The UAE has recently implemented a new policy that affects tourist planning to visit Dubai. According to recent reports Indians eyeing to visit the Gulf city of Dubai are reportedly experiencing high visa rejection rates for the first time ever following the United Arab Emirates (UAE)’s tightened screws on the requirements for the tourist visa. Earlier, approximately 99 per cent of visa applications in Dubai used to get approval, but today even the most perfectly formulated application are being rejected by the UAE authorities, says a report.
Last month, the emigration department of Dubai has made some rigorous conditions of issuing tourist visas due to which the Travellers will have to show their hotel bookings which consist of the QR Codes and the photocopy of their return tickets. In case the traveller is staying with a relative, the relative will also require other forms of identification of the accommodation.
Rise in Dubai Visa Rejections
According to the report, as soon as new rules regarding visa to Dubai was implemented, the rejection rate was as high as 5-6 rejections per hundred applications daily.
“Previously, the rejection rate for Dubai visas was only 1-2%. This is before applying the new regulation. Currently, we are receiving at least 5-6 visa rejection per day from almost 100 visa applications per day. Despite attaching confirmed flight tickets and hotel stay details, the visa applications are being rejected,” Nikhil Kumar, director of Passio Travels Pvt Ltd said.
This is causing inconvenience among travelers, who are losing their hard earned money for visa fees, flight tickets they had prepaid and hotel bookings they had made in advance.
This means that the rejection rates (for tourist visa applications targeting the destination Dubai) are higher than had ever been recorded. In the past, over 99 per cent of the Dubai visa applications were granted. Now, we are having rejection that too for the travellers who are well prepared,” said Rishikesh Pujari, director of Vihar Travels to the reports.
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“Even the most professionally documented application complete with letters confirming hotel bookings, flight details and others, accompanied by it is turned down. I once had a family of four who were very particular with the preparation of their application. Yet, for this they failed to get their visa granted,” he said.
Hasmukh Travels director Vijay Thakkar said two of his passengers, who were travelling to Dubai to stay with their relatives, were denied a visa to Dubai.
“While applying for the visa, all necessary new visa requirements documents were provided and attached during the application. However, all their applications were denied. This lead to huge monetary loss for the passengers who had spent nearly 610 AED on visa fees first, coupled with the ticket cancellation cost of 870 AED and above,” he said.
Dubai’s New Visa Policy
The UAE has recently launched a new rule whereby anyone wishing to access a visa must upload hotel booking documents and a return ticket on the Emigration Department website. These documents were only needed if requested by the airport officers before this year.
However, it is unfavorable that tourists are also have to produce evidence of adequate funds for their sojourn in the city. For a two-month visa, they need to have at least AED 5,000 in their credit or debit card while for three months visa, applicants required AED 3,000.