United Arab Emirates Archives

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? The UAE Cabinet has approved a plan to expand its transit policy in order to boost tourism and short visits.

What does the change mean? International travelers transiting through the UAE would be granted a 24-hour visit visa.

Implementation time frame: To be announced.
Visas/permits affected: Transit visas.
Who is affected: Internationals travelers transiting through one of UAE’s airports.
Impact on processing times: Eligible transiting travelers would not need to apply for a visitor visa before travel.
Business impact: The precise scope of permitted activities under the policy will be clarified in greater detail when the visas are introduced. As BAL anticipates that the 24-hour visit visa will be issued in conjunction with transit flights, BAL is also exploring whether business meetings will be permitted during the stay.

Background: The move is intended to encourage transit passengers to visit the emirates and boost tourism revenues. Last year, about 70 percent of passengers who landed at one of UAE’s airports were in transit.

BAL Analysis: The plan is intended to improve the UAE’s economy and follows an initiative by Dubai’s tourism bureau to attract transit passengers to visit the emirate.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

Copyright © 2018 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? Dubai International Airport is revamping its smart gates system to streamline the process of going through passport control.

What does the change mean? Travelers with biometric passports or Emirates ID cards will be able to move through passport control more quickly. The system will replace the current e-gates system in the Dubai airport.

Implementation time frame: The revamped smart gates are expected to go into operation next month.
Who is affected: Foreign and UAE nationals over 18 years who hold a biometric passport or Emirates ID card.
Impact on processing times: The smart gates will speed immigration clearance.
Business impact: Foreign and UAE nationals traveling to Dubai will benefit from the service.

Background: Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, director-general of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai, announced the introduction of the revamped smart gates last week at the Dubai International Government Achievements Exhibition. Al Marri reportedly said the system would allow travelers to pass through passport control in just 10 seconds. Smart gates will not be available to children under the age of 18 or to holders of manual passports.

BAL Analysis: The change will ease immigration clearance procedures for travelers with a biometric passport or Emirates ID card. E-gates cards will no longer be used with the smart gates system.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

Copyright © 2018 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? The United Arab Emirates and Uruguay have agreed to waive visa requirements for each other’s citizens.

What does the change mean? The visa exemption, which is intended to increase business ties and economic cooperation between the two countries, is valid for stays of up to 90 days.

Implementation time frame: To be announced. Foreign affairs officials of the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on Wednesday.
Visas/permits affected: Visa waiver.
Who is affected: Nationals of UAE and Uruguay.
Impact on processing times: Visitors will not need to apply for visas before travel.
Business impact: The removal of visa requirements will facilitate travel for business and trade between the UAE and Uruguay.

Background: The UAE is actively pursuing visa waiver agreements, most recently gaining visa-free travel to China, Ireland, Switzerland and Ukraine.

BAL Analysis: The visa-exemption agreement is good news for Emirati and Uruguayan business travelers, especially individuals making repeat visits or traveling on short notice.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

Copyright © 2018 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

What is the change? Dubai plans to open 70 additional Amer Business Centers to replace typing centers and centralize visa and residency services. Last year, the centers were introduced with the opening of 15 offices and authorities had originally projected they would only open 50 more.

What does the change mean? Amer Centers provide services for foreign residents, including visa and residency applications, residency renewals, visa cancellations and related applications. As more centers open, foreign residents and visa applicants in Dubai should expect shorter wait times and an improved application process.

Implementation time frame: Ongoing.
Visas/permits affected: Visa and residency applications, renewals, cancellations and related services in Dubai.
Who is affected: Foreign residents and visa applicants in Dubai.
Impact on processing time: As more centers open, wait times should improve because of increased resources. The centers are expected to improve overall procedures as they replace typing centers, but they may not directly impact processing times on the whole.

Background: The Amer centers were introduced in November in response to requests from the business community. More centers are expected to open so that eventually anyone seeking visa and residency services in Dubai will have easy access to them. Typing centers have since stopped processing visa-related services.

BAL Analysis: Delays are still possible during the transition period, but Dubai’s plans to increase the eventual number of centers should further improve wait times and the application process in the emirate. Contact BAL if you need assistance in determining where to submit applications.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

Copyright © 2018 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

IMPACT – HIGH

What is the change? The United Arab Emirates has temporarily suspended its newly instituted police clearance requirement.

What does the change mean? Until further notice, foreign workers will not be required to provide police clearance certificates (certificates of good conduct) when completing work and mission visa applications. The change will save significant time in the application process.

Implementation time frame: Immediate and ongoing. The suspension took effect Sunday.
Visas/permits affected: Work and mission visa applications, whether in country or out of country.
Who is affected: Employers and foreign nationals who are applying for new work or mission visas.
Impact on processing time: The change saves as much as six weeks in the visa application process, removing the lengthy time period that was required to obtain police clearance certificates and complete the required legalization processes.
Business impact: Businesses may be able to move up start dates for some employees now that the requirement has been lifted.

Background: Authorities imposed the new requirement in February, saying the measure was being taken for security reasons. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation announced on Sunday that the requirement would be suspended until further notice. No details were provided on why the decision was made.

BAL Analysis: The police clearance requirement for visa applicants was a significant administrative burden that could sometimes delay applications by weeks. The change will simplify the visa application process, at least for the time being. BAL will continue to monitor developments in the UAE and will alert clients to any significant changes, including the possibility that the requirement could be reintroduced.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

Copyright © 2018 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? The United Arab Emirates has made it easier for Indian and Philippine nationals to obtain police clearance certificates when applying for visas in the UAE.

What does the change mean? Indian and Philippine nationals will now be able to obtain police clearance certificates through their embassies and consulates in the UAE, rather than in India or the Philippines. The change will save in-country applicants significant time in the visa application process because they will not have to travel out of the UAE in order to obtain the necessary documentation.

Implementation time frame: Immediate and ongoing.
Visas/permits affected: Work and mission visas.
Who is affected: Indian and Philippine nationals applying for work or mission visas in the UAE.
Impact on processing time: The change will save affected applicants the time it takes to travel home in order to obtain a police clearance certificate. Applicants should nonetheless be sure to leave adequate time to apply for and obtain a certificate at their consulate and to have it attested at the UAE embassy in their home country.

Background: Authorities announced the new requirement in January, saying it was being taken as a security measure. In general, applicants are required to obtain their police clearance certificate in their home country and any country in which they have resided in the past five years. A workaround is available for Indian and Philippine nationals, however, who may now obtain the certificate at their embassies and consulates in the UAE.

Indian nationals may do so by applying through BLS International services UAE, which then forwards the application to the relevant Indian authorities. Philippine nationals may do so by applying directly at a Philippines embassy or consulate in the UAE.

BAL Analysis: The change will simplify the police clearance process for Indian and Philippine nationals who are applying for work or mission visas in the UAE. Applicants should note, however, that they may have to obtain an additional police clearance certificate if they have lived somewhere besides their home country and the UAE in the past five years.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

Copyright © 2018 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? A visa-free travel agreement between the United Arab Emirates and Ukraine has entered into force.

What does the change mean? UAE and Ukrainian nationals may now travel to each other’s countries for short-stay tourism and business trips without having to obtain a visa prior to travel.

Implementation time frame: Ongoing.
Visas/permits affected: Visit visas.
Who is affected: UAE and Ukrainian nationals traveling to each other’s countries.
Impact on processing time: The change will save travelers the time it takes to obtain a visa prior to traveling.
Business impact: Business travelers are among those covered by the agreement.

Background: The UAE and Ukraine signed an agreement to waive visa requirements for short-stay trips in November. The deal has since been put into effect. The arrangement allows Ukrainian nationals to visit the UAE for stays of up to 30 days, while UAE nationals may visit Ukraine for up to 90 days in a 180-day period.

BAL Analysis: The new visa agreement will ease travel for UAE and Ukrainian nationals traveling to each other’s countries.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

Copyright © 2017 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

IMPACT – HIGH

What is the change? The UAE is planning to introduce an “Emiratization” program that focuses on increasing the hiring of local workers in three key industries: communications, construction and real estate development, and transportation and aviation.

What does the change mean? The three sectors constitute nearly 30 percent of the country’s gross domestic product and the Ministry of Human Resources plans to promote hiring of Emeratis in 300,000 jobs.

Implementation time frame: Ongoing.
Visas/permits affected: Work permits.
Who is affected: UAE employers, particularly in the three sectors.
Business impact: Employers who rely on foreign workers in the three targeted sectors may face new rules to encourage them to hire Emiratis.

Background: One of the proposed strategies to increase hiring of local workers is to offer “platinum club” employers incentives, such as a steep reduction in work permit renewal fees, if they increase their ratio of Emiratis to foreigners.

BAL Analysis: Though detailed plans have yet to be released, companies should anticipate new restrictions on hiring foreign workers in the three sectors, as well as incentives if they hire more locals. The move to localize the workforce is a trend across Gulf Cooperation Council countries; however, the UAE will be careful in implementing the Emiratization program and mindful of the wider business context and potential regional economic downturn, as it does not want to see companies leave the UAE or deter foreign companies from investing in the UAE.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

Copyright © 2018 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? United Arab Emirates authorities have provided additional information about the country’s certificate of good conduct requirement, which officially took effect Sunday.

What does the change mean? Effective immediately, certificates of good conduct (police clearance certificates) will be required for all new work and mission visa applications, whether the applicant is in country or out of the country.

The certificates will not be required for applications seeking transfer of sponsorship (provided the processing time does not exceed three months), renewals of work and missions visas, dependent visas (including renewals), tourist/business visas, non-sponsored ID cards or changes of title.

In general, certificates of good conduct will be required from applicants’ home country (based on their passport) unless they have resided in another country for the past five years, in which case they will be required to provide a certificate of good conduct from their country of last residence. Applicants will not be required to provide more than one certificate of good conduct, subject to the discretion of UAE authorities.

Implementation time frame: Immediate and ongoing.
Visas/permits affected: All new work and mission visa applications, whether in country or out of the country.
Who is affected: Employers and foreign nationals applying for new work and mission visa applications. The rule will apply throughout the UAE, whether the company is in a free zone or the mainland.
Impact on processing times: The change could add as much as six weeks to the visa application process, depending on how long it takes applicants to obtain a certificate of good conduct in their home country (or country of their residency for the last five years) and how long it takes to complete the required legalization processes.
Business impact: Businesses may need to adjust timelines and start dates if applications are delayed.

Background: Authorities announced the new requirement in January, saying it was being taken as a security measure. The official implementation date was announced as Feb. 4, though in some cases authorities began requesting certificates of good conduct before that date. This may indicate that cases that have already been submitted, but not yet finalized, may be subject to the requirement as well.

BAL Analysis: The requirement of the certificates of good conduct will increase end-to-end application times for a number of visa applicants; however, the clarification that the requirement will not apply to a number of applications, including visa renewals, is welcome news. The additional clarification that officials will not request more than one certificate of good conduct in most cases is also welcome news. Those with questions about the requirement, including dual nationals and others unsure of which country they need police clearance from, should contact BAL for assistance.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group. For additional information, please contact your BAL attorney.

Copyright © 2018 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.

IMPACT – MEDIUM

What is the change? China has lifted visa requirements for nationals of the United Arab Emirates.

What does the change mean? UAE nationals are now able to travel to China for short-stay business, tourism or to visit family without first obtaining a visa. Visa-free entry will be valid for stays of up to 30 days.

Implementation time frame: Ongoing. The change took effect in January.
Who is affected: UAE nationals traveling to China.
Impact on processing time: The change will save travelers the time it takes to obtain a visa prior to traveling.
Business impact: Business travelers are among those covered by the arrangement.

Background: Even before the change, the UAE allowed Chinese nationals to visit the UAE for 30 days without first obtaining a visa. Chinese officials have now lifted visa requirements for UAE nationals, saying it will help boost business and tourism between the two countries.

BAL Analysis: The visa arrangement will ease travel for UAE nationals traveling to China for business, tourism or to visit families. Travelers should note that work activities require work authorization.

This alert has been provided by the BAL Global Practice group in China. For additional information, please contact china@bal.com.

Copyright © 2018 Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. All rights reserved. Reprinting or digital redistribution to the public is permitted only with the express written permission of Berry Appleman & Leiden LLP. For inquiries please contact copyright@bal.com.