The UAE government has moved in to address concerns about the abuse of its 90-day visit visa program, allowing only selected travel agencies to process applications and subjecting the paperwork to rigid scrutiny.
The move caught several quarters flat-footed including those already on their visa run waiting for their papers to be released. There were no official estimates, but interviews with various travel agencies revealed that hundreds of Filipinos exit the UAE at a daily rate for their visa runs, mostly on a tight budget.
“Medyo nag-strict na ang Immigration in terms of 90-day visit visa. Expect na maraming mare-reject na applications. Kung naka-anim na 90-day visit visa ka na, halimbawa, it means you are actually working and not visiting
A way out of the quandary is to change their visa applications to a one-month duration, which would mean longer stay and more expenses while on exit.
“Sadly, yes,” Consul General Paul Raymund Cortes told The Filipino Times when asked for confirmation about the move. “Immigration did not give us a clear cut policy or written order on this, thus we may not be able to comment accurately,” he added.
The Filipino Times did the rounds with the travel agencies all of whom also confirmed that the measure has been put in place effective June 1.
“Bigla na lang di na pinoroses ang mga visa,” said Malou Q. Prado, CEO of MPQ Tourism. “Hindi maipasok, ayaw i-accept ng system,” she added, referring to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs online processing set-up. “Pero hindi lahat ng agencies apektado,” she said.
“One month, one month na lang tayo ngayon,” said Karen Versoza, agent at Zomorod Travel Agency, which is also among popular agencies Filipinos refer to when sponsoring relatives from the Philippines or when renewing their 90-day visit visa.
“Ganyan din ang sinabi last month ng Immigration, effective May 1 so naghintay kami, pero hindi naman natuloy. Ngayon, nakakabigla,” Versoza said.
Other travel agencies told The Filipino Times that the number of companies allowed to process 90-day visit visa applications has been trimmed down.
“Nagpo-process pa rin pero selected travel agencies na lang, hindi na lahat,” William Penaredondo, Travel Wings manager, said. Satguru Travel Agency is Travel Wings’ mother company.
“Medyo nag-strict na ang Immigration in terms of 90-day visit visa. Expect na maraming mare-reject na applications,” he added.
Penaredondo said first off on the visit visa rejection list are those below 21 years old. “So far, yung below 21 years old, hindi na iniisyuhan ng 90 days. Mga professionals na lang basically,” he said.
Also on the checklist, he said, are 90-day visit visa applicants who have had a number of such visas in the past. “Kung naka-anim na 90-day visit visa ka na, halimbawa, it means you are actually working and not visiting,” Penaredondo explained.
Leisure visa
With 90-day visit visa applications now under the microscope, several travel agencies have resorted to processing leisure visas for their clients, which can be more expensive and have more thorough requirements, among them a company that will be sponsoring the applicant’s stay supposedly for business networking and holiday.
“Ang tawag naming dun, ‘outsourcing,’” said one travel agent requesting anonymity. “Meron din kaming mga sponsors nyan. Kaysa naman masira ang business. Alam na rin naming kung paano kumilos.
“Mga dati na namin silang suppliers. Alam na namin kung sino ang tatakbuhan,” added the agent who has been in the visa application business for the past 10 years.
Leisure visas reportedly start at Dh2,100 airport-to-airport in Muscat. Other agencies are filing applications with Sharjah immigration, which can start at Dh1,600. “Matagal nay an, kaso lang mahal,” the agent said.
The Filipino Times tried to transact business with a popular travel agency in Karama and was offered a 90-day visit visa for Dh2,200. “It’s the normal way,” said a certain “Mr. Turaj” from the other end of the phone. “This is the other thing. Don’t worry. This visa is legal. It’s all clear,” he added, apparently referring to leisure visa.
Abuse
A top government official told TFT he has been informed by a number of travel agencies that among reasons why Immigration is tightening the noose on the 90-day visit visa issuances is that there have been cases where employers willfully do not issue employees employment visas and have them do visa runs instead to save on costs.
“May mga sira-ulong employers na ayaw mag-visa. Gusto nila visit visa lang,” the official said.
Other agencies, on the other hand, said another reason was that Filipinos are known for using the 90-day visit visa to look for jobs; worse, others use it to get part time jobs, exit when the visa expires, return then go back to their part time jobs in an unending cycle of violating the system.
“We also know for a fact that a lot of our kababayans use the 90-day visit visa to look for jobs. Also, may mga companies na ginagamit lang yung person tapos di bibisahan pag expired na yung visa. Hindi i-aasorb. Sasabihin ‘You are not,’” said Penaredondo.
“In a way,” he added, “the stricter measures also protect people from abusive employers.”
“Matagal nang practice ‘yan,” said Amalia Dengzo, who used to operate a travel agency and is now working for one. “Maraming maaarte. Minsan yung sweldo, gusto nila malaki agad kahit wala namang experience,” she added.
