The new visa rules have been implemented from July 29 2008, all those applying for visa after the same will automatically follow all the new rules & procedures for obtaining a visa no matter what kind of visa.

As per new visa rules there are many different types of visas available. The most common are :

• Visit visas
• Tourist visas
• Service visa
• Multiple entry visa

Visa fee as immigration system :

Visit Visa - for 30 days will cost DHS 610 (Non extendable)

Visit Visa - for 90 days will cost DHS 1110 (Non extendable)

Tourist Visa - for 30 days will cost DHS 210 (can be extended for further 30 days by paying AED. 610/-) Tourist visas can only applied for by a licensed hotel or a tourism agency. Tourist visa opened to all nationalities

Service Visa - for 16 days will cost DHS 310 {Non extendable}.

Multiple Visa - this visa is valid for six months from the date of issuance and a person can stay in the country for only 14 days at a stretch.

Deposit for Issuing Visit Visa

Immigration department has announced that AED. 1000/- has to be kept as deposit with the immigration department for issuing visit visas however no confirmation yet given for which nationalities this deposit will be applied. Therefore we will have to wait for announcement from DNRD. The deposit will be kept with the DNRD etc
A letter will have to be issued to DNRD to exempt any company from this condition.

Citizens of the following countries can get a 30-days visit visa free of charge upon arrival {can be extended for further 30 days by paying AED. 610}
Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Holland, Hong Kong SAR, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, USA and Vatican City.

Visitors wishing to visit UAE from now on must apply for tourist visas. The new regulations replace the old 'visit' visa option available to citizens of 79 countries, including the sub-continent and most of the Middle East, the UAE daily Gulf News quoted Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al-Merri, Director General of Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) as saying.

People applying for a visa will have to pay a refundable deposit of AED 1,000/- ($272) with separate visas issued for, for example, medical treatment or study.

This will give the government the information why each person is coming here for and the sponsor will be responsible for the visitor. This will address the issue of illegal overstayers. Additionally, the 34 nationalities who were previously able to obtain a free visit visa for 60 days upon arrival in the UAE will now have to pay AED 100/- for a 30-day visa, according to the new rules.

Visa runs to Kish Island, Oman and other neighbouring countries have also been stopped. People wanting to change their visas must return to their home countries. Visa applicants coming back from any of the neighbouring countries of the UAE will have their applications rejected.

A visit visa will also not be converted into a work visa. Applicants will have to go back to their home country and wait for the work visa, which will be authorised by the Ministry of Labour.

All the above rules & regulations are already being implemented for all visa applications.