Since the inception of new visa rules set by the UAE authorities, the rejection rate for a Dubai visa by Indian nationals has increased, which has highlighted the importance of acquiring the right travel insurance to avoid potential financial losses by rejection.

Dubai: After the inception of stricter guidelines and requirements for obtaining a Dubai visa by the UAE visa authority, Indian visitors seeking a visit to the glittering jewel of the Arabian Gulf are facing high visa rejections. Recent stats have shown that the Dubai visa approval rate for Indian nationals has declined to 94-95% from 99% in recent weeks.

Rise in Dubai Visa Denials

According to the latest reports, the introduction of stricter Dubai visa requirements has resulted in the rejection of 5-6 visa applications out of 100 daily. The travel agents and agencies offering visa services for Dubai have confirmed that the previous rejection rate of 1-2% has seen a tremendous rise of 5-6% after the enforcement of new visa rules.

In an interview with Anil Gautam, said that they’re presently facing 5-6 rejections out of 100 applicants for a Dubai visa daily. He added that even with attached proofs for confirmed flight tickets and hotel stays, the visa applications of our clients are being rejected.

According to reporting by other survey, people confirmed that they’re facing rejections even after meticulous documentation of well-prepared travelers. Many tour and travel said that the visa applications of two of our clients were rejected, who intended to remain with their family members in Dubai. He added that this rejection made them face severe financial losses of nearly 34,000 in visa fees and ticket cancellation costs.

Having Travel Insurance is Essential

In an interview with Business Standard, Meet Kapadia, the head of Travel Insurance at Policy Bazaar, said that the recent increase in Dubai visa rejection percentage has highlighted the essentiality of choosing the right travel insurance to avoid severe financial losses. He further explained that some travel insurance plans by reputed companies are now offering visa rejection coverage, which compensates for non-refundable expenses like flight and hotel bookings. He provided examples of insurance like Tata Travel Guard Plus, Care, and Niva Bupa, which offer travelers the facility of extending their coverage.

Eligibility for Refunds Based on Specific Scenarios

Further explaining the statement by Meet Kapadia, the Business Head of Travel Insurance at Policy Bazaar, Manas Kapoor said the eligibility for refunds will be based on specific scenarios. He told Business Standard that for a visa rejection, only the visa fee can be refunded. However, travelers with travel insurance plans covering trip cancellations can apply for a flight refund claim in circumstances like illness, injury, or death of the traveler or close family member. He added the rules for refundable hotel booking claims follow the same rules.

New Visa Policy for Dubai Visa

Changes in the requirements to obtain a Dubai visa include:

Proof of hotel booking with QR codes.
Necessary submission of a copy of return tickets to home country.
Confirm the legal residence of a relative, if you plan to stay with your family member or relative in Dubai.
Additionally, providing financial proof of AED 5,000 and AED 3,000 for two and three months visas has become mandatory.
All these documents, which were previously requested occasionally by airport authorities, are now mandatory to submit on the emigration department’s website.
An Indian national with a residence permit or valid visa from the UK, USA, or EU or who has a US-issued green card, has become an eligible applicant for a 14-day visa-on-arrival, which can be further prolonged by 14 days.

These key requirements must be considered by every traveler who is thinking of applying for a visa to the heavenly destination of the Emirates to avoid facing consequences like financial losses and other issues. Those applicants, who don’t acquire these documents must ask for assistance from authorized travel agents, hotels, or agencies.

Also read – UAE to impose 15% minimum top-up tax on large multinationals from January