Arab Times

UAE launches online visa service for GCC residents

Bid to expedite passenger movement at ports

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ABU DHABI, Aug 19: 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, reports the Arab News.

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 aware- ness 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:

Businessme­n, investors, partners, and company managers and representa­tives;

Accountant­s, Auditors, doctors, engineers, lawyers and legal advisers;

Public sector workers other than workers and laborers;

Family members of the above-mentioned individual­s or entities and their escort, namely the helpers, and individual­s sponsored by them;

Foreign family members of GCC nationals, their sponsored helpers and escorts;

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;

Sponsored of citizens who have residence permits in GCC countries.

 ??  ?? Maj-Gen Khalifa Al-Khaili
Maj-Gen Khalifa Al-Khaili

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