The situation
Egyptian nationals applying for a new employment residence permit in Dubai sponsored by a company in the Dubai Airport Free Zone or the Dubai International Financial Center Free Zone must now personally appear at a designated UAE visa service center in Cairo to obtain an entry visa. 

A closer look
While there may be slight differences in the application process depending on the jurisdiction of the Egyptian national's employer in the United Arab Emirates, generally, the following is a description of the new process for affected Egyptian nationals to enter the United Arab Emirates:

1. The UAE sponsoring company must obtain a pre-approved entry permit on behalf of the Egyptian worker;
2. The foreign national must register for and attend a medical examination at an approved medical center in Egypt;
3. The foreign national must pick up their medical results in person;
4. The UAE sponsoring company or the foreign national must schedule an appointment at the UAE visa service centre in Cairo through the  Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC)'s electronic portal; and
5. The foreign national must personally pick up their UAE entry visa at the UAE visa service center in Cairo. 

There are no changes to the current in-country process, which includes a second medical examination, Emirates ID Card registration and employment residence permit endorsement.

Impact

• Egyptian nationals must attend a medical examination in their home country and pick up their UAE entry visa in Cairo, whereas previously, they could travel to the UAE based on an electronic copy of the employment entry permit or collect one on arrival in the United Arab Emirates.
• Employers of affected Egyptian nationals should prepare for longer processing times and additional costs related to the medical exam and consular processing fees. 

Looking ahead
It is expected that this new procedure for Egyptian nationals will be implemented in other jurisdictions across the United Arab Emirates in the coming weeks. Fragomen will continue to monitor the situation and will report additional information as developments occur.

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to  mideast@fragomen.com.

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