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 From
the timeless tranquillity of the desert to the lively bustle of the city,
Dubai offers a kaleidoscope of attractions for visitors in a very small
area.
In a single day, you can experience everything from rugged mountains and
awe-inspiring sand dunes to sandy beaches and lush green parks, from dusty
villages to luxurious residential districts and from ancient houses with
windtowers to ultra-modern malls and magnificent hotels.
And, of course, there’s the exquisite shopping…
Dubai City news...
For complete news and information about Dubai city, click here:
Dubai City Newsletter.
Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts
Spring news from one of Dubai's premier Hotel groups.
Spring
into Action in Dubai, London and New York
Packages
At The Palm Hotel, Dubai...
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Entry / Exit Requirements
Citizens of UK (with the right of abode in the United Kingdom), EU
nations, USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Brunei, Singapore,
Malaysia, South Korea and holders of Hong Kong SAR passports will be granted
a free of charge for One Entry Visit visa on arrival in the UAE enabling
them to stay for 60 days.
A tourist visa, can be obtained for other nations including South
Africans. The tourist visa entitles its holder to a 30 day stay and is
non-renewable. It requires the sponsorship of hotels and tour operators who
bring in visitors from the above listed countries.
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Travel Tips
- Dubai Attractions: Shaikh Saeed's House; Deira Covered Souk;
The Creek; Dubai Museum; Majils Gallery Dubai Tipping
- Advice: Tipping is not a widely established practice in the UAE,
as restaurants prefer to include a service charge. Given the low salary of
many waiters however, tips are greatly appreciated.
- Tips:
- Do not sit in such a way that the soles of your feet are pointing at
someone else.
- During the holy month of Ramadan, never eat, drink or smoke in
public during daylight hours.
- Do not take photographs of military installations or national women.
- Never drink alcohol in public.
- Photography: Normal tourist photography is acceptable but it is
considered offensive to photograph Muslim women. It is also courteous to
ask permission before photographing men. In general, photographs of
government buildings or military installations should not be taken.
- Currency: The monetary unit is the dirham (Dh) which is divided
into 100 fils. The dirham is linked to the Special Drawing Right of the
International Monetary Fund. It has been held constant against the US
dollar since the end of 1980 at a mid-rate of approximately US$1= Dh3.67.
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General Information:
- The local climate is sub-tropical, with a very high seasonal
temperature variation. In summer (March to October) it is very hot, with
temperatures around the 40 degrees Celsius (105 degrees Fahrenheit) mark
during the day. Winters are much more bearable with a drop to 10 degrees
Celsius (50 degrees Fahrenheit) at times.
- Tap water is quite safe to drink but visitors usually prefer
locally-bottled mineral water and this is generally served in hotels and
restaurants.
- Dubai's population is Muslim, mostly of the Maliki or Hanbali schools.
Although Dubai and the rest of the United Arab Emirates is the most
liberal part of the Middle East there are still many Islamic rules that
should be respected by visitors. The alcohol laws must be observed and
appreciation shown for the Muslim tradition of wearing suitable clothing
and removing shoes in religious buildings.
- Oil contributes just 20 per cent of economic production. Trading,
manufacturing and services - including tourism - now dominate the economy.
The population of Dubai was estimated at 971,000 in 2001.
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Map of Dubai
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Dubai Visa Forms
To download the correct visa forms for Dubai, click on this link: Dubai
Visa forms. (The file is large, so please give at a minute or two to
load.) Please be sure to follow the instructions below carefully.
Instructions printing the visa application form
- The visa form consists of four pages. Please print back-to-back on A4
size paper.
- Pages 1 to 4 (two sheets printed back-to-back) consist of the
application form to be completed and signed by each applicant.
- Please staple these pages together before completing.
Guidelines for completing the visa application form
- Remember - one application set for each applicant (including
infants).
- Write "NA" where Not Applicable.
- Item 4, must be either your CURRENT address, or address of your travel
agent.
- At item 8(i), please describe your occupation in some detail - e.g.
"Teacher", "Manager in an ad agency", "Software
engineer" etc.
- It is recommended that you attach your business card to the
form.
- All applicants aged 14 and above must sign the application form on
page-3.
- Where applicant is below 14, a parent must sign.
Visa fees:
- Visa fee per person (including infants) at current exchange
rates:
- Visit Visa - Visa Fees USD 53 in equivalent Rand + R 11.00 VAT
stay up to 59 Days
- 96 Hrs Visa - Visa Fees USD 25 in equivalent Rand + R 11.00 VAT
stay up to 96 Hours
- Please note, visa fee once paid is non-refundable.
- The A/c no (Standard Chartered Bank A/c: VFS Global (pty) – DVPC A/c
Number 1454092661 to deposited in any branch of NED BANK.)
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