# Can one exit UAE without an old passport/residence visa?



## SJL1964 (Jul 2, 2014)

Hi, due to the lengthy delays (7 weeks!) at the UK passport renewal service, my daughter will have her new UK passport, but unfortunately not the old passport which contains her UAE residence visa, when we are due to travel back to UK for a visit (they apparently send the old passport back about a week later). So can she exit UAE on the new passport, which will not show her residence visa? We will be okay for returning, as we can get the old passport to her in time for her return. Would be grateful for any advice.


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## londonmandan (Jul 23, 2013)

Yes

This is what I did as it happened to me (Passport delays) mind you I had a visit visa at the time so I am only guessing if it is the same for residence visa.

Go to British Consulate and explain the situation, they should be able to write a letter saying that the passport is in the UK or whereever it is being renewed.

Take that letter and get it converted to Arabic

Go to this office GDRFA I think it was Al Jahilya Metro (sp) and get an outpass form

Then go to border.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

Or if she has an egate card, show the passport checker before immigration the new one as all they check is the names match the ticket.

Go via the e-gate and you don't need the passport for exit, although boarding will do the same as the passport checker.


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## londonmandan (Jul 23, 2013)

But aren't the passport details linked to e-gate?


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## Jinx (Jul 2, 2010)

I had a friend try to do this (without visiting the embassy and all that jazz) and was turned away for his flight, so definitely DON'T go to the airport without the old passport.

Secondly, the e-gate should still work if the residence visa is still valid. You can renew your passport but not have to renew the egate.


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## londonmandan (Jul 23, 2013)

I didn't have my passport and the outpass covered me.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

londonmandan said:


> But aren't the passport details linked to e-gate?


Yes, so as far as they are concerned, you leave with passport in pocket and the electronic record just logs your exit.

I run two passports due to multiple visa demands and often go out on egate and come back in on egate - but with my non-UAE visa passport with me as its in another embassy somewhere.

You have to have A passport, but it doesn't need to be the one with the residency visa in it, as long as you have an egate.


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## Gavtek (Aug 23, 2009)

If you've got a UK passport, does it make any difference? Just get the new passport stamped with the usual 30 day tourist visa when you return surely?


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## SJL1964 (Jul 2, 2014)

Thank you all for the comments. Unfortunately she doesn't have an e-gate card, which would have been a good solution - hindsight is a wonderful thing! Of course I can't get her one without her old passport now. Coming back into UAE is not the issue, but I think they may want to see the residence visa on the way out............which is where we may face a problem.


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## earthworm88 (Jun 14, 2013)

SJL1964 said:


> Thank you all for the comments. Unfortunately she doesn't have an e-gate card, which would have been a good solution - hindsight is a wonderful thing! Of course I can't get her one without her old passport now. Coming back into UAE is not the issue, but I think they may want to see the residence visa on the way out............which is where we may face a problem.


Yes, the original visa (visit or residency) is required to exit at the airport if you are not going through e-gate. I tried this as a test (since my spouse had to return the old passport with the visa in it to his embassy at a later date). I just got my new passport without visa in it, which I was trying to exit with (residence visa was already canceled in the old invalid passport but was in my possession). I had a full copy of the old passport and all the pages as well. 

I first tried with the new passport, then with the copies of my old passport and visa. Nope, I was denied exit and was told to go to DNRD in Jafiliya to apply for an exit permit. So yeah, the only way to get around this is to do what Londonmandan suggested ahead of time if she still needs to leave according to plan. 

Good luck!


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## Chocoholic (Oct 29, 2012)

I think this is one of those classic situations that it will depend on the attitude of who you see on the way out. Hubby went to exit - he had his old expired passport with entry visa in it and his new passport - it took 5 guys all debating over 20 mins - to determine whether they would allow him to exit or not.


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## sm105 (Jan 9, 2014)

twowheelsgood said:


> You have to have A passport, but it doesn't need to be the one with the residency visa in it, as long as you have an egate.


Absolutely not true. A colleague of mine tried this but arrived back to a situation where the e-Gate machines were down for maintenance. They would not let him through as the passport he was carrying did not match their records for his e-Gate and residence visa. They would also not let him enter as a tourist because they have him in their records as a resident. Fortunately his other passport (which had gone for a visa application) was now back in the office so we had to send a driver to the airport with it to satisfy immigration.


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## earthworm88 (Jun 14, 2013)

Chocoholic said:


> I think this is one of those classic situations that it will depend on the attitude of who you see on the way out. Hubby went to exit - he had his old expired passport with entry visa in it and his new passport - it took 5 guys all debating over 20 mins - to determine whether they would allow him to exit or not.


I completely agree! In most cases, it is a more likely a person specific and not a system specific environment around here. 

Sorry, I forgot to add to my earlier post that when I whipped out my old passport with the original visa in it, I was immediately let through.


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## twowheelsgood (Feb 21, 2013)

sm105 said:


> Absolutely not true. .


Absolutely is, as I have done it before.

When you leave on egate, you are out of the country. When you come back in and if egate fails, you go to the main desks and they will log you in on a visitor visa. 

Your passport is logged against the residents visa - not your second passport. As far as the system is concerned, its two different people with the same name. All you have to remember is to leave on your second pasport, not the egate as the egate system says the first passport holder is still out of the country and hasn't come back in.

Your mate went to the desk next to the egates and tried to get in that way - and thats a mistake.


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## Enzoo (May 15, 2012)

better go to the residency department in jaffliya and ask about this just to make sure


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## cautious_mover (Dec 9, 2009)

You can get an emergency travel document from the UK Embassy (if they are working because most of the time they try to find a reason NOT to work - Empire Day, Queens Birthday etc..all holidays not taken in UK, BUT are taken in the Embassy coupled with local holidays and weekends plus the EU weekend) Sorry that was my dig at the pathetic Foreign Office that our nation (or rather the UK taxpayer) pays for. I guess we can't complain as we don't contribute ...but still....

Back to topic: they might be able to provide an Emergency passport - but my guess is you will have to prove it is an emergency (lord knows how you do that as you would be too busy dealing with such matters)...

Anyway good luck and forgive my Nespresso overload at such an early hour of the day!


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## qasimali (Jul 21, 2014)

Hey SJL1964 - were you able to leave? 

I'm in the same situation. I have two passports as the old one was full with stamps and has my dubai visa. I have a new one stapeled for a while but unfortunately my mother took that out of the country with her on accident. So i have a current passport which has an entry stamp for the UAE but the visa is in the old passport.

Anyone have any suggestions?


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## Jowhara (Aug 10, 2014)

Isn't the information about your visa status on the Emirates ID? Can't you use your emirates ID to show you have a valid UAE visa?


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## qasimali (Jul 21, 2014)

As far as I know the emirates ID has to be enabled with egate funcationality in order to be used - atleast thats what people have told me


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## rsinner (Feb 3, 2009)

qasimali said:


> As far as I know the emirates ID has to be enabled with egate funcationality in order to be used - atleast thats what people have told me


So you have the old passprt (with the residence visa) with you, or the new one without the residence visa?
If you have the old cancelled passport - you won't be able to leave.
If you have the new passport - If you don't have an egate, you will not be able to leave (on the sly) . If you don't have an egate, you won't be able to leave.

In either case you should get the correct passport back or apply for the correct outpass (if you don't have the visa)/temporary travel document (from the embassy if you don't have the new passport)


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