According to a recent news posted by Gulf News, visit visa holders in the United Arab Emirates are no longer obligated to leave the country when they have to amend the status of their visa to a residency permit.
This policy has been announced by the Ministry of Interior.
Brigadier Dr Rashid Sultan Al Khadar, of the Naturalisation, Residency and Ports department at the Ministry of the Interior, declared that under resolution 377 of 2014, all visa-holders are now allowed to change their status while in the country by using new tools.
“Customers will be able to amend the status of their entry permits electronically through a few quick and user-friendly steps,” said Al Khadar. “As a result, visitors will not need to leave the country, instead updating their visa status and paying all the necessary fees while in the UAE.”
With this new procedure, visa-holders can save time, money, and effort.
Al Khadar further added: “Earlier, if a person, while in the UAE on a visit visa, happens to find a job, he or she will have had to exit the UAE to amend residency status. This is no longer the case. The same applies to spouses of residents or anyone wishing to amend the terms of their entry permits.”
READ ALSO : 10 TIPS TO HELP YOU SECURE A FINAL EXIT VISA IN SAUDI ARABIA
He also clarified that the “resolution is applicable to every type of entry permit” which includes transit entry, 30-day short visit visa, 90-day long visit visa, entry permits for medical treatment, entry permits for study, entry permits for exhibitions and conferences, tourist visas, GCC resident entry permits, work-related entry permits, as well as entry permits for work or residency.
“Companies and visitors should submit their applications to renew the status of their permits before they expire to avoid any violations,” he said, emphasizing that “people can refer to any of the immigration offices or ports of entry in the UAE for the services”.