ABU DHABI - Visitors entering the country on visit visas from tomorrow can be covered by international health insurance policies, according to Brigadier Nassir Al Awadi Al Minhali, Acting Director-General of the Federal Naturalisation and Residency Department (FNRD) in the Ministry of Interior (MoI).
He explained
that if this health insurance policy is internationally certified and covers
the UAE, it would be approved for all types of visit visas.
Meanwhile,
Major Mohammad Al Hammadi, Director of the Entry Permit Department at the
Department of Naturalisation and Residency in Dubai (DNRD) announced that from
next week, special counters of health insurance companies will be set up on
its premises to provide medical insurance covers for visa-seekers.
“We will be
signing agreements with some health insurance companies soon to ensure the
insurance service is made available to applicants at the DNRD. He, however did
not disclose the fees and service costs.
Al Hammadi
clarified that sponsors could also seek medical insurance cover for the
visa-seeker through any renowned health insurance company in the emirate, or
in the UAE.
“Private
companies applying for visas for their workers should provide them with
medical insurance. The same applies to the tourism companies. In case the
tourism companies already have the insurance cover in their packages offered
to the tourists, we will not be asking for that condition.”
According to
Major Al Hammadi, the international medical insurance policies will be valid
in the UAE. “The insurance should be valid as long as the visa-holder is going
to stay in the UAE.”
The local
insurance companies are making all preparations to meet the new demand.
Speaking to Khaleej Times, Wesam Ibrahim, head of the Department of Life and
Medical Insurance at Al Wathba National Insurance Company (AWNIC), said the
company already has a plan that can accommodate visitors in accordance with
the new visit visa requirements.
“We will find
out the exact details of the new visit visa requirements by the end of this
month. At this point of time, we have no plans to develop a new plan,” he
said.
Ibrahim
explained that AWNIC’s existing visitor plan only covers inpatient emergency
cases, and covers healthcare services of up to Dh100,000. Clients can be
insured for either a month or three months, but the company has no insurance
policy for visitors staying for less than a month. The cost of the plan ranges
from Dh130 to Dh150 per month. “We do not think that much will change for our
company after the new visit visa law is enforced,” he added.
A reliable
source at the National Health Insurance Company (Daman) said the health
insurance will cover the categories that would be defined by the
Naturalisation and Residency Department in the Ministry of Interior.
According to
the current rules in Daman, the health insurance for mission visas (six
months) costs Dh420 for those above 51 years of age, and Dh 240 for those
between 16 and 50 years.