Travel To Uae With Thai Girlfriend

[triffid]

My thai girlfriend wants to come along on an upcoming brief trip to Dubai. She would need a visa of course, and I'll look into that. But is there any need to anticipate problems - at airport immigration or a hotel of good standard - on puritanical/legal grounds that may prevail over there? Perhaps someone has done this already.

[55Jay]

Been a few years before me and the Mrs were married but did visit Dubai. I presume you don't have UAE or a GCC residency.

First time I was able to swing a visa from a company I was associated with, listed her as "business woman" and we had no issues. Second time I got burned through Marriott, paid the money, never did get the visa, or didn't get it in time - can't remember exactly. After that, we were married with GCC residency, so it was easy for her to go along with me.

As far as Immigration looking down their nose, sure they might, a single Thai female (attractive?), you have the working girls, and then they tend to ride herd on any Asian/Sub-continenter trying to get in. There is a law against unwed cohabitation/sex, but generally have to draw some attention to yourself somehow to make it a problem.

Far as the hotel, if you get her in on a hotel sponsored visa, then she would be a registered guest. Don't be alarmed if the night shift security guy wants to check her, depending on where you stay, most places try to keep a lid on extra "guests" coming in and out of their establishment.

Good luck.

J

[triffid]

Thanks a lot for that quite full and nuanced reply. All in all it makes me hesitant to do it travelling and staying as a couple. I'd be going for barely a week, if that, just for the formalities of selling my flat - I have no other connexion to the place and haven't been there for ages. Or maybe I'll get a decent hotel to get her the visa and I can stay at the same hotel - and to play safe maybe stay in the two separate rooms - costlier than one but worth avoiding every chance of a hassle I certainly don't need. (Your first, unmarried visit did you in fact stay together, and if so did you book just the one room and if so which hotel - if I may be inquisitive enough to ask those questions.)

[55Jay]

Thanks a lot for that quite full and nuanced reply. All in all it makes me hesitant to do it travelling and staying as a couple. I'd be going for barely a week, if that, just for the formalities of selling my flat - I have no other connexion to the place and haven't been there for ages. Or maybe I'll get a decent hotel to get her the visa and I can stay at the same hotel - and to play safe maybe stay in the two separate rooms - costlier than one but worth avoiding every chance of a hassle I certainly don't need. (Your first, unmarried visit did you in fact stay together, and if so did you book just the one room and if so which hotel - if I may be inquisitive enough to ask those questions.)

Welcome, spent about 10 years in the region until just a few months ago, so well versed in the ways of that particular hypocrasy.

Yes, we stayed together same room even when unmarried, not a problem.

I didn't intend to make the hotel staying part seem dicey, it's not, it's a business, you arrive together from abroad, etc. It was just the part about not attracting attention to yourselves in such a way that law enforcement would ever be involved, start asking questions, and that opens the door to Islamic virtuosity.

[triffid]

Ok, so the hotel shouldn't be a problem if we behave sensibly. How much of an unpleasantness or risk of worse is there is at the earlier, airport immigration stage? Presumably as a thai, even though with a visa, she'd have to queue separately from me, as a UK passport holder. Can the immigr chap make a problem for someone with a visa?

[Satcommlee]

It might not be straight forward..

Approx 7 years ago I was attending a trade show in Dubai after working in Saudi and the Saudi company I was representing asked if I'd like to fly my Mrs over.

In the end their Dubai office had to a lodge a $15'000 bond in order for her to get the visa permission.

It wasn't a physical visa but more like an ESTA to get on the plane.. She had to queue at the Dubai airport for her actual visa.

On her return to Thailand she had to scan her exit stamp for the $15K bond to be released.

[55Jay]

Ok, so the hotel shouldn't be a problem if we behave sensibly. How much of an unpleasantness or risk of worse is there is at the earlier, airport immigration stage? Presumably as a thai, even though with a visa, she'd have to queue separately from me, as a UK passport holder. Can the immigr chap make a problem for someone with a visa? Bottom line she'll have a visa and I would opine the chances of her being rejected at Immigration are vitually nill.

No, you/her queue up the same immigration lanes. If you fly in Biz/First class, even better, use the Fast Track!

Chances of her being rejected at immigration? Virtually nill. I actually found the Thais at BKK were more of a red tape PITA, but that's another subject.

If it helps, I just asked my wife sitting here in the room with me, how it went for her our first trip (before we were married).

1) I went through Immigration first, then stood just past the desk to visually demonstrate I was "waiting".

2) She walked up, presented her Thai passport and copy of the visa/entry permit we printed off email.

3) Immigration goon asked her who she came with, she pointed at me standing nearby, he looks at me, I look at him.

4) Then he asked her where she was staying, and she said XX hotel name.

5) Flip page, CHA-CHUNK, next..... off we go to the car hire counter.

IMO, if you really want to take her, do it, and get her the required photo on Jumera Beach trying to top up the Burj. Mine was too short. LOL. And take her Chinese pot cooking down on The Creek, she'll love it.

Edited March 1, 2013 by 55Jay

[Chicog]

And don't forget the observation deck on the Burj Khalifa.

(About Bt1000 if you book in advance, Bt3600 if you just turn up!).

[Razzler1973]

15 years in Dubai. The actual day-to-day of bringing your girlfriend here and being here is no problem at all.

As long as visas are in place you won't have any hassle with immigration. You won't get any snotty looks. This place is full of filipinos and Indonesians and various Ethopians and Chinese and generally all expats so a Thai chick coming here with her boyfriend won't raise any eyebrows at all.

Hotels won't care. It's not Saudi or Kuwait. You stay together, no one cares. Loads of tourists come over and stay together. The entire tourism industry would collapse if you couldn't do that.

I am not sure on the visa situation. There used to be a thing with hotel bookings arranging visas for you. Not sure if that's the best bet. May be able to arrange from Thailand or wherever you are now for her (you get stamped on arrival). Probably fill some forms. Traveling with you, got a hotel booking (may be useful or friends you staying with mentioned on any forms) and you're good to go

[Razzler1973]

Ok, so the hotel shouldn't be a problem if we behave sensibly. How much of an unpleasantness or risk of worse is there is at the earlier, airport immigration stage? Presumably as a thai, even though with a visa, she'd have to queue separately from me, as a UK passport holder. Can the immigr chap make a problem for someone with a visa?

There used to be queues for westerners but not anymore. Everyone queues together unless you have e-gate electronic card thingy.

You'll probably stroll through quicker as you're a western, look, stamp, done. Queue together.

Immigration will either glance at the visa and stamp or may ask a question 'where you staying' can just saying traveling with you (point at you standing just beyond the desk) but they rarely ask. Sometimes they try to make a joke but honestly, the whole place is full of expats coming and going so don't worry too much.

With a visa in hand it shouldn't be any hassle at all. Just be polite and smile, like any immigration really (i don't mess about at immigration! haha)

[triffid]

Well, thank you very much Jay and Razzler for being both informative and dispelling worries. From what you say the key will be getting the visa and after that very little to worry about. I think the visa shouldn't be unduly difficult - she is a lady of means (with documentary proof) and her passport will have evidence of travel to UK, Europe and Asia in the last 18 months - if the consulate is reasonable. My experience of the Gulf countries was once extensive but is now dated and maybe obsolete!