Info on Visa from the UK please!

You can get visa on arrival and extend it for a certain time period; usually 3 months.  You don't need to have a return flight booked; they don't ask at immigration.

You can do visa runs - most people do this by driving across the Dubai-Oman border at Hatta and then turning back.  From RAK, it's a 4-5 hour round trip by road.

Yes, the best bet is to get a job to avoid the 3 month visa runs.  Plus you need to be resident to avail most services - rentals, bank accounts etc. However, it really is a trade-off - you mention you are a free-lancer; with a job, you will be tied down and RAK is not exactly the hub for finding different kinds of jobs (mostly big industry based jobs).

XTang wrote:

You can get visa on arrival and extend it for a certain time period; usually 3 months.  You don't need to have a return flight booked; they don't ask at immigration.

You can do visa runs - most people do this by driving across the Dubai-Oman border at Hatta and then turning back.  From RAK, it's a 4-5 hour round trip by road.

Yes, the best bet is to get a job to avoid the 3 month visa runs.  Plus you need to be resident to avail most services - rentals, bank accounts etc. However, it really is a trade-off - you mention you are a free-lancer; with a job, you will be tied down and RAK is not exactly the hub for finding different kinds of jobs (mostly big industry based jobs).

Thanks XTang!   

Can you definitely extend the visa when already in the country on a 30 day visa?
I read somewhere that they often make you leave the country in order to extend?

Yes, I do freelance web design/graphic design work and absolutely if I got a regular 9-5 job then I would find myself pushed for time on my own company which is difficult!
I did a lot of hospitality work on Australia so I am thinking to apply at the hotels as they all seem to have jobs going on a regular basis.... ( it is only for a year or so as my other half teaches jiu jitsu in Ras Al Khamiah)

Thanks!

enyathackray wrote:

XTang wrote:

You can get visa on arrival and extend it for a certain time period; usually 3 months.  You don't need to have a return flight booked; they don't ask at immigration.

You can do visa runs - most people do this by driving across the Dubai-Oman border at Hatta and then turning back.  From RAK, it's a 4-5 hour round trip by road.

Yes, the best bet is to get a job to avoid the 3 month visa runs.  Plus you need to be resident to avail most services - rentals, bank accounts etc. However, it really is a trade-off - you mention you are a free-lancer; with a job, you will be tied down and RAK is not exactly the hub for finding different kinds of jobs (mostly big industry based jobs).

Thanks XTang!   

Can you definitely extend the visa when already in the country on a 30 day visa?
I read somewhere that they often make you leave the country in order to extend?

Yes, I do freelance web design/graphic design work and absolutely if I got a regular 9-5 job then I would find myself pushed for time on my own company which is difficult!
I did a lot of hospitality work on Australia so I am thinking to apply at the hotels as they all seem to have jobs going on a regular basis.... ( it is only for a year or so as my other half teaches jiu jitsu in Ras Al Khamiah)

Thanks!

Check out Skill Consortium - they can help you set up as a freelancer, or one of the Freezones around the UAE. You can't 'legally' freelance in the UAE on a visit visa.

I arrived in November without a job, and have done a visa run to Oman every 30-40 days. (3 times in total now.) Its 200aed to get your stamps in Oman and 35aed to exit Dubai. When you arrive, you get 30 days (Day 1 is the day your passport is stamped) then a 10 day grace period (which is actually 9, if you go on day 40 some people have been fined.) In RAK you're well placed to hit the border every month just north of Sha'am.

You can extend at the airport (once) for 30 days but it is about 4 times as expensive as doing a visa run.

When your work visa is sorted, you just exit the country and re-enter on your work visa.

Simples.

A small correction, As per the new amendment, all Visa on arrival is valid for 90 days. And can be extended by exiting. You will get 90 days more on each exit.