# Visa on arrival



## firbird (Sep 25, 2009)

Not sure if you guys will know but here goes....

I'm arriving in Dubai in a few weeks, and staying for 6 weeks. I'm a medical student doing an (unpaid) internship at the American Hospital before I start my final year of med school back in the UK. My plan was to just get a visit visa on arrival. I was told that they're normally only 30 days but renewable. So my questions are:

* should I tell them I'm there for an internship at the hospital or is that not allowed under the visit visa rules?
* can I request a longer visa on arrival because I'm there for a total of 43 days, and this will save me having to go and renew it later?
* if not, what's the procedure for renewing the visa? 

Thanks!!


----------



## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

Surely the American Hospital should have advised you on this?
Visit visa on arrival - 28 days. To get another 28 days do a visa run to Oman border (1.5hrs drive). Presume you have UK passport.


----------



## firbird (Sep 25, 2009)

the hospital were pretty rubbish with advising on anything to be honest! they just said it was for me to sort out and the the embassy haven't been much more helpful

yup UK passport. I thought there was an "official" way to renew the visa too? or if not, what's the best way of doing a visa run, are there taxi drivers who know the procedure?


----------



## catsplay2 (Jun 20, 2010)

firbird said:


> Not sure if you guys will know but here goes....
> 
> I'm arriving in Dubai in a few weeks, and staying for 6 weeks. I'm a medical student doing an (unpaid) internship at the American Hospital before I start my final year of med school back in the UK. My plan was to just get a visit visa on arrival. I was told that they're normally only 30 days but renewable. So my questions are:
> 
> ...


I noticed someone else posted previously a visa run question. Here is the link (I hope it works):

http://www.expatforum.com/expats/dubai-expat-forum-expats-living-dubai/51532-visa-run.html

Hope this helps....Cats


----------



## Elphaba (Jan 24, 2008)

Whilst you can enter on a visit visa, the American Hospital must sort out your residency visa and work permit. The law states that it is illegal to work whilst on a visit visa, although many employers take a few weeks to organise this at the start of someone's emlpoyment.

It is the employer's resoonsibility to get this sorted as soon as possible, although there are legal consequences for both parties if someone works illegally. the hospital will have their own PRO who should sort this out. Bear in mind that you cannot rent somewhere to live without residency, or even get a contract phone.

Your visit visa is 30 days and can be renewed, either by visiting the DNRD (Dubai Nationuralisation & Residency Department) for a fee of around AED 600, or by doing a 'visa run'.

-


----------



## firbird (Sep 25, 2009)

Elphaba said:


> Whilst you can enter on a visit visa, the American Hospital must sort out your residency visa and work permit. The law states that it is illegal to work whilst on a visit visa, although many employers take a few weeks to organise this at the start of someone's emlpoyment.
> 
> It is the employer's resoonsibility to get this sorted as soon as possible, although there are legal consequences for both parties if someone works illegally. the hospital will have their own PRO who should sort this out. Bear in mind that you cannot rent somewhere to live without residency, or even get a contract phone.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the reply. I've been told that I don't need a work permit because I'm not technically working at the hospital, I'm just observing for a few weeks as a student and its not paid. 

Thanks for the info re the visa run and visa renewal process. 

So there's definitely no chance that if I ask the airport, they can stamp my passport for longer than 30 days?


----------

