Adie writes

Three things strike out for me in this visa fee hike. One, the fee is very steep and unfair to an already suffering resident of high inflation. Second, the system is discriminatory, as some 16 nationalities would get visa on arrival for AED100. Third, don’t understand the logic of expats not allowed to sponsor friends; is this opening a source of income for locals? For all of us who write in and express dismay, has any hike here ever been reduced or reflected for the common good of all? Rents, Salik, fuel, Dollar-peg, the concerns are endless. Has anything changed?

While I understand the need for the government to tighten the security and access to the borders through new visa rules, I fail to understand how a steep hike of almost 500pct going to help the situation. The fact that 16 nationals would continue to enjoy entry visa on arrival on a lower fee, the hike specifically targets few nationalities. Agreed, there has been misuse of the visa and action needs to be taken, but why burden the genuine visit visas required by residents who can no longer afford in the list of growing cost a steep visa fee to invite their family over. Atleast, there should be an exception of the parents from this hike. No one is going to call his or her 60-year-old parents here to work. The visa fee hike is not standard and thus indicates a long-term plan to discourage specific communities from getting their friends and families over for a visit. The hike is clearly unfair.