# Visa Advice Urgent



## Dubai Hokie (Nov 27, 2008)

Almost 90-days ago I was laid off by my company and with the property market in decline, it is proving difficult to find a new position as many firms have hiring freezes or are down sizing. My employer paid me for an additional 90-days after I left as severance and for now is continuing to sponsor my residence visa, but I am worried that will soon come to an end. I don't want to ask them how long they will continue to sponsor the visa, because I don't want them to realize that the 90-days is approaching.

I was told that after my residence visa is no longer sponsored by the company that I would have 30 days to leave Dubai. Is that correct? Does my ex-employer need to physically have my passport in order to cancel the residence visa? 

What are my options for remaining in Dubai to continue to search for a job? Can I go to Oman and re-enter immediately on a visit visa? (american citizen) Can a continue to renew the visit visa? What about my wife and child who are also here with me and are on my residence visa. What are the penalties for over staying?

I visited a local attorney for advice, but he was worthless and I wasted my money. 

Finding information on this topic has been quite difficult and I have received conflicting advice. Does anyone have ideas?


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Dubai Hokie said:


> Almost 90-days ago I was laid off by my company and with the property market in decline, it is proving difficult to find a new position as many firms have hiring freezes or are down sizing. My employer paid me for an additional 90-days after I left as severance and for now is continuing to sponsor my residence visa, but I am worried that will soon come to an end. I don't want to ask them how long they will continue to sponsor the visa, because I don't want them to realize that the 90-days is approaching.
> 
> I was told that after my residence visa is no longer sponsored by the company that I would have 30 days to leave Dubai. Is that correct? Does my ex-employer need to physically have my passport in order to cancel the residence visa?


Yes they do, it has to get taken to DNR to get physically stamped



Dubai Hokie said:


> What are my options for remaining in Dubai to continue to search for a job? Can I go to Oman and re-enter immediately on a visit visa? (american citizen) Can a continue to renew the visit visa? What about my wife and child who are also here with me and are on my residence visa. What are the penalties for over staying?


You need to do a visa change run within 7 days of your cancellation or you'll be fined AED100/day.




Dubai Hokie said:


> I visited a local attorney for advice, but he was worthless and I wasted my money.


You've learnt the hard way. They are.




Dubai Hokie said:


> Finding information on this topic has been quite difficult and I have received conflicting advice. Does anyone have ideas?



As I've just done what you're about to do (and if you're a UK passport holder so much the better) this is what happens in reality.

Good luck


(See, I don't always talk shoite!!!)


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## Dubai Hokie (Nov 27, 2008)

I am an American passport holder. Assuming my residence visa is cancelled and I make the run to Oman to get the visit visa, how long will it be valid? How many times can I make a visa run to Oman to keep getting visit visas? My child's school is prepaid for the rest of the school year as is my rent through May so I would like to stay at least through then and will surely find a replacement position by then. I'm hopeful after the first of the year, the job picture may improve to some degree.

Thank you for the response.


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Just a thought, when does your residence visa actually run out? The reason is that as long as the company don't cancel it (and to be honest they have no reason to), then you can stay until it expires, then they'll still need to cancel it. Depending on how well you get on with your company it may be worth the conversation.... What you don't want is them to list you as "absconding" ie they can't contact you to get your pp and cancel your visa, cos if they do that (assuming you were employed by a non freezone private company) then you can get a ban. 

Talk to them, it's the easiest option. Failing that, spend about AED15k and set up your own consultancy practice in either Abu Dhabi or RAK, then you get 2 reidence/work visa's and you'll be clear for the next 3 years.

The visa run to Hatta is straightforward, I got 60 days and won't need to renew, i was told that you can renew for a further 30 days at AED500, but I don't know whether this is for people like you and me who get visa's on arrival.


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Dubai Hokie said:


> I am an American passport holder. Assuming my residence visa is cancelled and I make the run to Oman to get the visit visa, how long will it be valid? How many times can I make a visa run to Oman to keep getting visit visas? My child's school is prepaid for the rest of the school year as is my rent through May so I would like to stay at least through then and will surely find a replacement position by then. I'm hopeful after the first of the year, the job picture may improve to some degree.
> 
> Thank you for the response.



Oh dear! If you make a visa run to Oman, your visa will be valid for anything from 30-60 days! In regards to the number of times that you can continue to do them, it's very difficult to say. My flatmate has done quite a few since the rule changes but that's not to say that you will be allowed to. I would say that you should do a visa run (fines for overstaying is 100 AED per day!) and then work really hard at securing a new position before your visa runs out! 

I work in construction and unfortunately a lot of people are facing the same fate. Have you considered Abu Dhabi? Things are still a lot better there than they are in Dubai and the recession won't really affect them that much! Problem with Dubai is that everyone flew into a blind panic and that's why the situation is now so desperate!


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## Dubai Hokie (Nov 27, 2008)

My residence Visa does not expire for another two years, but I am not sure how long the company will sponsor me. Thanks for the advice on absconding and being banned. I guess I won't try to hide if my ex-employer tries to contact me and at that point I will try to negotiate more time from them. Since they would have to pay for my family and I to return to the US, logically they should sponsor me until I find another job, but I have found things to be quite illogical at times. 

Yes, I've been looking in Abu Dhabi as well, but MANY companies also have hiring freezes as well. The job situation in the property market is worse than most people recognize. The job boards show lots of positions, but many of these no longer exist and potential employers are now very slow to respond and make decisions. With the rest of the world in a recession, the number of CV's coming in to this region has exploded.

Where can I find out about setting up a consulting firm for AED 15K? That sounds like a very good option as well. Thanks again.


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## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

Maz25 said:


> Things are still a lot better there than they are in Dubai and the recession won't really affect them that much! Problem with Dubai is that everyone flew into a blind panic and that's why the situation is now so desperate!


That's because all of the scaremongering - always makes things more worse than they need to be. 

It's like runs on banks, a rumour occurs a bank is going under, everyone takes their money out, bank goes under because it has no capital.

Wish people who have no idea what's going on in this whole financial mess would stop making wild speculations and let us all just get on with getting things back on track 

(that wasn't directed at you Maz BTW, just having a rant )


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

crazymazy1980 said:


> That's because all of the scaremongering - always makes things more worse than they need to be.
> 
> It's like runs on banks, a rumour occurs a bank is going under, everyone takes their money out, bank goes under because it has no capital.
> 
> ...


I have to agree with you there! Same thing happening in construction. The stocks crash for a day, everyone starts shelving project and stops work and then they say there is no construction going on! 

People in this part of the world seem to have never seen a recession and rather than being cautious, all the negative attitude and panic is actually helping the recession to spread here. No one wants to work together to see us all through this - everyone just wants to take their money out and run! I think Dubai shot itself in the foot!


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## Andy Capp (Oct 5, 2008)

Start here Visa Sponsorships in Ras Al Khaimah Free Trade Zone RAK Free Trade Zone

And take it from there, also google rak free zone set up costs or something similar....

(Why have a dog?)


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