United Arab Emirates
United Arab Emirates is a country that hardly needs any introduction with the latest upswing in the Oil rates. United Arab Emirates(UAE) is a federation of 7 states, namely that of Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah.
The UAE that we know today is a result of the tribes the sheikdoms signing the federation uniting all the 7 states or the 7 sheikdoms together. Initially the sheikdoms had all entered into a treaty with the United Kingdom; this was called the British-Trucial Sheikhdoms treaty. When this treaty expired in 1971, this led to the seven sheikdoms forming a federation of states, called the United Arab Emirates. With Oil and natural gas leading the way to the development of the UAE economy, today it is one of the most well developed economies in the world.
Today, UAE could be considered as an industrialized nation with the economic boom in full swing. It has a wide manufacturing base coupled with an ever expanding services sector. The hike in the number of viable opportunities as well as the wages is attracting more and more expats to this desert federation, now more than ever before. With $350 billion worth of construction projects including the construction of the world’s tallest building on the anvil, the number of contracts and the wages are ever expanding.
With opportunities abound, it is no surprise that nearly a huge chunk of the UAE population are expats.
Types of visas
For a tourist visa one would need the sponsorship of an UAE resident, this is expected especially if you are arriving from a non-western country. For visitors from countries, like Europe and the United states, the visa is granted on arrival. Today UAE has the largest work force that is non native to UAE and with such high wages, is it any wonder that people come here in droves, especially from south Asian countries to work?
The work visa can be applied as the visit visa and the process of application depends on the nationality of the applicant. Then you have the residence visa which one can utilize for residing in this country. Resident visas are generally viable for a period of three years and the applicant needs to have a thorough medical check up before he or she is granted one. The immigration laws have become severe here of late with the penalty for lying as well as overstaying being a bit on the extreme, e.g., 50 lashes.
That aside, this is a wonderful country to visit and the moonlit camel rides in the desert are not to be missed on any account. The economy is ever growing as far as UAE goes, and with the opportunities that are available here, anyone can make it big. UAE is an Islamic country and as such there are certain requirements as far as dresses and behavior goes. There is a certain dress code to maintain and a code of behavior that all visitors must adhere to at all costs.
All that apart, this country is quite charming to get acquainted with whether it is the first time or a repeat visit.
