EED no longer required for qualifying 9a Visa holders from August 1st.

[Jollygoodfellow]

11 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

I advised him to blame the airline even though he was pre warned as they had a responsiblity to ensure his paperwork was in order.  Fortunately they agreed and have given him one night in a Dubai hotel for free. His RT-PCR runs out today but he's off to the Embassy when it opens to see what he can do.. 

I have no sympathy for him. It's not like he was not informed or the information was not available. Members talk about blacklisting, blacklisting is not forever in most cases and depends on the case as to how long its applied. Simply turning up without a visa I doubt would be a long term blacklisting.

[Snowy79]

27 minutes ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

I have no sympathy for him. It's not like he was not informed or the information was not available. Members talk about blacklisting, blacklisting is not forever in most cases and depends on the case as to how long its applied. Simply turning up without a visa I doubt would be a long term blacklisting.

Fortune favours the brave as they say but in this case I myself wouldn't have risked trying my luck. You're up against so many variables here and commonsense being one, what side of the bed did immigration get out of being the other one.

I've read a few bloggs where people have just walked through with a cursory look at their passports and one guy was turned around for having everything but an exit ticket. He even offered to go online and book one at immigration but was told he needed it before arriving. He was sent back to Brunei where he flew in from and by the time he had arrived back in Brunei had booked his exit flight, jumped on the next flight back to the Philippijnes and went through immigration without even being asked to show his exit flight this time.

It's more fun in the Philippines as they say.

[Jollygoodfellow]

2 hours ago, Snowy79 said:

I myself wouldn't have risked trying my luck.

Either would I since BI made it quite clear in news and their FB page with warnings.

As for what other people may or may not have done might be questionable. Another example most people know you need an onward ticket or is it like that guy just didn't research before traveling. 

[Snowy79]

Well the story that just keeps on giving. Dubai Embassy told him no visas getting issued until the 1st of August. He went back today to the embassy to get a post dated visa to be told now no visas until the 15th of August even though nothing announced on the immigration site. 

[Mike J]

On 7/30/2021 at 6:36 PM, Snowy79 said:

Well the story that just keeps on giving. Dubai Embassy told him no visas getting issued until the 1st of August. He went back today to the embassy to get a post dated visa to be told now no visas until the 15th of August even though nothing announced on the immigration site. 

Can you expand on the post?  He is now stuck in Dubai?  Which embassy did he go to?  Sounds like he really managed to FUBAR himself.

[Snowy79]

29 minutes ago, Mike J said:

Can you expand on the post?  He is now stuck in Dubai?  Which embassy did he go to?  Sounds like he really managed to FUBAR himself.

He was returned to Dubai on the 28th of July and held in one terminal overnight before being moved to a different one. On Thurs 29th he went to the Philippines Consulate General in Dubai to try to secure a certificate and visa but was told no more visas until the 1st of August and to return on the 30th to book an appointment. On returning they told him that in fact they will not issue any visas until the 15th of August as 10 high risk areas for the Delta variant which includes the UAE has had the restrictions of entry extended. Since then it has been in the media about the extension but nothing so far on the immigration site. 

As we all know things change daily so no doubt it will be extended again. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

4 hours ago, Snowy79 said:

the UAE has had the restrictions of entry extended. Since then it has been in the media about the extension but nothing so far on the immigration site. 

Well restricted entry has been posted on BI Facebook. 

[Snowy79]

2 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Well restricted entry has been posted on BI Facebook. 

Posted now but on the 29th when he was informed there was nothing on the BI website. 

[Jollygoodfellow]

42 minutes ago, Snowy79 said:

Posted now but on the 29th when he was informed there was nothing on the BI website. 

24th post. No point looking at the website as its not updated like Facebook but most of this can also be found in news stories. 

https://www.facebook.com/officialbureauofimmigration/photos/pcb.2071419932996703/2071419849663378/ 

16th post

[Snowy79]

4 hours ago, Jollygoodfellow said:

Well restricted entry has been posted on BI Facebook. 

Just looked on the BI Facebook and it looks like it was updated on the 31st of August to give people loads of notice.  I had been keeping him updated on changes and had previously sent him the screen shot banning entry up to the 1st which I got on Facebook.  Even the consulate never informed him on his first visit.  Just told him to come back on the 30th to book an appointment.  On the 30th they told him about the new changes which at the time weren't on the BI site or Facebook as I'd checked.  Further proof how up to date they are. 

Even here on Boracay they published an executive order taking immediate effect reference the requirement for antigen tests. Fully screwing the workers and local tourists.  It's more fun in the Philippines.