Dubai cancels 86% more residency visas - official figures

VISA CANCELLATIONS: The number of residency visas being cancelled has risen in the past year but there is still a 'net positive' of people coming to live in Dubai. (Getty Images)

Dubai cancelled 86 percent more residency visas in January this year compared with the same period in 2008, official figures revealed on Tuesday.

Data from Dubai’s Ministry of Interior Naturalization & Residency (DNRD) shows that 54,684 residency visas were cancelled during the month of January, compared with 29,418 in January 2008 - an 86 percent increase.

This translates to approximately 1,764 every day, higher than the 1,500 cancellations reported in the media during the past three weeks.

However, the number of new residency visas issued in January was higher than the number cancelled, with 88,423 visas being approved, said the DNRD.

Yet, this figure is down from January 2008, when 93,957 residency visas were issued.

The DNRD confirmed that the figures were for new residency visas only and did not include renewed ones.

“Dubai’s economy has always been dynamic and resilient and this is mainly due to the great leadership of the country that managed over the last four decades to turn every challenge into an opportunity,” said Major General Mohammed Ahmad Al Marri, director of the Interior Naturalization & Residency.

The figures support Dubai’s chief economist’s comments on Sunday in which he said the number of visas issued in the emirate remained “net positive”.

Raed Safadi told a meeting of the International Monetary Fund in Dubai that the emirate issued an average of 59,000 per month - which breaks down to almost 2,000 visas a day.

Private sector visas were the most cancelled type of visa, said the DNRD.

In October 23,287 private sector employment visas were cancelled while 25,609 were in November and 23,814 in December.

Domestic help visas were the least cancelled with just 2,686 cancelled in October while 3,031 and 2,906 were cancelled in November and December respectively.

According to the latest figures, the total number of inbound and outbound travelers exceeded 6.6 million during the last quarter of 2008, compared to 5.8 million for the same period the previous year.

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READERS' COMMENTS

Actual figures please!
Posted by K, Dubai, UAE on Sunday 15 February 2009 at 10:49 UAE time


What the DNRD has failed to include in their calculations is the number of people that are leaving the country without cancelling their visas - the people in real financial trouble. And what about the short stay people here in temporary contracts perhaps working on visit visas? I, for one, am sure that during December / January more people left than arrived. The clear roads are evidence.

great stuff
Posted by paul, Dubai, UAE on Wednesday 11 February 2009 at 15:55 UAE time


Great stuff, Mr Dubai Economics bod makes an off the cuff remark about more visas issued that cancelled, he also comments that accurate figures are not kept. The claim about the number of visas is met with derision, and miraculously the next day exact figures are wheeled out.

The problem for Dubai is one of credibility. We all know half the population works in construction and half the projects have been suspended. So that is 25% of people out of work. Where are all the new people supposed to be working? Who is hiring? That would be news worth reading but I suspect we curiously won't.

Might I suggest that the people tasked with propping up the Dubai PR angle with unlikely figures get to work to show that Dubai property prices have risen for the past 6 months, rents are up 20% and there have been no projects cancelled whatsoever. They might also add in figures to show the oil price is at record levels and hotel occupancy is over 100%. Just in case we still doubt them.

Consumers Powers
Posted by Gergana, Dubai on Wednesday 11 February 2009 at 14:06 UAE time


However, the numbers add, all represent consumers - spenders in the supermarket, petrol station, gov taxes, DEWA & Etisalat bills, etc. - the circle of life continues and nothing is broken!

It's game of numbers
Posted by Commonsense, Dubai, United Arab Emirates on Wednesday 11 February 2009 at 12:27 UAE time


You are absolutely right James. If you are good in numbers, anything can be shown positive. Visa issue can include the redundant females visa change to housewife visa, maid visa to Locals, Driver visas to Locals,DSF tourists (though it is reduced tremendously) etc. Just wait for the end of March, end of a curriculam year, the actual status will be evident.

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