Since 2007, Rapid Visa Ltd. has been providing professional visa services for UK citizens travelling across the world. We provide visa services to over 20 core countries, including passport services for our business clients, such as obtaining second UK passports, passport renewal or replacing lost/damaged passports. Our esteemed clients vouch for our exceptional customer service, diligent document pre-checking and fastest turnaround times for visa approval.
Saudi Able Link is an extension of Rapid Visa, specialising in visa services for the countries in the GCC region. The Gulf Cooperation Council or the GCC is an intergovernmental economic alliance of six countries in the Arabian Peninsula; including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, the UAE, Oman and Kuwait. The United Kingdom has strategic political, economic and cultural ties with the GCC nations. Some of the biggest UK-based companies have set-up their base in this rapidly developing economic zone. Thousands of British nationals reside in and travel to these countries each year. All six nations have also set up their diplomatic missions in the UK.
Our company has wide expertise in working with Middle Eastern visa policies. We help British nationals obtain visas for the UAE, Bahrain and other places in the GCC region, in a smooth and fast manner. Dubai visas are issued by the Embassy of the UAE in London. Our expert visa consultants are not only responsible for the submission and retrieval of UAE visa applications and stamped passports from the Embassy, but also for ensuring that all the requisite documents are properly attested and apostilled by the concerned authorities.
UAE Visa Requirements for UK Nationals
The United Arab Emirates (UAE)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE), located at the north-east end of the Arabian Peninsula, is a sovereign constitutional monarchy, comprising seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Ras Al Khaimah, Sharjah, Fujairah, Ajman and Umm Al Quwain. It shares borders with Oman to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south and west, and Qatar to the west.
The population of the UAE stands at 9.77 million, as of 2019. The country has an open economy, with high per capita income. It has the sixth largest oil reserves in the world, and seventh largest natural gas reserves. It is the second largest economy of the GCC region, after Saudi Arabia, with a GDP of $414 billion in 2018. A huge portion of its GDP is accounted for by oil exports. However, today, it is one of the most diversified economies in the GCC, and has successfully reduced the portion of oil and gas in its GDP to 30%.
The services and industrial sectors account for 49.2% and 49.8% of the GDP, respectively. The UAE government is focusing on promoting the nation as a global trade and tourism hub, while also nurturing increased opportunities for education and employment for its citizens.
Tourism is one of the biggest sources of non-oil revenues in the UAE. The city of Dubai is the fifth most popular tourism destination in the world, according to the annual MasterCard Global Destination Cities Index. With luxury hotels, plush malls, presence of international retail and fashion labels and huge infrastructure development projects, the city accounts for 66% of UAE’s tourism economy, followed by Abu Dhabi. In 2014, Dubai International Airport overtook London’s Heathrow Airport in terms of international passenger traffic.
Both the UK and UAE share significant mutual trade and investments. The UAE provides a strong macroeconomic and political environment for international businesses, which also take advantage of the GCC nation’s good general and ICT infrastructure. It was ranked the 26th best nation in the world for doing business by the World Bank in its 2017 Doing Business Report. The UAE is Britain’s fourth largest export market outside Europe, receiving £10.5 billion worth of UK exports in 2018. Emiratis have investments worth £5 billion in UK assets.
General Types of UAE Visa from the UK
Travellers to the United Arab Emirates have to obtain a visa, unless they are citizens of the GCC countries; except Qatar, or one of the visa-exempt nations. Citizens of many countries travelling to Dubai in the UAE can use the visa on arrival facility. All UAE visa applicants need to have a passport that has 6 months’ validity from the date of arrival in the country.
Do I Need a Visa to the UAE from the UK?
If you hold a UK passport, you are eligible for a UAE visa on arrival, which is valid for 30 days. Applications for a Dubai or UAE visa have to be submitted to the Embassy of the United Arab Emirates in London. The Embassy grants the following types of visas for the UAE:
- UAE Business Visa: This also has the visa on arrival facility.
- UAE Tourist Visa: Online visa application or visa on arrival in the UAE are available.
- UAE Official Travel Visa: Visa exemption for up to 30 days for UK citizens.
- UAE Work/Employment Visa: Many people from the UK seek employment in Dubai and this category of visa is mandatory for the purpose.
- UAE Family Visit Visa
- UAE Transit Visa: Visa exemption for stay of up to 24 hours, in the international transit area of the airport.
- UAE Residence Visa
The basic requirements for the UAE visa on arrival for a 30-day stay include:
- Travellers must hold a valid, machine readable passport with validity of at least 6 months from the date of entry into the UAE, and with two blank pages.
- Applicant must have proof of sufficient funds to cover their stay in the nation
- Proof of return or onward journey is required.
- Documents showing purpose of trip to the UAE.
- Confirmation with the airline that boarding with the airline will be allowed without a visa, since these laws are subject to change.
- All documents for the next destination and onward journey should be in place.
UAE Visa Immigration Rules and General Information
Our UAE immigration experts provide advisory services compliant with the UAE‘s immigration and visa policies for organizations and their employees. UAE business visas allow individuals employed with corporate entities in the UK to enter the UAE for non-work business activities, such as attending meetings, seminars, trade shows, negotiations of contracts and limited sales activities. We offer personalised assessment of the business activities and ensure that the length of stay of all business travellers satisfies the legal regulations.
Employees of UK-based companies, who are being transferred to UAE entities, need employment entry visas with work cards. For this, the employee must have a contract with the Emirati entity directly. The process and requirements for a Dubai or UAE work visa differ from across the 7 Emirates. These immigration procedures are extensively streamlined in certain zones of the Emirates, to ensure expedited foreign investments in these areas.
Immigration status of dependents is based on the status of the principal applicant. Legally married spouses and children below the age of 18 years are eligible for dependent status. Parents can also obtain dependent status, provided that the principal applicant provides an undertaking letter, attested by the consulate of the respective country, stating that they are responsible for both parents staying in the UAE.
For further queries regarding UAE immigration and visa requirements, email to us at help@saudiarabiavisa.co.uk.
UAE Visa Legalisation and Medical Services
If you are a British citizen applying for a visa for employment, residency or study in cities such as Dubai or Abu Dhabi, you will need a medical check-up to complete your UAE visa application. The checkup includes blood tests to detect HIV, blood sugar, Hepatitis B and C, Syphilis and pregnancy (if required). You will need to undergo vision tests as well.
Supporting documents issued in the UK for UAE work and business visa applications will also need to be legalised and apostilled by the concerned government bodies, such as the FCO (Foreign Commonwealth Office) and the Arab-British Chamber of Commerce, apart from the UAE Embassy in London. The apostille stamp is a specific type of document legalisation, which gives documents legal acceptance in 92 nations belonging to the Hague Convention.
Saudi Able Link specialises not only in document gathering and processing, but also has experts to help UAE visa applicants in matters related to translation, legalisation and attestation of documents. Our experts also guide visa applicants regarding UAE visa medical forms, and ensure that they are submitted in proper order and that the tests are undertaken at the right places.
Send us an email at support@saudiarabiavisa.co.uk or call us at 02070961985 if you require any assistance or guidance with the visa process. You can also fill a contact form, and one of our consultants will be in touch with you promptly.
