Dubai, Sharjah Emirates Suspend Visa Services; Reason Yet to be Formally Disclosed
Kathmandu, 16, Sep: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has imposed a halt on issuing visit visas to Nepalese citizens. The UAE government has not formally communicated the reason for this sudden suspension.
According to a travel agency operator, the Dubai Emirates had already been tightening its visit visa procedures for some time. After Dubai’s crackdown, Nepalese citizens began applying for visas through the Sharjah Emirates.
“Around 90 percent of visas were being rejected from Dubai. However, visas were still coming from Sharjah. That has also been stopped now,” said the travel agency operator.Â
He added that Sharjah was selling one-month visas for 1,550 Dirhams (including a 1,030 Dirham deposit) and two-month visas for 650 Dirhams. Stakeholders have interpreted the sudden non-acceptance of visa applications from Nepalese as a temporary ban, effective from this morning.
Background of the Restrictions and Impact on Nepalese Travel
Currently, visa-related work for the UAE is handled by travel agencies that have obtained special permission. Such agencies operate in both Nepal and Dubai. The Dubai Emirates had begun tightening its visa rules since last January.
Dubai had offered an amnesty from September to December. Stakeholders report that visa procedures tightened immediately after the amnesty period ended. With Abu Dhabi having already stopped earlier and Sharjah now also halting services, Nepalese citizens are expected to face significant difficulties traveling to the UAE.
Nepalese citizens have been traveling to the UAE in large numbers on visit visas. Furthermore, many Nepalis use the visit visa to go there, find a job, and then convert it to a work permit.
Official Response and Potential Reasons
Tej Bahadur Chhetri, the Nepali Ambassador to the UAE, responded that the embassy has not received formal information about the visa restrictions. However, a Nepali engineer based in the UAE suggested that the temporary ban might have been imposed due to the developing political situation in Nepal and the increasing problems associated with Nepalis in the UAE.
The UAE is a major destination for Nepali migrant workers, with an estimated 800,000 Nepalis currently working there. The Nepali embassy in Abu Dhabi estimates that around 70,000 of them initially arrived on visit visas and later converted to work permits. Additionally, many Nepalis use the UAE, particularly Dubai, as a transit point to reach other countries for employment.
Underlying Behavioral Issues Cited as a Concern
In an interview with RatoPati (a news portal) a month and a half ago, Ambassador Chhetri had stated that with the increasing number of Nepalis, issues like overstaying, involvement in drug abuse, and other criminal activities were on the rise.
He had said that the UAE side had informed him that if these activities continue to increase, it could create obstacles for Nepalis seeking employment there.
“In the course of discussions, the UAE side has been saying that the problems are increasing. That is why we are planning to conduct awareness programs in coordination with Dubai Police, Abu Dhabi Police, and others,” he had said.
