# I got my work visa, now what?



## Sean2008 (Sep 9, 2008)

I got my work visa! My employer emailed me a scanned copy and said the original is at the airport. Can you please guide me through what I should do after getting off the plane in Dubai? Thanks!


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Get on the bus and get off at the second stop (arrivals). Once you come through the arrivals lounge, go straight to the visa collection desk. It will be right in front of you, so you won't miss it. You will then need to have an eye scan, before proceeding to immigration. They will stamp your passport and then that's it!

Have they booked Marhaba for you? If they have, your visa will be left with them and they will guide you through all the formalities.

It's a very simple process. They do not even seem to bother with asking you questions here!


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## Sean2008 (Sep 9, 2008)

No, they haven't booked Marhaba for me. When I went to Dubai for my job interview I remember I had to walk a long way after getting off the plane. I didn't know there was a bus because everybody was walking too. 

So do they keep the original work visa with them or do they give it to me? Do they stamp my passport or the original work visa (or the copy)?



Maz25 said:


> Get on the bus and get off at the second stop (arrivals). Once you come through the arrivals lounge, go straight to the visa collection desk. It will be right in front of you, so you won't miss it. You will then need to have an eye scan, before proceeding to immigration. They will stamp your passport and then that's it!
> 
> Have they booked Marhaba for you? If they have, your visa will be left with them and they will guide you through all the formalities.
> 
> It's a very simple process. They do not even seem to bother with asking you questions here!


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## buglet (Sep 2, 2008)

When I came through I just had to hand a copy of my work visa over at the normal passport control - they wrote something in my passport and that was it - was very quick.


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## Maz25 (Jul 6, 2008)

Collect the original from the airport and take it through to immigration. You need to hand it back, along with your passport, to your employer for them to process your residency. They will give you back your passport, complete with residence visa, once it comes back from the free zone authority that issued it!


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## Sean2008 (Sep 9, 2008)

Buglet, how recent was that? 



buglet said:


> When I came through I just had to hand a copy of my work visa over at the normal passport control - they wrote something in my passport and that was it - was very quick.


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## buglet (Sep 2, 2008)

i came over from the UK the second week in september, i believe my work had the original and had emailed me a copy to show when i came through passport control - work has since had my passport to process my residency and i should get this back all complete this week (a bit delayed du to Eid)


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## flossie (Jun 9, 2008)

Maz25 said:


> Get on the bus and get off at the second stop (arrivals). Once you come through the arrivals lounge, go straight to the visa collection desk. It will be right in front of you, so you won't miss it. You will then need to have an eye scan, before proceeding to immigration. They will stamp your passport and then that's it!
> 
> Have they booked Marhaba for you? If they have, your visa will be left with them and they will guide you through all the formalities.
> 
> It's a very simple process. They do not even seem to bother with asking you questions here!


You don't always need to get on a bus, so don't freak out if you walk straight from the plane into the airport.


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## crazymazy1980 (Aug 2, 2008)

Sean2008 said:


> I got my work visa! My employer emailed me a scanned copy and said the original is at the airport. Can you please guide me through what I should do after getting off the plane in Dubai? Thanks!


Talk to your company and ask them where in the airport your real visa will be. It should be somewhere between the plane and passport control. Bring your copy with you and then show it to them with your passport. They'll then give you the real thing

Walk through passport control like you would in any airport. They stamp your passport and check your visa. I never had my eye scanned or finger prints taken.

Walk towards the baggage carousels get your bags and then either get a taxi to your hotel or arrange for the hotel to do an airport pickup if this hasn't already been arranged by your company.

If you haven't booked with Ahlan or Marhaba the only difference will be that it will take you longer to process the passport control so if you don't mind (like all Brits) a bit of a queue I wouldn't bother. Subject to queues you can be out between 15mins to an hour.

HTH


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