# Visits sponsorship visa for a friend



## tinkle.1986 (Sep 8, 2012)

Hi, I was wondering if anyone has any information on sponsoring a friend to visit Dubai. They are South African. 

The information online is pretty inconsistent regarding what needs to be done or if it's possible to sponsor a friend. If anyone has any experience with this please could I have some advice?

The friend actually has a UK residency but South African passport. Not sure if this changes anything. 

Thanks!


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## Chocoholic (Oct 29, 2012)

It's all dependent on what passport they have. They can apply for a visit visa at the UAE embassy in SA or if they fly with one of the UAE carriers like Emirates/Etihad they can do the visa for them as well I believe.


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## tinkle.1986 (Sep 8, 2012)

They are living and working in the UK so I guess they apply through the SA embassy in the UK? 

I thought maybe they can apply through emirates but don't like need a hotel confirmation also? As they will be staying with me, so not sure if I'll have to actually sponsor them? Or if they're even that strict?


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## Chocoholic (Oct 29, 2012)

tinkle.1986 said:


> They are living and working in the UK so I guess they apply through the SA embassy in the UK?
> 
> I thought maybe they can apply through emirates but don't like need a hotel confirmation also? As they will be staying with me, so not sure if I'll have to actually sponsor them? Or if they're even that strict?


They'd need to go to the UAE embassy! You'd only go to the SA one, if you needed a visa for SA.

Give one of the airlines a call and inquire. I'm not entirely sure how that works.


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## BedouGirl (Sep 15, 2011)

They can apply through Emirates and just need to give the address of where they are staying. It doesn't have to be an hotel, it can be residential. My friend is Russian and she just uses my address (villa number, street number, area) and my mobile number when she makes her application through Emirates so I know it works.


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

BedouGirl said:


> They can apply through Emirates and just need to give the address of where they are staying. It doesn't have to be an hotel, it can be residential. My friend is Russian and she just uses my address (villa number, street number, area) and my mobile number when she makes her application through Emirates so I know it works.


This is correct. They can apply online. Just ask them to make sure that they upload the current UK visa as well (a current or up to 5 yr old UK, US, Aus, NZ, Schengen visa speeds up the visa approval - the instructions for online application may not be very clear about this). 

As an expat you cannot sponsor friends. Apparently only Emiratis can sponsor friends.


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## 200256 (Jan 16, 2013)

try FlyDubai also, here in Serbia they charge 70EUR for visa if you're flying with them, if they have flights from your friend's location I'm sure they can do it there also... gl


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