Tourists in the UAE who overstay their visit visas could face an absconding case against them, filed by travel agencies and tour operators, a travel agent confirmed to Arabian Business on Monday.
Those who overstay their visa expiration could further be blacklisted and banned from entering the UAE or any GCC if they do not exit after their visas expire.
The new rules for visa charges and fines follow sweeping visa changes last week.
Moreover, they could face a fine starting at AED5,000. Prices can vary according to the emirate’s jurisdiction.
Tourists who arrive in Dubai, have a grace period of 10 days after their visa’s expiry, however they must ensure that the exit the country from Dubai itself.
Absconding cases are charged when a tourist overstays their visa, as the travel agency faces trouble from the governing authority, the agent said.
Extending a tourist visa
Recently, Arabian Business also reported that the UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Nationality, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) has launched a new service through its smart services, which allows visitors to extend the validity of all types of visas issued to them for 60 days.
However, this service can be availed only once, a report by Gulf Today said, citing the ICP. “They can do this only before entering the country,” ICP said.
The fee to extend a visa validity is reportedly priced at AED200, including AED100 for the smart services, AED50 for the application form and AED50 for the authority and the electronic services offered to customers.
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New UAE visa reforms
To extend the visa validity, the applicant’s passport must be valid for not less than three months, and he/she should not be in UAE for the entry permit to be issued, the ICP said, adding that applicants can extend the validity through the authority’s official website and its smart application via the UAE PASS or username.
A confirmation email for extending a visa will be sent to the registered ID, the ICP said.
Applicants can also approach customer happiness centres and ICP-approved typing centres to avail the service.
In case the application is found to have missing or incomplete data, the request will be declined electronically 30 days after returning it, if the applicant does not complete the required details during this period.
“Furthermore, it will be declined, if it is returned three times due to incomplete data or documents. The fees and financial guarantees (if any) are refundable, if the request is declined,” the report said.
“The fees are refunded through the credit card within a period not exceeding six months from the date of submitting the application, or refunded through the procedures applicable to recover the fees by cheque or bank transfer to banks located within the country only and for a period not exceeding 5 years,” the ICP said, adding that the rules and regulations are subject to change without notice.
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