Visa on arrival for cruise passengers with Indian passport & valid USA 10yr visa

[Spring123]

Dear experts,

We have Indian passports & valid USA 10 yr B1/B2 visa, both valid well over 6 mths.

With a valid 10 year US visit visa, we are entitled to a 14 day single entry visa on arrival (for 120 dirhams), at all ports in UAE.

We will arrive at Sharjah airport, pay for the visa on arrival & stay at a hotel for 3 nights. Then take a taxi to Dubai to board a 7 day cruise--

Dubai--Abu Dhabi--Sir Bani Yas island--sea--Muscat--Khasab--Dubai

 

Our itinerary is--

Day 1,2,3 Sharjah in a hotel

Day 4 Dubai on the cruise ship

Day 5 Abu Dhabi on the cruise ship

Day 6 Sir Bani Yas island on the cruise ship

Day 7 at sea on the cruise ship

Day 8 Muscat, Oman on the cruise ship

Day 9 Khasab, Oman on the cruise ship

Day 10 Dubai on the cruise ship

 

We would like to know--

1) Is the visa on arrival cost at Sharjah airport Dirhams 100+5 tax or 120+5 tax ? Can we pay cash in US$ or dirhams or only CC?

 

2) Can we inform the immigration officer at Sharjah airport that we will be on a cruise ship going from Dubai to Oman & back to Dubai, so kindly grant us a 14 day multi-ship visa on arrival ?

(This multiple entry ship visa or multi-ship visa is given to Indian cruise ship passengers who don't have  a US visa, for $85 by Arabian Adventures;  if applied in advance from  India)

 

3) If the officer cannot grant this request, do we have to pay again for a 2nd visa on arrival ONLY when the ship returns to Dubai from Khasab, Oman?

Or pay for another visa on arrival even when the ship arrives at Abu Dhabi (from Dubai ) ?

&

again pay for another visa on arrival when the ship arrives at Sir Bani Yas island (from Abu Dhabi) ?

 

4) When the cruise ship sails from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, is it considered an exit & re-entry ? (I doubt that the cruise ship will go into international waters beyond 12 nautical miles from the coast of UAE, when sailing from Dubai to Abu Dhabi).

 

5) Similarly, when the cruise ship sails from Abu Dhabi to Sir Bani Yas island, is it considered an exit & re-entry ?

Thanks so much!

Edited February 12, 2019 by Spring123

[Jayayeff]

On 2/12/2019 at 9:45 AM, Spring123 said:

Dear experts,

We have Indian passports & valid USA 10 yr B1/B2 visa, both valid well over 6 mths.

With a valid 10 year US visit visa, we are entitled to a 14 day single entry visa on arrival (for 120 dirhams), at all ports in UAE.

We will arrive at Sharjah airport, pay for the visa on arrival & stay at a hotel for 3 nights. Then take a taxi to Dubai to board a 7 day cruise--

Dubai--Abu Dhabi--Sir Bani Yas island--sea--Muscat--Khasab--Dubai

 

Our itinerary is--

Day 1,2,3 Sharjah in a hotel

Day 4 Dubai on the cruise ship

Day 5 Abu Dhabi on the cruise ship

Day 6 Sir Bani Yas island on the cruise ship

Day 7 at sea on the cruise ship

Day 8 Muscat, Oman on the cruise ship

Day 9 Khasab, Oman on the cruise ship

Day 10 Dubai on the cruise ship

 

We would like to know--

1) Is the visa on arrival cost at Sharjah airport Dirhams 100+5 tax or 120+5 tax ? Can we pay cash in US$ or dirhams or only CC?

 

2) Can we inform the immigration officer at Sharjah airport that we will be on a cruise ship going from Dubai to Oman & back to Dubai, so kindly grant us a 14 day multi-ship visa on arrival ?

(This multiple entry ship visa or multi-ship visa is given to Indian cruise ship passengers who don't have  a US visa, for $85 by Arabian Adventures;  if applied in advance from  India)

 

3) If the officer cannot grant this request, do we have to pay again for a 2nd visa on arrival ONLY when the ship returns to Dubai from Khasab, Oman?

Or pay for another visa on arrival even when the ship arrives at Abu Dhabi (from Dubai ) ?

&

again pay for another visa on arrival when the ship arrives at Sir Bani Yas island (from Abu Dhabi) ?

 

4) When the cruise ship sails from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, is it considered an exit & re-entry ? (I doubt that the cruise ship will go into international waters beyond 12 nautical miles from the coast of UAE, when sailing from Dubai to Abu Dhabi).

 

5) Similarly, when the cruise ship sails from Abu Dhabi to Sir Bani Yas island, is it considered an exit & re-entry ?

Thanks so much!

 

I think you really need an expert in your case.  The exemption for Indian passport holders holding a current US visa is something I haven’t come across to date so I would suggest you contact your closest UAE Embassy or Consulate.  However, I am pretty certain your 2nd point re Immigration upon arrival in Sharjah making an exception and granting a multi-entry visit visa is highly unlikely.

 

Anne...

[cruiselov87]

  The exemption for Indian passport holders holding a current US residence- green card- not just a visa

[Jayayeff]

2 hours ago, cruiselov87 said:

  The exemption for Indian passport holders holding a current US residence- green card- not just a visa

 

It’s either a current visit visa or green card that qualify.... it’s all the other points that really need expert advice...

 

Anne..

[Spring123]

On 2/13/2019 at 5:12 PM, Jayayeff said:

I think you really need an expert in your case.   I am pretty certain your 2nd point re Immigration upon arrival in Sharjah making an exception and granting a multi-entry visit visa is highly unlikely.

Anne...

 

On 2/14/2019 at 2:10 PM, cruiselov87 said:

  The exemption for Indian passport holders holding a current US residence- green card- not just a visa

MSC confirmed on phone that it would count as 1 entry only & your passport will NOT be stamped at all 3 consecutive ports (Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Sir Bani Yas) in UAE.

Despite the fact that the ship may go into international waters beyond 12 nautical miles in between these 3 ports, in order to open the casino.

[Jayayeff]

13 hours ago, Spring123 said:

 

MSC confirmed on phone that it would count as 1 entry only & your passport will NOT be stamped at all 3 consecutive ports (Dubai, Abu Dhabi & Sir Bani Yas) in UAE.

Despite the fact that the ship may go into international waters beyond 12 nautical miles in between these 3 ports, in order to open the casino.

 

What about when you leave the UAE to go to the two Oman ports and then re-enter the UAE to disembark in Dubai????  

 

Anne..

[Spring123]

10 hours ago, Jayayeff said:

 

What about when you leave the UAE to go to the two Oman ports and then re-enter the UAE to disembark in Dubai????  Anne..

Then its a FRESH entry & another visa on arrival must be bought for 120 dirhams by Indian passports with a valid US visa.

Although there is only  1 entry stamp for all 3 CONSECUTIVE ports in UAE (Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas), befpre the ship sails to Oman, one Dubai based visa agent said==

''We checked with our visa team and they have advised you to apply for a 30 days multiple entry cruise visa through us (95 USD per visa). This is because once you enter and exit Dubai,  your on arrival visa shall be invalid and when you enter again in Abu Dhabi you have to purchase the visa again."

When i again asked==

When the cruise ship sails from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, is our passport stamped for exit & re-entry, although the 2 ports are continuous and in the same country UAE?  Similarly, when the cruise ship sails from Abu Dhabi to Sir Bani Yas island, is our passport again stamped for exit & re-entry ?

He replied

''Yes, once enter and exit is made in each port of UAE''

That would imply purchasing 4 single entry ''visa on arrival'' for 4 ports in UAE for 120 x 4 =480 dirhams or $30 x 4 = $120

viz) Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sir Bani Yas, Dubai (on re-entry, to disembark).

 

But another Dubai based visa agent said==

''I am pleased to let you know that this visit will not require you to have a pre arranged UAE visa as you both are in possession on a valid US visa.

Indian citizens with a valid US visa will be granted a  entry ON ARRIVAL for 14 days into the UAE. This can be used as a multiple option for the cruise. Hence a visa application is not required.''

''As mentioned, Indian citizens with a valid US visa will get the entry upon arrival in the UAE''

 

So, its contradictory.

 

Edited September 11, 2019 by Spring123