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I got tripped up by visa regulations here a few weeks ago. Showed up in DXB on a BA flight from London with a female traveling companion at about 11:00 p.m. and didn't know about the visa requirment. As a result, we spent five hours in the holding area while our hotel (Hyatt Regency) ran around and obtained "emergency visas" at great expense. Then, when we got to immigration, the officer told my friend that unaccompanied females were not allowed and that I would have to pose as her husband!!
Mar 26, 2001, 10:42 pm
#4
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If a visit to Isael has been stamped on your
passport, you are still SOL. Need to get a
new/fresh passport.
DBX is a haven for folks in that region who
want to shop inespensively for gold/electronics/and-everthing-else-they-cannot-get-in-their-homecountry :-)
passport, you are still SOL. Need to get a
new/fresh passport.
DBX is a haven for folks in that region who
want to shop inespensively for gold/electronics/and-everthing-else-they-cannot-get-in-their-homecountry :-)
Mar 27, 2001, 5:43 am
#7
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I was in UAE last week. Visa on arrival is simply the process of walking up to the immigration lines, waiting your turn, getting a stamp in our passport. There was no fee to pay. I had filled in the landing card, but it was returned to me (as if not needed). I am British, this is how it has been for us, and now I assume it will be the same for those other nationals - Western Europe, US, Canada, Japan, HK, NZ and Australia if I remember the newspaper article correctly.
Mar 27, 2001, 10:05 am
#9
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Not a big deal to get a 2nd US passport if you need it for such visa issues - just write an accompanying letter with your application for 2nd passport.
Note that (at least in my case) the 2nd passport is only valid for 2 years.
Greg
Note that (at least in my case) the 2nd passport is only valid for 2 years.
Greg
Mar 27, 2001, 1:27 pm
#10
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greg99 yes, I've had a second passport for some time, but as you say, it has to be renewed (actually, just re-endorsed) every two years, which means in practice about 16-18 months after first issue (given the 6-month validity period required by some countries), and every two years thereafter. A real pain.
Mar 27, 2001, 1:59 pm
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Mar 27, 2001, 4:47 pm
#12
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Any international traveler should inquire whether visas are required. Never assume!
Also, as most of us know, don't get your passport stamped in Israel. Most Israeli customs officers don't even stamp your passport these days unless you ask them to.
That said, I hope that the UAE adopts this new policy soon. It will save a lot of hassle for those of us who have had to deal with visas there in the past. Now if we could just get Saudi Arabia to do the same.....Nah!
Also, as most of us know, don't get your passport stamped in Israel. Most Israeli customs officers don't even stamp your passport these days unless you ask them to.
That said, I hope that the UAE adopts this new policy soon. It will save a lot of hassle for those of us who have had to deal with visas there in the past. Now if we could just get Saudi Arabia to do the same.....Nah!
Mar 27, 2001, 5:47 pm
#13
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stimpy says
That is the point: most immigration officers (I've had many a customs officer finger through my passport, but none have never made a mark in it in any country) in Israel won't stamp your passport, but some will, even if requested not to. Of all the times I've traveled to Israel, I have only one stamp to show for it, placed by a rather arrogant fellow. When I was leaving the country that time, I made a comment to the immigration officer about my entrance stamp and I remember what he said, since it was a takeoff on the well known aviation saying: there are only two kinds of frequent visitors to Israel: those who have one of our stamps, and those who are going to get one.
(UBB editing)
[This message has been edited by UAL Traveler (edited 03-27-2001).]
Also, as most of us know, don't get your passport stamped in Israel. Most Israeli customs officers don't even stamp your passport these days unless you ask them to.
(UBB editing)
[This message has been edited by UAL Traveler (edited 03-27-2001).]