ABU DHABI — The Ministry of Interior announced on Monday that people can apply for all types of visas online through its web site www.moieserv.ae from January next year.
The applicants will be able to apply for all types of visas and receive the
visas online. They can also pay the fees and charges online using credit cards,
even if the UAE sponsor is not available in the country.
The Naturalisation and Residency Department concerned would mail the requested
visa to the sponsor, Major-General Mattar Salim bin Mesaied Al Neiadi, Director
of the IT Department at the MoI, told Khaleej Times.
Major Khaled Nasser Al Taei, Head of the System Development Section at the IT
Department, told Khaleej Times that the applicants — who are currently required
to take a printout of the filled-in application form, attach the required
documents and submit them at the nearest Naturalisation and Residency Department
to receive the visa immediately after document verification — will no longer
have do that after the launch of the online service.
The identification documents of sponsors, be they nationals or residents, would
be entered into the database for verification before the launch. The move will
save time and effort of the applicants, Al Taei said.
What
people say
Indian national Rajif, like many other applicants at the Sharjah Naturalization
and Residency Department seeking to renew their residency visas and living in
shared accommodations, expressed concern over the lack of clarity in the rules
for renewal of the residency visas and sponsorship of families, as reported by a
local English daily.
"I came to renew my residency visa. My salary is Dh4,500. I live in a shared
accommodation with my friend so I am not sure whether my application for renewal
will be accepted by the counter staff."
Bangladeshi national Abid Shaikh, a businessman, hailed the decision taken by
the Sharjah Municipality, saying people should not bring their families to the
UAE if they cannot provide a descent accommodation to them.