Canadians to stay outside the country for one month for new UAE visit visa

Canadians need to stay outside the country for one month before they can apply for new visit visas in a stipulation similar to one set out for people of certain nationalities who are required to have a visa in advance to enter the UAE, official said yesterday.

Officials said the same visa rules that are applied to people of certain other nationalities who are required to be in possession of a visa before entering the UAE will apply to Canadians as well.An official from the Ministry of Interior said that the new rules will take effect from January 2.

Canadians who hold regular passports and intend to travel to the UAE need to apply for visa in advance for visit, tourism and business purposes, the official said.

The official added that Canadians seeking to enter the UAE on a visit visa could get their papers processed through a sponsor who could either be a person or a company.

Transit visa

The official said that those Canadians going to the UAE as tourists could apply for tourist visas through hotels or travel agencies in the UAE.He said the same rules that were applicable to people of nationalities requiring an advance visa to enter the UAE would henceforth apply to Canadians, who were earlier exempted from visa rules.

Canadians transiting through the UAE will be able to obtain a transit visa at the airport upon presentation of travel documents indicating that they will leave the UAE within 96 hours to their onward destination, the official said.

"In the past a Canadian with regular passport could enter the UAE after obtaining visa upon arrival. Now the rules have changed," he added.

The UAE Embassy noted that a "short-term visa" will cost C$250 and would be valid for 30 days, a long-term visa for three months would cost C$500 and a six-month multiple-entry visa will set travelers back C$1,000.

He added that Canadians with diplomatic and special passports are required to obtain their UAE visa from the UAE Embassy in Canada before their travel.The official said Canadians visiting the UAE would also have to ensure that their passports were valid for at least six months beyond the date of entry into the country.