Health insurance mandatory to enter UAE

Dubai: Health insurance is mandatory for visitors to enter UAE, said a senior official from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA),

The rule for mandatory health insurance was implemented almost five years ago by the UAE government. Everyone applying for a visit or tourist visa needs to have health insurance, regardless of the nationality, age or gender. Only nationalities who can avail of visas on arrival are exempt.

Major General Mohammad Ahmad Al Merri, Director General of the GDRFA, told Gulf News that tourists and visitors can receive free treatment in case of emergency as per the visa health insurance rules and regulations.

“A ministerial decision number 322 for the year 2008 makes health insurance mandatory to obtain any type of visit visa to the UAE. The rule came into effect in August in the same year,” he said.

The Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing in Dubai is in charge of tourists’ health insurance, he said.

Companies and tour operators that bring in visitors should arrange for health insurance policies for their guests.
The tourist company must follow up any tourist they brought here in case that tourist falls ill and needs to be hospitalised,” said Al Merri.

The GDRFA has signed an agreement with Noor Takaful Islamic Insurance to issue health insurance policies for visitors to Dubai with a minimum coverage of Dh150,000 per person per visit.

“Visit Visa Medical Takaful Plan is the plan approved by the UAE government for the visit visa application. The plan provides the medical coverage as required by the UAE visa regulations for visitors entering the country,” he said.

He said that the Takaful plan covers emergency in-patient medical expenses incurred by visitors while in the UAE, 24 hours a day, for up to a maximum of Dh150,000 and repatriation of mortal remains up to a maximum Dh7,500.

The plan offers facility for direct billing settlement to providers where visitors can access the company’s wide network of healthcare providers without the need to pay first, thus providing convenience for fast medical attention in an emergency.

He said the non-network treatment shall be covered only for treatment of life-threatening cases.

“An external health insurance from any insurance company or travel agency is accepted and will be attested free of charge by the GDRFA,” he said.

He said that health coverage policies issued by other companies will also be accepted provided they meet the same criteria including the minimum limit of Dh150,000 and the types of services offered like emergencies and repatriation of bodies.

He added the insurance company will offer three different types of health policies according to the visit periods.

Prices start from Dh40 for short-term visas valid for 30 days; Dh90 for visas valid for 90 days; and Dh185 for multiple entry visas valid for 180 days.

He explained that these policies will cover accidents and emergencies during the visitor’s stay in the country.

Major General Al Merri added that the health agreement does not cover medical treatment outside the health services providers’ network, except in the case of emergency life-threatening cases.

The policy also does not cover chronic illnesses and it will include treatment of serious complications of already existing chronic illnesses in the emergency room only. It also does not cover pregnancy, delivery and ophthalmology or dental treatment.

Health insurance policies for visitors can be obtained from special counters to be set up at the GDRFA’s headquarters in Bur Dubai, and other branches in Abu Hail, the Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai Airport, Dnata office on Shaikh Zayed Road, Umm Suqeim, Jebel Ali and Bin Souqat Centre in Rashidiya.

National IDs required to cancel visas in UAE

Residents applying for the cancellation of their UAE residence visa must surrender their Emirates ID card to immigration authorities, an official said.

The highly-placed official at Dubai’s General Directorate for Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) told Gulf News that visas will not be cancelled unless the ID card is handed over.

The official, who did not want to be named, said: “No residency visa will be cancelled without the ID cards. Cancelling the visa, for the purpose of leaving the country forever or for the purpose of changing jobs, requires [handing over] the ID cards.”

Residents typically apply to have their visa cancelled when leaving the UAE for good or when changing jobs. As a rule, a job change involves a visa change as well.

Rules apply to children

The GDRFA will hand over the returned ID card to the Emirates Identity Authority, which issues the card in the first place, the official added. He said this procedure is required by the issuing authority and applicants who have lost their card must produce a letter from the authority confirming the situation

“Everyone must have his or her ID card with them. Even cancelling the residency visa for a child requires submitting the ID card of that child,” the official said. He added that the rule is in place across the UAE.

Renewals

However, in the case of visa renewals, applicants can retain their card, the official said. “We are not asking for [surrendering of] the ID card in case one is renewing the residency visa.” A valid card must be shown at the time of renewals, though.

The Emirates ID card is required for all UAE nationals and legal residents aged 15 and above. The smart card carries a picture and basic information of the holder, including a computer chip and biometric data.

The Emirates Identity Authority says the card prevents identity theft and allows access to certain government and non-government services. It has repeatedly said that those who fail to register for the card will be fined and possibly barred from a number of government services.

UAE medical licence can be applied for online

Dubai: Health-care professionals, especially outside the UAE, can apply for a medical licence to work in the Emirates through the fully operational online Examination and Evaluation System (EES).

They can appear for the licence exams, conducted on a weekly basis, in their own country and receive results electronically, reducing cost and time. The fees are also paid electronically.

The system by the UAE Ministry of Health obviates the need to visit the ministry’s offices.

Previously, an applicant had to appear for an exam, and if unsuccessful, reappear after the stipulated two months wait.

“The new system allows an applicant to sit for an exam every week in his or her country [the number of attempts or trials to schedule MoH exams is four],” said Dr Ameen Hussain Al Amiri, Assistant Undersecretary for Medical Practices and Licensing at the ministry, speaking to Gulf News.

He explained that in the past, applicants had to enter the country and incur expenses.

“Now they can enter the country after they have been evaluated and are ready to seek jobs. The system is centralised and reduces the financial burden on applicants. It also saves them time.”

To facilitate the exams, the ministry has enlisted the help of Prometric Worldwide, a global testing network. “Prometric manages the exams for the ministry around the world,” said Dr Al Amiri.

Apart from licensing, health-care professionals including physicians, technicians, dentists, pharmacists and TCAM (traditional, complementary and alternative medicine) practitioners can also benefit from the system’s online features that allow one to upgrade qualification and experience.

For fee payment, the system mandates the use of the UAE e-dirham card, which was introduced in 2001 to replace traditional methods of fee collection for government services.

The UAE E-Dirham card is a ‘secure electronic purse’ that can be bought in person or online from the ministries of Finance and Interior and/or any member bank like the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank and Commercial Bank of Dubai.

Dr Al Amiri said that once an applicant has registered, he or she has to submit the required documents (passport copy, photograph, and certificates, among others), and pay the fee using the UAE e-dirham card.

He explained that the payment is done through the Blue and Red Al Haslah prepaid (customisable) e-dirham cards.

He added the system has been tested by the ministries of health and finance to ensure accuracy.

The Federal National Council (FNC) reviewing draft commercial law that would allow 100 per cent foreign ownership of some companies

Abu Dhabi: The Federal National Council (FNC) will be reviewing on Tuesday a draft commercial companies law that would allow full foreign ownership of certain firms “but within specific conditions,” said Ali Eisa Al Nuaimi, a representative from Ajman.

“Members of the House will debate in a two-day session a draft commercial law that will allow 100 per cent foreign ownership of some companies, within specific conditions,” said Al Nuaimi, a representative from Ajman.

The draft legislation would authorise the Cabinet, on advice from the Minister of Economy, to name companies which would be fully owned by foreigners.

Under UAE law only citizens are allowed full ownership of companies operating outside of free zones. The law currently allows foreigners to own a maximum of 49 per cent of companies registered outside of free zones — and requires foreigners to have an Emirati as a partner or sponsor to conduct business.

Al Nuaimi told Gulf News eligible companies would “have to be within the industries that have certain priorities within the economy, such as aerospace, communications and petrochemicals.”

“These companies should bring added value in terms of providing their expertise to support the UAE’s continued development and growth. They should also hire large numbers of Emiratis, with each offering 100 jobs or more to citizens,” argued Al Nuaimi, also rapporteur of the parliamentary financial committee.

He added the legislation would lay down a framework for the governance of public companies, ensuring transparency and disclosure of financial data as well as the efficiency and integrity of the board of directors.

“The law is meant to improve the business landscape in the UAE and make it easier to do business and potentially boost the economy. It will enforce strict corporate governance standards in accordance with international practices,” Al Nuaimi said.

The draft law, he added, would also open up the jurisdiction for free zone companies wishing to operate in the UAE outside of the free zones.

Al Nuaimi said the committee would suggest making governance rules applicable to all members and chairs of the board, removing particular partnership companies from the draft law and making it obligatory for company founders to return share cash plus interest in the event public joint stock companies are not set up.

The committee also stressed that foreigners may not be allowed to act as agents of foreign companies and that labour shares can only be accepted from acting partners.

Under the draft law, which comprises 12 chapters and 383 articles, the founders of a Public Joint Stock Company (PJSC) are obliged to subscribe to no less than 30 per cent of the issued capital of a company.

The draft law will not apply to companies excluded by a Cabinet resolution. These include companies wholly owned by federal or local authorities, companies in which the federal or local authority, or any establishment, authority, department or company controlled or held by any of the foregoing (directly or indirectly) holds at least a 25 per cent shareholding and which operates in oil exploration, drilling, refining, manufacturing, marketing or operating in the energy sector in power generation, gas production, or water desalination and distribution.

Members of the House are also set to press for the boosting of domestic tourism and the setting up of a federal drugs watchdog.