Businesses that assist visa applicants must now be licensed by a new government committee.
Juma Al Junaibi, the Under Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said several embassies had asked private offices to process visa applications on their behalf.
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"These offices don't have any licence to practise this service as they are licensed as typing or photocopying offices," Mr Al Junaibi said.
The offices need to be regulated as they have the private information of visa applicants, and because there were some complaints that businesses would not refund visa fees if the applications were rejected.
There are four such offices in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. They will have until January 24 next year to obtain licences.
Businesses wishing to provide visa-issuing services must apply to the Department of Economic Development in their emirate.
Representatives from the committee will visit the businesses to see whether it abides by the new regulations.
* Haneen Dajani
David Haye record
Total fights: 32
Wins: 28
Wins by KO: 26
Losses: 4
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Opening weekend Premier League fixtures
Weekend of August 10-13
Arsenal v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Cardiff City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Ham United
Manchester United v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v Burnley
Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton
What is an ETF?
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
