This, like everything, is easy to do, but long-winded,
I’ve just rounded up the figures so don't judge my maths. The point is, is a
lot of money!
The first and possibly most important thing to do is have
your marriage certificate translated into Arabic and both versions attested by
the UAE embassy in your home country, a notary and the UAE Ministry of Justice
in the UAE.
You can get a company to do this for you and will cost
around £300 or about 1500 dirhams, it takes around 6 weeks. This is the best
way, since it would be more expensive for you to do it yourself, as you would
have to go back to your home country, and that isn’t always easy to do!
If your company isn’t paying for your visa, it’s quite an
expensive procedure- roughly around £600 or 3500 dirhams. Once you have the
attested marriage certificate, take it to a reputable typing centre along with
yours and your husband’s passport copies and 6 of your passport photos.
They will make an application for you, which you will
have to take to the DNRD office. At the DNRD office you will need to take your
DEWA bill and tenancy contract and pay for these to be attested at the marked
counters. Every single thing will need to be signed by your husband.
Once this is done, you will need to wait in a LONG line
of 3 hours to have your documents checked, stamped and put into the system. You
could also do this in the ladies only section, but they are extremely difficult
to deal with. I have complained to the DNRD about this and apparently they are
dealing with it.
Now you have to take the printed pink slip you get from
the DNRD and take it to the typing centre with some passport photos and I think
around 700 dirhams.
A medical form is then typed up for you. This has to be
taken to the approved health centres with 2 more passport photos, where you
will have to do your medical tests for hepatitis and TB. Once your medical has
been approved, you will get a confirmation sent to you via Fedex.
Now you will need to have your Emirates ID card papers
written up at a typing centre for more money. This will all have to then be
taken back to the DNRD, with the pink visa page you were given and your
passport, where your visa will have to be stuck in your passport. The Emirates
ID card is done separately at the Emirates ID office and will be left at a post
office (usually Karama) for you to pick up.
I hope I haven’t forgotten any of the steps, I last did
this in December; if I have, please message and let me know!
