Border Run for British Expats

[DonavonW]

Hi Everyone,

I am posting this message because I found very little information available on how to do a border run from Dubai, I hope that this thread may offer someone else a less anxious experience in future.

Today, July 1st 2009, I drove my girlfriend who has a british passport to get a 30 day extension via Mezyad border, we had already done an extension via the DNRD (Dubai Naturalisation and Residence department) which set us back 620 dhs. They only allow one extension therefore leaving us no choice but to head for the border this time round.

So... we left the Arabian Ranches and headed out on the emirates road towards the E66 AL Ain road past the Dubai Outlet Mall and the new Villas development. You just need to sit tight on that road for atleast an hour until you reach Al Ain, once in Al Ain follow the signposts for Town Centre and after 5 or 6 of them you will get to the Library Roundabout, you need to go left and follow the signs for Mezyad.

After approx an hour and half you will reach the Mezyad border and if you are walking through park on the right as you approach the first boom gates. Now here is the trick - in order to cross in a car you will need car insurance which is covered in Oman, if you have a rental car you can ring the rental company and some will provide it free of charge. In our case, I am on a tourist visa so I waited at the gate and my girlfriend went through. You first need to go to the immigration on your right hand side, it is actually signposted truck stop immigration?? no idea why...

They will hand you some paper work once they have looked at the passport, do not be shy to say you are there for a visa change, you are not doing anything illegal or wrong, there is nothing to worry about and they knew exactly what we were doing. I will just say at this point that if you are driving through your experience and procedure may be different, I understand that the car may be searched etc

Once you have left immigration you move to the next building where you will be asked to complete a pink form and pay 25 dhs (this may differ depending on your customs representative You take the pink slip back to another guy in the same building who will give the document issued to you at immigration but with the addition of a new stamp.

Move on to the next boom gate, hand in the document and he will give you a little receipt in return, give the receipt to the guard and he stamps your passport -at this point you are told to go to Oman... meaning walk the 1km between the gates to exit UAE and enter Oman - no kidding, it was 50 degrees, My girlfriend nearly died! because obviously when you get to the border and get your exit stamp, pay 60 dhs and turnaround, you have to walk the 1km back to the UAE. (pretty much the same thing repeated - if you are not sure dont be afraid to ask)

Upon arriving back you go through what would seem like your normal airport customs and they will stamp your passport for entry into the UAE 30 days, You may have to have an eye scan. The walk is far, take water, a hat or head scarf or something and even sun tan lotion if you are a true brit! lol

It is very easy, be nice and listen to what they say and the whole experience will be over in a hour and you can start the long trek back to Dubai!

I hope that this helps someone in the future!

P.S. To any expats out there who are hiring, my girlfriend and I are both looking for work in the UAE, I am in Sales, Solution Sales and my background is mainly technology / IT / Telecoms and my other half is in the customer service Support Manager / admin type environment with previous sales experience too. If anyone reads this and can be of any assitance please drop me a response.



Thanks a million

[Elphaba]

The most popular place to do a visa run is at Hatta and the distance there is several kilometres and not really walkable, especially in this heat.

Most insurance companies will charge you for Oman insurance.

-

[bdb]

Instead of driving to Hatta, you should drive to Ras Al-Khaima. I usually do my visa run after midnight and it takes me about 90 mins to get there from the Dubai/Sharjah border. The good thing about the Ras Al-Khaima/Musandam(Oman) border is that you only have to walk for a minute to the Omani visa office, get your Omani entry-exit stamps and then walk back to the UAE border which takes another minute.

The whole process of leaving UAE, entering-exiting Oman, and then re-entering UAE takes me around 10 minutes.

[stewart]

It is so much easier justv to take a 3 day huliday to egypt as i did with my missus to give her an extra 30 days here.
A bit more expensive but much more enjoyable than that walk!

[Drew88]

Very useful info, thanks guys!

[stewart]

I heard a whisper today that they are closingb these border runs and you must leave the country for a certain number of days (30 Iwas told).
Not that it affects most of us because we have resident visas.
I am not sure if this has come into affect or is going to or is just a rumour.
Would be nice if someone knows for those that dont have resident visa status.

[Emirateslad]

Hi

I read your quote with some amusement, don't know if it was meant to be amusing, but never the less it was. As an expat from Abu Dhabi, now back in Dubai. I would advise a a more simpler route, which means flying at reasonable rates. Pre book a flight to Kische (Iran) the last time I booked this flight, cost me 400 AED back in 07. Arrive at the airport, do the required form filling, go through custums etc, depart the arrivals gate and head straight for departures. Get the same aircraft back to Dubai.Seemple as the advert say's. I can't vouch, that the same practice goes on in 09, but it was a quick method back then.

PS

i'm setting up a new company, and may require some experienced people, who know about sales, employment, rules, etc etc.

Originally Posted by DonavonW

Hi Everyone,

I am posting this message because I found very little information available on how to do a border run from Dubai, I hope that this thread may offer someone else a less anxious experience in future.

Today, July 1st 2009, I drove my girlfriend who has a british passport to get a 30 day extension via Mezyad border, we had already done an extension via the DNRD (Dubai Naturalisation and Residence department) which set us back 620 dhs. They only allow one extension therefore leaving us no choice but to head for the border this time round.

So... we left the Arabian Ranches and headed out on the emirates road towards the E66 AL Ain road past the Dubai Outlet Mall and the new Villas development. You just need to sit tight on that road for atleast an hour until you reach Al Ain, once in Al Ain follow the signposts for Town Centre and after 5 or 6 of them you will get to the Library Roundabout, you need to go left and follow the signs for Mezyad.

After approx an hour and half you will reach the Mezyad border and if you are walking through park on the right as you approach the first boom gates. Now here is the trick - in order to cross in a car you will need car insurance which is covered in Oman, if you have a rental car you can ring the rental company and some will provide it free of charge. In our case, I am on a tourist visa so I waited at the gate and my girlfriend went through. You first need to go to the immigration on your right hand side, it is actually signposted truck stop immigration?? no idea why...

They will hand you some paper work once they have looked at the passport, do not be shy to say you are there for a visa change, you are not doing anything illegal or wrong, there is nothing to worry about and they knew exactly what we were doing. I will just say at this point that if you are driving through your experience and procedure may be different, I understand that the car may be searched etc

Once you have left immigration you move to the next building where you will be asked to complete a pink form and pay 25 dhs (this may differ depending on your customs representative You take the pink slip back to another guy in the same building who will give the document issued to you at immigration but with the addition of a new stamp.

Move on to the next boom gate, hand in the document and he will give you a little receipt in return, give the receipt to the guard and he stamps your passport -at this point you are told to go to Oman... meaning walk the 1km between the gates to exit UAE and enter Oman - no kidding, it was 50 degrees, My girlfriend nearly died! because obviously when you get to the border and get your exit stamp, pay 60 dhs and turnaround, you have to walk the 1km back to the UAE. (pretty much the same thing repeated - if you are not sure dont be afraid to ask)

Upon arriving back you go through what would seem like your normal airport customs and they will stamp your passport for entry into the UAE 30 days, You may have to have an eye scan. The walk is far, take water, a hat or head scarf or something and even sun tan lotion if you are a true brit! lol

It is very easy, be nice and listen to what they say and the whole experience will be over in a hour and you can start the long trek back to Dubai!

I hope that this helps someone in the future!

P.S. To any expats out there who are hiring, my girlfriend and I are both looking for work in the UAE, I am in Sales, Solution Sales and my background is mainly technology / IT / Telecoms and my other half is in the customer service Support Manager / admin type environment with previous sales experience too. If anyone reads this and can be of any assitance please drop me a response.



Thanks a million