Online UAE visa service for GCC residents to boost trade

ABU DHABI: The UAE Ministry of Interior, represented by the Naturalization, Residency and Ports Sector, has launched an online service to allow GCC residents and their escort to get their UAE entry permits (visas) via the various ports across the country, through the “Fawri” portal on the ministry’s website www.moi.gov.ae.

These measures are in line with the Ministerial Decree No. 377 of 2014, and in accordance with the required conditions and procedures.
Major General Khalifa Hareb Al-Khaili, assistant undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Naturalization, Residency and Ports, indicated that the new service comes in line with the Ministry of Interior’s keenness to keep pace with technology advances in order to expedite passenger movement at the various ports and streamline the visa issuance procedure for passengers before arriving to the country, ultimately save time and effort for travelers.
He said: “The Naturalization, Residency and Ports Sector constantly seeks to elaborate an advanced method to further keep pace with the development and progress witnessed by the UAE in all areas. ”
He also said that additional smart solutions will be rolled out in the future, in order to provide distinguished services that exceed customers’ expectations in record time and in accordance with the highest advanced standards.  
Major General Al-Khaili added: “Launching the online visa issuance service for GCC residents and their escort is a paradigm shift in upgrading services’ efficiency, within an integrated strategy toward smart transformation of services and ensure their availability through the Ministry of Interior’s website and smart phones.”
He added: “This approach is in line with the vision of the government aimed at upgrading services provided to the public and empowering the concept of fast, high-quality services.”
For his part, Lt. Col. Matar Kharbash, head of E-services Department at the Naturalization, Residency and Ports Affairs sector, head of the team supporting smart e-transition at the Naturalization, Residency and Ports Sector, stressed the the Interior Ministry’s diligent pursuit to develop smart e-services so as to enhance public satisfaction while maintaining a high level of professionalism that exceeds all expectations in various police sectors in the country.  
This is in line with the smart government initiative aimed at increasing and boosting awareness of government entities about the benefits of mobile phone services and the need to implement the optimal techniques in the provision of government services to improve performance, based on the creativity and innovation factors and consistent with the need to cater to the requirements of all society segments and achieve their aspirations.
Major General Al-Khaili also pointed out that the visit visa is issued at the various ports in the country, in accordance with Article 42 for GCC expats (not obtaining a prior visa or permission), allows him to enter into the territory of the country if he belongs to any of the following categories:
l Businessmen, investors, partners, and company managers and representatives;
l Accountants, Auditors, doctors, engineers, lawyers and legal advisers;
l Public sector workers other than workers and laborers;
l Family members of the above-mentioned individuals or entities and their escort, namely the helpers, and individuals sponsored by them;
l Foreign family members of GCC nationals, their sponsored helpers and escorts;
l GCC truck drivers transporting goods from any of the GCC countries. They are required to submit a sponsor’s letter of no objection (NOC) from the sponsoring entity in the country of issuance;
l Sponsored of citizens who have residence permits in GCC countries.