MUSCAT: Travelling to the United Arab Emirates has become slightly more difficult for many people living in Oman. Travel agencies across the Sultanate have verified that hotel reservations and return flight tickets are required for acquiring a 30-day UAE visitor visa. Omanis, however, do not need a visa to visit the UAE.
Previously, all that was required was a valid passport and a photo. According to the new restrictions, visitors and visit visa applicants must provide proof of hotel reservations and return airline tickets at the time of application via the UAE immigration department's website.
"Travel agencies have been told to provide hotel and flight tickets with each visa application," said Soumava Mukherjee, General Manager of Travel City/Travel Point LLC.
"If not, applications may suffer delays or perhaps rejection. "
He stated that "air ticket and hotel reservations are necessary for the UAE visa application. If an applicant travels to the UAE with relatives, a house agreement from the relative side is required. ”
Increased visa costs raise trip expenses.
In addition to the extra paperwork, the price of getting a UAE visa has increased. What used to cost roughly OMR30 is now priced between OMR40 and OMR50, depending on the agency.
"Travel agents have begun charging between OMR40 and OMR50 for the UAE visa," said T Sudheer, an Indian expat seeking a UAE visa.
According to travel agents, the revisions affect both tourist and visit visas. The UAE officials stated that the new requirements are part of efforts to simplify the visa process and increase regulatory compliance. "This change, which applies to both tourist and visit visas, aims to streamline the process and ensure compliance," said Taufiq Uzzaman, Managing Director of Taufiq Travel & Tourism in Ruwi.
"While providing convenience, the new regulations have created processing bottlenecks for some applicants since May. "
Many people who were unaware of the modifications have experienced delays due to incomplete applications.
"These measures highlight the need of extensive planning to avert trip disruptions," according to a Ghubrabased agent. Applicants should not wait until the last minute. "
Not all visitors are affected by the stricter requirements. Indian citizens who possess a current U. S. visit visa, U. S. Green Card, U. K. residency visa, or EU residency visa can still benefit from the UAE's 14-day visa-on-arrival policy, which may be renewed for another 14 days.
