GDRFA Archives - The Gulf Indians

Dubai launches website for renewing residence visas online

The Gulf Indians — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 07:09:14 +0000

OUR CORRESPONDENT

The Dubai government has announced a website for renewal of residence visa for those who are unable to return to Dubai so that they can renew their visa on their smartphone.

The services will allow users to obtain residency visas easily and without having to visit service centres.

Residents now stuck in India owing to the travel restrictions can visit the site using the following link: https://amer.gdrfad.gov.ae/visa-inquiry

The service allows one to inquire about file status, issuance, expiry and validity.

Smart Dubai has already collaborated with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) to launch residency services without visiting visa centres.

Through the DubaiNow application, a host of residency services can be availed: Applying for, renewing, or cancelling residency sponsorship for a spouse and children; viewing dependents’ residency visas and entry permits; tracking the status of visa applications and entry permits for residents and visitors; and requesting official travel and dependent reports from the GDRFA.

DubaiNow gives users access to more than 130 government and private sector services from 28 government departments and 8 non-government institutions. These services can be classified into 12 categories: bills, mobile, driving, housing, residency, health, education, police, travel, Islam, donations and general.

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Pre-travel ICA approval required for non-Dubai residents

The Gulf Indians — Thu, 08 Oct 2020 10:31:31 +0000

~~Our Correspondent~~

Passengers arriving at Dubai International Airport (DXB) and holding residence visas issued in emirates other than Dubai must have a pre-travel approval from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA).

According to Khaleej Times, a Dubai Airports spokesperson said that this is part of the the new travel requirements. Dubai residence visa holders need an approval from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) to return to the UAE.

Several passengers were stranded in the arrivals terminal of DXB on October 7 owing to the new requirement, according to the Consulate of India in Dubai. Around 300 passengers were safely transported to their homes in coordination with Dubai Police and Dubai Road Transport Authority, the GDRFA Dubai said on October 8.

Neeraj Agarwal, Consul for press, information, and culture at the CGI Dubai, said a majority of them were Indians.

The Consulate has updated the revised travel regulations on its Twitter page, and has requested all passengers to take note of the changes to avoid inconvenience at the airports.

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Dubai Media Office launches #AskDXBOfficial

The Gulf Indians — Sun, 23 Aug 2020 06:10:24 +0000

The Government of Dubai Media Office (GDMO) has launched #AskDXBOfficial, an initiative that gives the public and the media a chance to ask questions to Dubai’s senior government officials. The initiative is part of GDMO’s objective of creating platforms that allow the community to clarify issues and concerns with government officials, WAM reports.

The first #AskDXBOfficial interaction this week featured Major General Mohammed Al Marri, the Director General of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), in Dubai. Al Marri answered a series of questions on current immigration and travel procedures and protocols for citizens and residents.

Alia Al Theeb, Senior Manager, Strategic Communications, GDMO, said: “#AskDXBOfficial is part of GDMO’s aim of introducing new interactive communication channels to ensure the Government of Dubai is constantly connected and engaged with citizens and residents. In a continuously evolving environment, we place high priority on communicating directly with the community with clarity and transparency. #AskDXBOfficial invites the public to ask questions to key government officials each week. Answers to their queries will be posted on GDMO’s official social media platforms.”
Answering a question in the first 99 interaction, Major General Mohammed Al Marri said all residents holding a valid resident visa are allowed to return to Dubai. Once they receive a return permit from GDRFA-Dubai and obtain a negative PCR test result, they can return to Dubai through any UAE airport.

Holders of expired residency visas should renew their visas before exiting the country if they wish to return to the UAE, Al Marri clarified. Valid UAE residency visa holders currently outside the country can return to Dubai provided there are no flight restrictions between the UAE and the country they are in.

Responding to a question regarding people who have incurred fines after losing their jobs because of travel restrictions, he said: “To all those who have accumulated fines, please do not assume you cannot exit the country. We at Dubai Airports and GDRFA will handle each humanitarian case individually and facilitate their travel.”’ The number of passengers at Dubai Airport is seeing a daily average rise of five per cent, said the GDRFA-Dubai chief. He expressed the hope that by the end of 2020, passenger traffic will return to levels seen at the start of the year.

The entire set of videos featuring answers to questions posed by the public to Major General Mohammed Al Marri can be viewed on GDMO’s official social media accounts including @DXBMediaOffice on Twitter, @DXBMediaOffice on Facebook and instagram.com/dubaimediaoffice. Questions for upcoming interactions can be submitted using the #AskDXBOfficial hashtag.

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