Entering The UAE is the same as entering any other country in that you will have to ensure you are legally entitled to land. Here is what you need to know in terms of your entry visa.
There are two main ways to enter the country;
- On a tourist visa
- On an employment visa.
Tourist Visa:
The tourist visa will grant you 30 days in The UAE. You will not be allowed to work under this visa and depending on where you are from you may have to apply before you travel to The UAE.
Citizens of the following countries are able to get this visa at the airport on arrival to the UAE by simply presenting a valid passport to the immigration officer.
|
Australia |
Hong Kong |
Norway |
If your country is not on this list, I’m looking at you my South African friends, you will need to apply for the visa in advance. This can be done through whichever airline is flying you into the country or even through your hotel. Make sure you give yourself at least 2 weeks to get this visa before you fly.
Employment Visa:
With any luck we have found you a job in the UAE already and you will be entering the country on an employment visa. This will typically be a printed e-visa issued by the government of The UAE. When you arrive in country you will present this visa to the immigration officer along with your passport. At this point you are free to leave the airport and head towards your hotel. Someone from your school will meet you either at the airport or your hotel and will begin the process of normalizing your visa.
NOTE: On this type of visa the school WILL take your passport at first. This is because they will need to use the e-visa and your passport to grant you the official working visa. This will essentially be a second information in your passport that proves you are legally allowed to work in the UAE.
There will be great deal of paperwork involved in getting this visa but that is what we are here for. We will guide you through the process and do everything we can to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible for you.