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Travel and Visas

Travel

Dubai is well-connected to most other cities in the world. Delegates can choose from a wide variety of airlines, including national carriers Emirates, Etihad Airways and Air Arabia. Emirates offers more daily flights to Dubai than any other airline. Many international airlines such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa and KLM serve Dubai regularly as well. Air Arabia is a budget airline with a growing network of routes across the Middle East, Iran and India. Delegates flying with Air Arabia will typically land in neighboring Sharjah, a 30-minute taxi ride to Dubai. Delegates flying with Etihad Airways will typically land in Abu Dhabi, the UAE Capital city which is 90 minutes from Dubai. Early reservations are recommended as Dubai is a very busy destination year-round and especially from October to March.

Arrival

Dubai International Airport is a modern and friendly facility. Most passengers have no difficulty finding their way through the airport. However, delegates may request the Marhaba Meet & Greet service (optional) at Dubai Airport from their hotel when they make their reservation or by contacting the Marhaba Call Center directly: Phone - +971 4 216 2630 / +971 4 224 5780. E-mail - marhaba@emirates.com

The basic Marhaba service costs $ 21 USD per passenger and includes the following:

  • Airport escort
  • Visa delivery
  • Speedy clearance through all airport formalities
  • Hand baggage trolleys (upon request)
  • Buggy car transfer priority through the airport terminal (if required) (not available in Terminal 2)

Please note that this service is offered complimentary (free of charge) to active AUSACE Board members who send us (ausace-resv@zu.ac.ae) their flight information by October 15, 2007 only. After that date, the service is payable when requested by board members.   

Useful Online Travel Resources

Visas

The categories given below identify whether an individual requires a visit visa before arrival or whether one can be issued at the airport or entry point.

AGCC Citizens - Citizens of the Arab Gulf Co-operation Council (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and Bahrain) do not need a visa.

AGCC Residents - AGCC expatriate residents who are professors, managers, doctors, engineers, pharmacists and similar professions may obtain a non-renewable 30-day visa upon arrival. Residents must have at least 6 months’ validity on their passport and residence visa.

UK Citizens - Residents of the UK with the right to abide in the United Kingdom may obtain a free visa on arrival, valid for 60 days from the date of entry.

Selected Countries - Citizens of the following 33 countries are given a visit visa upon arrival to the UAE. It is valid for 60 days from the date of entry: Andorra, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brunei, Canada, Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Malta, Monaco, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, San Marino, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, Spain, United States of America, and the Vatican.

Should your passport come from a country not among the above four categories, including non-AGCC Arab countries, there are three ways to get a visa to the UAE.

Summary: How to get a UAE visa if you require one

  • Through your hotel - The quickest and easiest way to get a visa is for the hotel at which you are staying to arrange it for you. Please be sure to request this service when you make your reservation through your hotel. Visa costs vary between hotels but are usually priced at around Dhs. 280 (US$ 76), which you must pay upon checkout.
  • Through Emirates Airlines - If you are flying on Emirates Airlines, they can arrange a visa for you. Contact them at least two weeks prior to your flight to make arrangements.
  • Through the UAE Embassy in your country - Obtain a visa through the UAE embassy in your country. Contact information is available here. In addition to your passport, passport photographs and application form, you will need to submit a letter from Zayed University stating that you will be attending the conference. If your proposal has been accepted, send us an email (ausace-resv@zu.ac.ae) with your full name, mailing address, passport nationality and passport number, and we will send you this letter within three days. Expect the embassy to take about three weeks to complete the visa process. Call them beforehand to get details.

Remember, visa regulations are subject to change, so you should check directly with the nearest UAE embassy to confirm details.

For visit visa enquiries, contact the Naturalization and Residency Department in Dubai