Wives need not exit Dubai for employment visa

Wives need not exit the country if they are planning to move from their husband’s sponsorship to their employer’s visa.

According to a clarification by Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) sent to this website, “We don't have any new rules for lady workers in the UAE.

“For change status from husband’s visa to company visa inside Dubai there is no need to exit the country.”

When Emirates 24|7 contacted the toll-free helpline, the call centre employee confirmed this. “There is no such rule. Women do not have to exit.”

DNRD’s ‘Amer’ service - a 24|7 helpline that answers queries relating to visa and urgent applications – also confirmed this.

A section of the press had last week reported that any woman who wished to transfer her sponsorship from that of a relative to her employer had to exit the country.

It detailed how the sponsor must obtain an air ticket in the lady’s name and produce it to the residency department so that the visa can be cancelled.

Once the application was submitted the applicants will be given seven days to leave the country and allowed to re-enter once the employment visa from the ministry of labour was ready.

A few typing centres in Dubai also confirmed DNRD’s statement. “There is no need for the woman to leave the country,” an official at a typing centre said.

Another typing centre also confirmed that there is no such rule in place. “These things can change any time. So, we don’t know for sure,” he said, adding that the total cost for transferring visa from husband’s to employer’s will work around Dh1,000.