# DNRD Arbitrary Decisions



## tribalmatt (May 28, 2010)

Wading through the morass of red tape to get family visas sorted out. Getting there, but just wanted to rant a little and see if anyone has had similar experiences. 

After gathering together all the required documents, getting the marriage and birth certificates notarised, apostilled by the FCO and legalised by the UAE embassy in London, getting passport copies, salary certificates and all that, i was ready, arranged the morning off work and trotted across to the DNRD in Jebel Ali. 

After some pontification from the counter staff there, they informed me that this was not sufficient. Despite protestations I was told that in addition to all that they now also wanted me to get another attestation to authorse the previous authorised attestation from the British Embassy in Bur Dubai :confused2:. And so I was faced with a lengthy taxi journey, an additional AED300 document fee and a further 2 days wait to get those back, not to mention a wasted morning. The British embassy also informed me that this was not a neccesary step as I had already provided what was asked for (but were happy to take my money and do it anyway)...

It just seems to me that depending on mood, arbitrary decisions can be made on what you should and shouldn't provide. Anyone else experienced anything similar? Should I just resign myself to it as that's just the way things are done here?


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

Just the way things are done here, common sense often flies out the window.

I had a business trip to Mumbai come up at short notice earlier this week, but no problem, according to their consultate website, it only takes 3 working days to process a business visa as long as you have a letter of invitation from a company in India and a letter of no objection from your sponsor in the UAE.

Get down to the visa processing centre in Karama and I'm told the process will in fact take 7 working days because I have been living in the UAE for less than 2 years so it looks like I can't go now. Absolute shambles.


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## wandabug (Apr 22, 2010)

Welcome to Dubai,Have you been back to DRND yet? I had to do all that and then still go to Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dubai for more stamps.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

tribalmatt said:


> Should I just resign myself to it as that's just the way things are done here?


Welcome to Dubaiiiiiiiiiiiiii
Concrete jungle that will enrage you,
Prematurely age you
Now you're in Dubaiiiiiiiiiiiiii
Rules made up as they go along
Doesn't matter if you're right or wrong
Why am I in Dubai, Dubai, Dubai?


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## Olliesmum81 (Jul 4, 2010)

tribalmatt said:


> Wading through the morass of red tape to get family visas sorted out. Getting there, but just wanted to rant a little and see if anyone has had similar experiences.
> 
> After gathering together all the required documents, getting the marriage and birth certificates notarised, apostilled by the FCO and legalised by the UAE embassy in London, getting passport copies, salary certificates and all that, i was ready, arranged the morning off work and trotted across to the DNRD in Jebel Ali.
> 
> ...


Hi,

haha, sorry I am not laughing at you but I was the same!!! I had my certificate done by the solicitor in U.K. then legalised at Milton Keynes Office,back to Dubai as I was told the embassy does it here! Nope by the time I got it here it had changed and it had to be done in London U.A.E embassy!!! That was after being told to go to the council at the Creek,waiting over an hour,to be told noooo it's not here, you need to go to the British Council near the floating bridge!!! So off in the car in this heat I went, took an eternity to park, waited 45mins to be told no you don't need to be here as it has been done by the solicitor and Milton Keynes office, you need to be at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Bastakia District...so off I went...this time like someone had tried to drown me...totally soakingggg and had consumed my fourth bottle of water!!!! Drove there and waited a good half hour to get parked in which time i saw three cars being bumped into!!! Was like a comedy! Got in and waited an hour and 35 mins......... to be told........ you need to be at the British Council, where I had just come from!!! I said I've just been there and the guy said well too bad, go back!!!! Grrrrrrrrr...not amused I drove back there but couldn't get parked after 40mins, so I came home and phoned (after showering etc)!!! Was then told no, you have to send it to the U.A.E Embassy in London!!! So that's where it is now!!!! Will it be done when it is sent back????? How long is a piece of string!!! ???  Omggg, what a total carry-on!!! I did get my own back in a sense cos everywhere I went, I left a wet seat behind me cos it was a hot humid sticky yeuchyyyy day!!!! Oh ANDDDD when I got back to my car dripping wet, I put my handbag down to get my car keys and fabbyyy, it was on top of a lump of gooey chewing gum....nice and some fool had blocked my car in and I had to wait twenty mins for them to return!!!! So yipssssss I can say... I've had the hassle too!!! Do we really do all this for a bit of sunshine????


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## Felixtoo2 (Jan 16, 2009)

When dealing with anything remotely official I find the following phrase sums up the experience.
"Getting taken from behind without even the courtesy of a reach around!"

Welcome to Dubai, have a nice day (unless you`re an expat and then we`ll be telling you what sort of day to have!)


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## Olliesmum81 (Jul 4, 2010)

Felixtoo2 said:


> When dealing with anything remotely official I find the following phrase sums up the experience.
> "Getting taken from behind without even the courtesy of a reach around!"
> 
> Welcome to Dubai, have a nice day (unless you`re an expat and then we`ll be telling you what sort of day to have!)


HAHAHAHA!!!!.... totally agree!!!!!:eyebrows:


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## Seabee (Jul 15, 2010)

It's normal. Each person has his own idea of what the rules are, how to interpret them and how to apply them.

If you get a '_no_' or a _'I need more' _from someone, walk away, go outside, come back in and take another ticket, go to a different desk. You'll get a different answer there.


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## bonk (Jun 13, 2008)

tribalmatt said:


> Wading through the morass of red tape to get family visas sorted out. Getting there, but just wanted to rant a little and see if anyone has had similar experiences.
> 
> After gathering together all the required documents, getting the marriage and birth certificates notarised, apostilled by the FCO and legalised by the UAE embassy in London, getting passport copies, salary certificates and all that, i was ready, arranged the morning off work and trotted across to the DNRD in Jebel Ali.
> 
> ...


Dubai and the UAE seems to be notorious for flaky rules and procedures but I think there's an element of the greater proportion of expats living here that highlights bureacratic nonsense. I've had to deal with similar procedures in other (allegedly more efficient) countries and encountered just the same sort of unpleasant attitude from bureacrats, as did almost every one of my colleagues where ever I was working.

The rule seems to be to perservere, expect to have to get more documents no matter how many you bring, and remember that the official's goal is to try and break you, not help you (that's not true but it helps to think like that).


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## bonk (Jun 13, 2008)

Seabee said:


> It's normal. Each person has his own idea of what the rules are, how to interpret them and how to apply them.
> 
> If you get a '_no_' or a _'I need more' _from someone, walk away, go outside, come back in and take another ticket, go to a different desk. You'll get a different answer there.


Yes, I agree. That is probably one of the most efficient methods for dealing with "the system" here .

Or just take the red pill and give up. Or was it the blue pill? I can never remember.


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## Mr Rossi (May 16, 2009)

Doesn't have to be an Emirati or wasta or anything but if you can take along an arabic speaking friend you get things done a lot quicker, often in 5 mins with no hassle.


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## Seabee (Jul 15, 2010)

Bonk, when dealing with bureaucrats the best idea is to take both pills.


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## bonk (Jun 13, 2008)

Seabee said:


> Bonk, when dealing with bureaucrats the best idea is to take both pills.


Yes, quite right


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