3.17 PM Thursday, 28 March 2024
  • City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
  • Dubai 04:57 06:11 12:27 15:53 18:37 19:51
28 March 2024

UK visa within one day for UAE will cost Dh3,475

The development of 72 luxury apartments, a restaurant and health centre, is expected to be completed in late 2017 (File)

Published
By Majorie van Leijen

A fast-track 24-hour visa service is now available to UAE nationals, British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced.

The visa service, which was already available in China and India, has been extended to seven more countries, including the UAE, South Africa, Thailand and the Philippines, as well as the cities of New York and Paris.

For Dh3,475 (GBP600) the visa the UK can be obtained within day. This service is an opportunity for wealthy business people or visitors to experience an easier visa procedure.

However, applicants would still need to comply with the requirements of the visa applied for, and payment for the fast-track option in no way guarantees a successful application, the Prime Minister said.

“We are determined to do everything we can to back business, support investment and create jobs.

“This new 24-hour service is another way we can help - it will persuade more business travelers, investors and tourists to visit Britain, to trade with Britain and to expand in Britain,” he was quoted as saying.

A priority visa service already existed in the form of a three- to five-days procedure against a charge of Dh590 (GBP100).

Commenting on the announcement, Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the UAE, Philip Parham said: “I am delighted that we will introduce a 24-hour visa service for applicants in the UAE by April next year.

"This is another example of the innovative ways in which the UK visa service addresses the needs of its customers. Already this year, we have introduced the Electronic Visa Waiver for Emiratis and over 40,000 Electronic Visa Waivers have been completed by Emirati nationals since the start of the year. These improvements will help to ensure that the UK remains a top business and leisure destination.”

Further, the Great Club pilot project was launched by the UK last year, inviting 100 business people with strong links to the UK from outside Europe to enjoy visa services tailored to each individual's needs, same-day visa processing and a mobile to your office service at standard visa fees.

The UAE is known to be one of the source countries with most travellers to the UK and the UK is one of the most popular countries for business people and tourists from the UAE.