The Dubai Government has appointed two companies to issue the obligatory health insurance that many visitors to the UAE now require to qualify for a visa. Under a wide-ranging reform of visa regulations that came into force at the end of last month, it became compulsory for anyone entering the country on one of 16 new types of visas to have health insurance.
Those with their own insurance will not have to take out one of the new policies, provided it covers costs of at least Dh150,000, and visitors from any of the 33 exempt countries will not be asked if they hold insurance. "Visitors from the 33 exempt countries should have their own insurance and usually do but they will not be asked at the [immigration] desk," said Brig Obaid bin Suroor, the acting director of the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD).
The two insurance companies, Oman and Aman, will operate at the DNRD's headquarters at Jaffliya and at a number of the department's branches. Policies are also available online and, for those arriving without insurance, at points of entry. Three types of health policy are available. Prices start from Dh40 for a short-term 30-day visit visa, Dh90 for visas valid for 90 days and Dh185 for multiple-entry visas valid for 180 days.
The medical insurance will cover all emergency procedures, hospital accommodation, diagnostic fees, surgery, anaesthetics and aid for emergency situations that lead to hospitalisation. The health insurance does not cover chronic illnesses that already exist but will cover treatment if serious complications occur while in the UAE. Child birth, pregnancy, ophthalmology and dental treatment are not covered by the new insurance policies, but any damage to teeth in an accident is included.
In the case of a death, the policy will cover up to Dh7,000 of the cost of repatriating a body. Brig Suroor said: "The agreement does not cover medical treatment outside the health-services providers' network except in the case of emergency life-threatening cases. "These policies will cover accidents and emergencies during the visitor's stay in the county and the medication will be carried out through a network covered by insurance companies in the country."
Figures disclosed last week showed that almost 96,000 visas were issued in Dubai in the first eight days of the new system, excluding those issued to travellers from exempted countries. "It went very smoothly and gives us an accurate figure of what visitors are doing in Dubai," said Brig Soor. "We now know exactly how many people are here on holidays, for an exhibition or for medical treatment." Among them were 52,144 entry permits issued at Dubai International Airport to visitors from the 33 countries exempt from the new visa requirements. There were a further 17,469 temporary work visas, as well as 15,961 tourist visas.
Those who overstay their visa will be fined Dh200 for the first day and an additional Dh100 for each subsequent day. In the past four months the DNRD has arrested 1,614 people in spot-checks on businesses for violation of visa rules; 630 of those had entered the country illegally. "The sponsor is fully responsible for the people who enter the country illegally on their sponsorship and they must ask them to leave the country immediately, otherwise the sponsor will have to pay all the related fines and face legal consequences," said Brig Suroor.
"Violating companies will also have their DNRD accounts suspended and forwarded to a specialised court." The DNRD has warned all companies that applicants for visas will be rejected if insurance certificates are not attached to applications. @Email:eharnan@thenational.ae
