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Many visitors stranded in the UAE are holding off on extending their visas after authorities waived overstay fines for travellers affected by flight disruptions linked to regional tensions, according to travel agents.
Industry experts told Khaleej Times that with the temporary waiver in place, many visitors are choosing to remain in the country for now while monitoring how long the policy will last and waiting for normal flight operations to resume.
The government recently announced that overstay fines would be waived for visitors affected by flight disruptions, allowing stranded travellers to remain in the country without incurring penalties until further notice. Sudheesh TP, General Manager of Deira Travel, said inquiries about renewals have “drastically dropped”.
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“People want to stay behind and see when the waiver will be over and when flight operations resume,” he said. Sudheesh said the high costs of flights have also contributed to the decision by many travellers to delay leaving the country.
“Many visitors are hoping to depart once regular commercial flights resume.” According to Firoz Maliyakkal, Founder and CEO of Thahira Tours & Travels, requests for visa renewals and extensions have fallen significantly since the waiver was announced.
Who is still extending visas?
Despite the overall drop in demand, some visitors are still choosing to extend their visas to ensure their stay remains formally regularised.
According to Sudheesh, about 10 to 15 per cent of travellers are still requesting visa extensions, mainly those who want to keep their legal status fully updated.
“These include people who have received employment offers as well as families extending visas for elderly relatives,” he said. “Those who got employment or those who want to regularise the procedure are extending their visas to keep everything legal.”
Extensions still cost money
Travel agents also clarified that the waiver only removes overstay penalties, not the cost of visa extensions themselves.
“If you want to renew, you still have to pay the normal charges,” Sudheesh said.
“The only exception is that you will not be treated as illegal or fined if your visa expires during this period.”
Visa extensions and renewals are continuing through standard procedures, including one-month in-country extensions, visa changes via short flights, or border runs where permitted.Industry experts believe authorities will likely give visitors sufficient notice before the waiver is lifted.
Travel agents expect the policy to remain in place at least until flight operations stabilise and travellers have more affordable options to leave the country.
“For now, people are closely monitoring the situation and waiting for normal flights to resume,” Sudheesh said.
Source: Khaleej Times