Job Discussion Forums

[Sirens of Cyprus]

Let's say a woman from South America wanted to go to the UAE for a month to visit her fiance in Abu Dhabi, who worked there and had a sponsor-provided apartment. I assume at some point in the visa application process or while entering the country she would be asked for her address while in the UAE and the purpose of her visit. Obviously it would not be a good idea to state her true intention, as the law and customs of the place would frown on it, and she would not be allowed into the country. Any advice about this?

[mishmumkin]

Say you're visiting your uncle. Very, VERY unlikely that they'd ask for proof. I think women of other nationalities might be suspected of prostitution, but S. Americans don't fall into that category.

[helenl]

Is this lady required to get a visa before she arrives or is she eligible for one upon arrival at the airport? If the former, there will probably be more questions, if the latter, probably not a problem.

[The Lemon]

I doubt that if she put "Hotel Meridien, Abu Dhabi" for the address and "tourist" for reason to visit, anyone would ever bother to track her down to verify those details later. It's not North Korea.

[kiefer]

If she's a Muslim traveling alone, there might be a problem. If she's an Armenian or Chinese, um, service worker, there doesn't appear to be any problems. A South American non-Muslim visiting as a tourist shouldn't be a problem at all.

[Sirens of Cyprus]

It looks like South Americans have to arrange their visas for the UAE from their home country, but not at the UAE embassy in their home country, rather, at the immigration office in Abu Dhabi. Hence, she would need a sponsor of some kind in Abu Dhabi.

http://www.srilanka.com/dubai/visainfo_dubai.php

There seems to be a generic form:

http://www.myvisapassport.com/pdf/United%20Arab%20EmiratesVisaForm.pdf

If this form is current and applies to South Americans, it seems that the visa type needed is deduced from the info on the form (tourist = 30 days, visit = 60 days, employment = 3 years). And it looks like a suitable sponsor is necessary, one who is willing to fill out the form and take it to the immigration office in Abu Dhabi. I understand Emirates Airline does this if you fly with them. I suppose for a hotel to do this she'd have to pay them up front for the length of her stay. In any case, it looks like immigration may check up on the official sponsor and address.

[manxmanuae]

Both Etihad and Emirates provide this service.

Etihad got my unmarried Russian under-30 ex-gf a visa for less than 700 AED.

Shouldn't be a problem for a South American, then