# Time taken to get Residence Visa



## pnephil (Jul 20, 2013)

Hi, would be grateful of any info on the above.

I've been in Dubai for a week now and my PRO is taking me for my blood test / medical tomorrow. Any ideas as to how long it takes between having the blood test and getting the residence visa? I ask as due to a family bereavement yesterday I need to get back to the UK at the weekend however I currently don't have my passport (It's with my PRO).

I also have found somewhere to live however without the residence visa I have no cheque-book (I have a non-checking account ready to convert once I have my visa) so can't write a cheque for it.

Is there any chance of me getting the visa by Thursday?

Many thanks for any replies - Phil


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

if the medical test was done at a "VIP" center (e.g. the one in Safa), the test result should come within a few hours (or the next day if the test was done in the afternoon) and if the PRO is diligent enough you will have the visa a few hours after that. 
If it was not done in a VIP center then I think they take 48 hours to deliver the result. The visa stamping (pasting) can be done soon after that. 
Just pester your PRO about the urgency.
Chequebook - whatever illusions you may have about the bank's efficiency, it will still take a few days for you to get your account actually converted and get the cheque book delivered to you. If I remember correctly, with HSBC it took me a couple of weeks. Hopefully things would be better with you


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## Chocoholic (Oct 29, 2012)

Hello, firstly I'm very sorry for your loss.

Sadly, due to the national holidays - very very unlikely. Depending where you have your blood test, results come back in 24 hours upto a few days - but again because of the holiday, they will be backed up. My residence visa took 2 weeks to be done. It depends on the company, how many staff they're dealing with and how efficient they are.

You could request your passpotr back, to go to the UK and then have the visa stamped in on your return.


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## pnephil (Jul 20, 2013)

Thanks for the replies guys, I've been reading the forum for weeks before coming out here and gleaning loads of information from it however I hadn't prepared myself for the length of time it takes for anything to get done around here, it's so frustrating but I suppose I'll get used to it.

I'll now badger my PRO to see if he can speed things up.


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## EricaP (Aug 31, 2013)

My residence visa took no time at all but my company is in the DIFC, and I was told that works more quickly. I do think it would be possible to retrieve the passport on Wednesday or Thursday morning if you don't have the visa yet and then give it back again when you return, as someone else suggested. 

Note that my checking account didn't take very long - opened it on a Thursday and had my ATM and check book in hand by Sunday. However, the wire transfer to get money into the account took a week and a half due to an error on Citibank in the US. 

Good luck and sorry for your loss.


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## mariot (Nov 4, 2013)

You can open a cheque account and have your atm card, cheque book in 30minutes at Mashreq, did that for my wife when she came over, once you have residency and company offer letter in hand, they'll even try give you a loan if you set it up as a salary transfer account.


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## tbayaa (Dec 3, 2013)

It really depends where you are doing it. DIFC can get it done for you in a maximum of 5 days, and you can take the medical there. Fujairah Free Zone can take 1 month!


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