Earlier due to Covid-19, there was relaxation, and people didn't need to exit the country.
Extension of visit visas without exiting the UAE has been stopped, according to travel agents in the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
"Today, we got this information from the immigration department. Normally it was an inside-country visa, so one needn't exit the UAE. Earlier, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, there was relaxation, and people didn't need to exit the country. But now the relaxation has been removed. This is the information we received from the immigration department,"
a Dubai-based travel agent said.
The development was widely discussed by community members on Facebook groups and other social media platforms.
An Abu Dhabi-based travel agent said the condition to exit the country for visa renewal is a standard procedure followed in pre-pandemic days.
"Inside the country, renewals and extensions of visit visas have been stopped. You should exit the country and then apply. This is similar to norms followed in pre-pandemic days. We are now back to normalcy and hence the relaxation has been removed."
Another travel agent from Dubai is still awaiting an official confirmation and said the process was showing an error and applications getting rejected.
"Yes, applications for visit visas are getting rejected. We are waiting for an official confirmation. Last month, the immigration department reduced the 90-day visa to 60 days,"
he said.
News Source: Khaleej Times
