Deported Swedish tourist admits she made a visa ‘mistake’ on arrival at Dubai airport
▶ Dentist at centre of media storm made wild allegations to British press about her treatment by the authorities
The Swedish dentist who became the focus of newspaper headlines over her detention in Dubai has admitted that she was held after attempting to enter the UAE on an already-used visa.
Ellie Holman, who runs a Botox clinic in the English town of Sevenoaks in Kent, told the Mail-Online website that an incident over her use of a previously issued visa got out of hand last month.
The revelation was tucked away in article that repeated a series of wild accusations about the Iranian-born dual national.
Ms Holman uses the name of her English fiance and her real name is Elham Reza Reza Sateei (sic). The visa, which is dated 23/05-21/07, also stated that she had no accompanying children, yet she was travelling “on a break” with her daughter Bibi, 4.
“At Dubai International airport, she handed over her Iranian passport at the immigration desk. The officer’s computer told him that her visa had already been used two months earlier, which Ellie acknowledges was her mistake,” the article stated. “He advised Ellie to get a transit visa, which would allow her to stay in the country for the duration of her five-day trip.”
But tempers frayed after Ms Holman used her phone to start recording at the immigration counter.
Officials said Ms Holman produced an expired Swedish passport at one point.
The flight landed on July 13 and she left the UAE on August 12. Almost all of that time was spend at a private home.
The businesswoman engaged the public relations company Detained in Dubai on her behalf.
The family estimated the cost of the incident, including advisory services, flights, accommodation and lost earnings to be in the tens of thousands of pounds.
“So far, this situation has cost me about £30,000 (Dh140,000) in legal fees, expenses and missed work,” she said. “My practice is closed. All of our savings are gone.” In a phone call with The National in which the visa issue was put to Ms Holman, she refused to speak about her experience.
Detained in Dubai has a track record of seeking clients that are experiencing immigration difficulties in the UAE.
In this case as in others, two starkly different versions have been presented in the case, starting with claims that she was detained for drinking wine on the flight to the UAE.
Dubai Attorney General Essam Al Humaidan denied this, saying Ms Holman faced charges of profanity and photographing a government official during the row after trying to enter the UAE on the expired Swedish passport.
An immigration official told her she could not use an expired passport and she then produced an Iranian one, which entitled her to a 96-hour stay, but she had to change her departure flight according to the new visa.
She “angrily” refused to do this due to the extra cost it would entail, verbally insulted the immigration officer and took photos with her phone.
The businesswoman says she spent three days of the month spent in Dubai in jail with her daughter. Yet the record shows they remained together in the airport security office for less than 24 hours.
“Services were provided to them, taking into full account and consideration of her 4-year-old daughter,” Mr Al Humaidan said.
Ms Holman said she was told the case would be annulled if she paid £40,000 to the immigration official. This too was rebutted by Dubai officials. Money was exchanged and the prosecution dropped the charges against the dentist and deported her instead.
The National has reported posts on Ms Holman’s clinic’s Facebook page to show that she treated patients in Dubai.
But the health authority’s online records show she is not licensed in the UAE.
Even dentists licensed by DHA are not eligible to carry out the non-surgical cosmetic procedures she promoted on her clinic’s Facebook page.
Her Kent clinic is not registered with the UK’s professional body, although she is not required by law to do so.
So far this situation has cost me about £30,000 in legal fees, expenses and missed work ELLIE HOLMAN Dentist