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New visa fees to discourage visitors to UAE: residents

DUBAI — Tour operators and residents have alike expressed concern over the new visit visa fees, stating it will discourage visitors of several nationalities from visiting the UAE. The new fees is to be enforced from August 1.

The tourism market and residents with visiting families, are concerned they will be hit hardest by the federal visa changes announced this week.

Members of nationalities such as Egyptian, Syrian, Pakistani and Indians, among others, are not eligible for tourist visas and will have to pay Dh500 for the one-month visit visa starting August 1 this year.

Osama Bushra, Chief Operating Officer of travel agency Travco, said these segments, traditionally with large Arab families and staying a minimum of one week, contributed significantly to the tourism economy.

"It will definitely affect the tourism industry, especially with the Arab countries other than GCC, India and Pakistan," he said.

"In leisure tourism, Egyptians and Syrians stay for at least one week and they are not eligible for a tourist visa. At least 25 per cent will reconsider."

Bushra said the fees could reduce the number of visitors to the UAE even when Dubai was aiming for 10 million visitors by 2010 and 15 million by 2015.

However, Lama Desert Tours and Cruises Managing Partner Kulwant Singh said the new visa fees could be a benefit to the tourism market. He cited the reduced fee for a tourist visa down from Dh160 to Dh100 and the reduced transit visa fee from Dh150 to Dh100.

"It might benefit but we're not clear because we have been issuing visit visas to certain nationalities who will not be eligible for tourist visas now," Singh said. "The question is can we issue tourist and transit visas to these nationalities now?"

The transit visa is valid for 14 days and would prove a worthwhile option for many travellers, according to Singh, but the limited quota needs to be increased.

The Director-General of Federal Naturalisation and Residency Department (FNRD) at the Ministry of Interior, Lt-Gen. Mohammed Salim Al Khaili, said the visas would aim to protect workers' rights, rather than impacting visitors.

"We work in cooperation with the authorities concerned to protect the rights of workers such as wages, air tickets and health insurance that would not be available to them if they entered the country on visit visas," he pointed out, noting that the firms can apply for three-month mission visas to bring in workers.

According to the Cabinet decision, the changes in the fees and structure of the visit visas is the third step in the UAE government's plan to combat illegal immigration in the country.

It follows the amnesty given to illegal immigrants and the introduction of a code of penalties preventing the sheltering or hiring of illegal immigrants.

However, hotels, businesses and residents yesterday remained concerned about the impact of the visa changes.

Saleh Farajat, Residence Director of Sales at Sofitel City Centre Hotel said the hotel was still checking the details with the Immigration Department but expected any impact to be limited to the leisure segment.

"Big families will rethink about coming to the UAE," Farajat said.

"But only 10 to 12 per cent of travellers come from Egypt, Syria and these countries. Of this, only three per cent is leisure."

About the fees hike, Mohammad Kamal, a Public Relation Officer (PRO) at a leading contracting company in the capital, told Khaleej Times, "I would like to mention that the new fees would not affect the business. However, it may affect families."

Many residents have gone as far as altering their travel arrangements for autumn because of the new visa fees.

Sulaiman Mohammed, a businessman and resident of Dubai for 10 years, said, "I had a plan to bring in my family from Pakistan to spend some time with me here in Dubai before we went on for Hajj together. However, with the increased fees and already expensive air-tickets, I'll have to fly them directly to Saudi Arabia and meet them there," he complained, while adding that he won't be able to spend as much time with them any more.

Some employers have even revised their visa issuance policies for their employees.

Riyadh Macdam, owner of Al Saif Zone for 14 years said, "My company would issue visas for our employees free of charge, but because of the drastic increase in fees, we'll have to either pass on some of the cost to the employees who'll suffer, or stop issuing visas for our employee's relatives altogether."

However, typist centres generally do not think they will be affected drastically by the change in visit visa fees.

Khalid Sulayman, owner of Al Hanaan Typing and Photocopying for 25 years said, "Yes, many residents might not bring in their families as much as before but the demand for visit visas will still be there from other sectors like tourism."

Ibrahim Saleh, General Coordinator of Dubai Shopping Festival Office, expected the Dubai Summer Surprises' visitor numbers to increase up to 10 per cent, rather than decrease, as the festival wraps up on August 22 and tourist visas have not been increased.