# How long does it take to have issued visa stamped on passport?



## Nirvana

Hey guys,

after obtaining the red visa and submitting the medical results with the other required papers.... 

How long does it usually take after that (on average) to have it stamped on the passport and everything completed?

Some say at least a month,,, while others say just a coupla days. Also someone recently told me that there is an optional 100 AED fee to expedite and accelerate the process... 

Which of these claims is true?!

Thanks


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## peter.abing

It depends on the will power of your company's PRO. I got mine in couple of days.

Ask your company.


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## Roadworrier

The answer is yes to all. The visa for Abu Dhabi residency takes a few days longer than Dubai because AD needs to approve the medical insurance policy being offered. There is a fast track option (100 dhs i think) and an even faster VIP option (if your PRO is good) for the medical test procedures and the Emirates ID. It gets you through that exercise within 2 hours or less. 

My experience was the VIP (in Abu Dhabi) and I was I and out in 90 min. But it took 2 days to do the insurance, the Relocation consultant had to drive to Ajman to get the sponsor to sign the papers, and the AD Health Authority took 4 days to sign a stupid certificate. Then I had to sign the insurance certificate and get the 1 year premium paid before the PRO could take all the paperwork for the AD visa. The total: 8 calendar days.

A week should be enough if it is not an Abu Dhabi residency visa and your sponsor is in the country and readily available to sign the various papers. Otherwise the timeline can vary wildly.


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## Atomicangel

Hi apparently women get pushed forward to the front of the queue so hopefully when I go for my medical I won't have to wait two hours


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## saraswat

Atomicangel said:


> Hi apparently women get pushed forward to the front of the queue so hopefully when I go for my medical I won't have to wait two hours


Unless there are other women waiting there for their medical...:eyebrows::eyebrows:. But yeah seriously it shouldn't take long, one of the things I like here is the way women get fast-tracked, honestly. Any time i need to get something official done quick, I make sure to take a female family member with me lol.. its kinda cheating i know..


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## vantage

Atomicangel said:


> Hi apparently women get pushed forward to the front of the queue so hopefully when I go for my medical I won't have to wait two hours


my wife was in and out, including queuing, in under 20 minutes for her medical.
Mine took about an hour.


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## vantage

saraswat said:


> Unless there are other women waiting there for their medical...:eyebrows::eyebrows:. But yeah seriously it shouldn't take long, one of the things I like here is the way women get fast-tracked, honestly. Any time i need to get something official done quick, I make sure to take a female family member with me lol.. its kinda cheating i know..


small kids - aged 2 or 3, appear to be excellent queue-buster too, i've found!

If you've not got one, i'll hire one out to you!


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## Atomicangel

Hi thx for that but hv two kids of my own will take my son with me as people always like his cheeky smile


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## currently_indian

I today submitted medical test report, emirates ID application receipt (stamped), stamped entry permit, original passport, and a photograph to PRO which will send the file to Daman for medical insurance. How long does Daman take to process and give the health card ? They say it is max 5 working days but sometimes it is less. How long do you guys think it will take to get the visa stamped(assuming I paid extra for urgent stamping) so that I can travel back to my home country and bring my family . Never believed it will be so cumbersome.


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## Stevesolar

currently_indian said:


> I today submitted medical test report, emirates ID application receipt (stamped), stamped entry permit, original passport, and a photograph to PRO which will send the file to Daman for medical insurance. How long does Daman take to process and give the health card ? They say it is max 5 working days but sometimes it is less. How long do you guys think it will take to get the visa stamped(assuming I paid extra for urgent stamping) so that I can travel back to my home country and bring my family . Never believed it will be so cumbersome.


Hi,
We took all the papers to the Daman office in Mussafah and they issed the card within 30 minutes.
By giving everything to a 3rd party - you are at the whim of how quickly they deal with the paperwork.
Cheers
Steve


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## currently_indian

Stevesolar said:


> Hi,
> We took all the papers to the Daman office in Mussafah and they issed the card within 30 minutes.
> By giving everything to a 3rd party - you are at the whim of how quickly they deal with the paperwork.
> Cheers
> Steve


Thanks for the quick response. I never knew it was that easy, but I called Daman several times to know about the process and they insisted I apply through the 'company' or the sponsor. I told them I am a freelancer and can buy insurance on my own but the customer care responses were weird and different each time. I am not sure how you got it in 30 min, the customer care tells it takes 5 working days at max because it involves approvals from authorities.

Anyways, can you tell me what are the next steps ? I believe my PRO is fast as it got my entry permit next day in normal processing which was supposed to take 10 working days.


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## Stevesolar

currently_indian said:


> Thanks for the quick response. I never knew it was that easy, but I called Daman several times to know about the process and they insisted I apply through the 'company' or the sponsor. I told them I am a freelancer and can buy insurance on my own but the customer care responses were weird and different each time. I am not sure how you got it in 30 min, the customer care tells it takes 5 working days at max because it involves approvals from authorities.
> 
> Anyways, can you tell me what are the next steps ? I believe my PRO is fast as it got my entry permit next day in normal processing which was supposed to take 10 working days.


Hi,
Probably a bit late to do it yourself now, if you have already given everything to the PRO.
In our experience, we just did most of it ourselves - rather than rely on the PRO.
You need the insurance card - before visa will get stamped in passport.
There is always a big difference between answers you get on the phone and going to each place in person.
In person, we try to charm them into helping us get things done quickly - we usually take our 9 year old son to charm the Emirati women with his Arabic skills - they really respond well to him and that helps us!!
Cheers
Steve


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## currently_indian

Stevesolar said:


> Hi,
> Probably a bit late to do it yourself now, if you have already given everything to the PRO.
> In our experience, we just did most of it ourselves - rather than rely on the PRO.
> You need the insurance card - before visa will get stamped in passport.
> There is always a big difference between answers you get on the phone and going to each place in person.
> In person, we try to charm them into helping us get things done quickly - we usually take our 9 year old son to charm the Emirati women with his Arabic skills - they really respond well to him and that helps us!!
> Cheers
> Steve


Actually, DAMAN tells me that only basic plan (with premium 600 AED/annum) can be bought on the spot and they say I am not eligible for it. Are you referring to the same insurance plan ?

In any case, I see there is simply too little information on the internet on most of the processes in UAE. Even I failed to get step by step process of visa filing despite several emails to/replies from PRO. I decided to get Emirates ID and medical myself. Got the medical test results in 3 hours by paying 500 AED. But then was asked to proceed to the queue for biometrics which was HUGE. Went back to PRO to ask him what to do with biometrics and came to know if I had applied for Emirates ID through PRO, he would have got an appointment for biometrics. But now since I did medical screening in AHS near Khalifa hospital, the only next step was to stand in queue. Had to stand in queue from 11 AM till 6:00 PM !!!! So I decided to give everything to PRO now ...The procedures are too complex with incomplete documentation with lots of ifs and buts.


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## Stevesolar

Hi,
Have you tried ADNIC for medical insurance?
Cheers
Steve


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## currently_indian

Stevesolar said:


> Hi,
> Have you tried ADNIC for mesical insurance?
> Cheers
> Steve


I sent them an email but never heard back. Are there procedures better and different ?


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## Stevesolar

currently_indian said:


> I sent them an email but never heard back. Are there procedures better and different ?


Hi,
Worth a try - but dont use email.
Either go to their office or phone their call centre.
Had their Platinum package when i worked for a company in Dubai and it was very good.
Cheers
Steve


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## currently_indian

Stevesolar said:


> Hi,
> Worth a try - but dont use email.
> Either go to their office or phone their call centre.
> Had their Platinum package when i worked for a company in Dubai and it was very good.
> Cheers
> Steve


Hmm, can I speak to them now given that PRO has taken my application to Daman (although payment is still not done) ? Also, how much time it takes to get the residency visa stamped once health card is approved ? Is there any intermediate step after health card is issued and residence visa is applied ?


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## Stevesolar

currently_indian said:


> Hmm, can I speak to them now given that PRO has taken my application to Daman (although payment is still not done) ? Also, how much time it takes to get the residency visa stamped once health card is approved ? Is there any intermediate step after health card is issued and residence visa is applied ?


Hi,
Always worth a quick call.
Cant remember the exact procedure - had so many visas in Dubai & Abu Dhabi and the procedure changes each time and is still a bit of a mystery to me!
Cheers
Steve


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## currently_indian

Stevesolar said:


> Hi,
> Have you tried ADNIC for medical insurance?
> Cheers
> Steve


Abu Dhabi visa is really complex affair. I just called ADNIC and they said I am not eligible to buy the insurance on my own, only the company can apply. In my case, there is no company - I am a freelancer who pays for all the visa and insurance costs. I now believe I had no other option other than apply through PRO in media free zone. Still waiting for the invoice and health card to come and only when I pay for the insurance the free zone will process stamping of residence visa.


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## Stevesolar

Hi,
Out of interest - why did you choose Abu Dhabi for your visa, when there are simpler and less expensive options available from other Emirates?
Cheers
Steve


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## currently_indian

Stevesolar said:


> Hi,
> Out of interest - why did you choose Abu Dhabi for your visa, when there are simpler and less expensive options available from other Emirates?
> Cheers
> Steve


A very good question. I am an software developer from India who gets most of the revenues from USA/Europe. Almost every free zone asks you to first setup a company with cost of license upwards of 20000 AED/annum. Setting up a company was a pain from India with lot of regulations and I really did not need a company. Twofour54 in Abu Dhabi offered me a freelancer visa for only 2500 AED/annum as license cost with free hot desk. It was much cheaper and with minimal overhead, except this one time visa process which is time consuming.


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## currently_indian

Another unknown item just popped out of the black box of the visa process. My passport is with free zone and I was supposed to check out of my hotel tomorrow to move to a different one, but hey just realised I can not check in a hotel without original passport. I had no option to cancel that hotel in Sharjah and extend the current one in AD for 4 more nights ! I am sure process is much easier in other countries.


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## Navaron

it depends. I went from entry to country, through medical fingerprints and had the visa in my passport in 4 days.....


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## currently_indian

Navaron said:


> it depends. I went from entry to country, through medical fingerprints and had the visa in my passport in 4 days.....


Was the visa from Abu Dhabi or another Emirate ?


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## currently_indian

Very frustrated, it is now 4 working days and there is no clue about my health card. My question is can I exit the country if I need to without cancelling my entry permit ? There is a weekend in between, if out of frustration I book a plane ticket, will the immigration stop me or it will allow me to travel but cancel my visa on the spot ?


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## naeem786

Hi, Please anyone guide about my residence visa. I already have the red visa paper. my medical and emirates I'd procedure already done, So now I want to travel back to my country for only 2 days. I have something urgent to do.
So should I wait for my visa stamping or It's possible I can travel with the same situation.


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## twowheelsgood

naeem786 said:


> Hi, Please anyone guide about my residence visa. I already have the red visa paper. my medical and emirates I'd procedure already done, So now I want to travel back to my country for only 2 days. I have something urgent to do.
> So should I wait for my visa stamping or It's possible I can travel with the same situation.


If you leave now, before you get your passport back without your residence visa in it, you'll have to start all over again.


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