1. How can I contact the Philippine Consulate or the Philippine Embassy?

If you want to connect with the CONSULATE GENERAL OF THE REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES, you may visit their office at Al Qusais 3 Dubai, United Arab Emirates or their website at www.dubaipcg.dfa.gov.ph. You can also call at 04 220 7100.

Here are the hotline numbers of Philippine agencies in Dubai

• POLO DUBAI: +971 50 652 6626
• OWWA DUBAI: +971 50 558 5536
• SSS Dubai: +971 56 212 3426
• PAG-IBIG FUND: +971 04 220 7221 or +971 56 728 5143

If you want to connect with the PHILIPPINE EMBASSY, you may visit their office at Al Qubaisat, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates or their website at www.abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph. You can also call at +971 2 639 0006 or +971 50 813 7836.

Here are the hotline numbers of Philippine agencies in Abu Dhabi

• POLO ABU DHABI: +971 56 458 4622
• OWWA ABU DHABI: +971 50 558 5536

2. What are the requirements for a visit visa?

If you are planning to visit the UAE, you will need a visit visa that is applied by a sponsor. Sponsors can be:

• Hotels and tourist companies
• UAE organizations
• Individuals (relatives or friends) who are already residents of the UAE

Once you find a sponsor, you will need to submit the following requirements:

• Passport copies (passport must be valid for at least 6 months)
• Copy of confirmed flight booking
• Passport-sized coloured photographs
• Visa fee
• Visa application form, duly filled

If you stay longer than the validity of your visa (overstay), you will be fined with AED 200 for the first day of overstay, followed by AED100 each consecutive day. This is to be paid in addition to AED 100, as service fees at the immigration offices or at the airport when exiting.

If you stay longer in the UAE beyond the grace period (30 days after visa expiry) and didn’t settle the overstaying fees, you may face the following legal consequences:

• Blacklist in the UAE
• Immigration ban
• Jailed up to 3 months
• Deportation order

For more info, visit www.dnrd.ae or www.government.ae

3. Can I extend a visit visa?

All types of visit and tourist visas can be extended for 30 days twice, upon renewal without the need to leave the country.

Visitors who failed to renew their visa before expiry will have to pay the fine for each day of their overstay, to be calculated from 10 days after the visa expiry.

For more info, please visit www.government.ae

4. What are the requirements for a working visa?

If you are planning to work in the UAE, you must obtain a work visa. Here are the requirements:

• DFA authenticated and UAE Attested certificate/degree from school/ university
• Passport copies (passport must be valid for at least 6 months)
• Passport-sized photographs in white background
• Entry visa (can be e-visa)

For more info, visit www.mol.gov.ae or www.government.ae

5. How can I renew an expired passport?

Filipino citizens can renew an expired passport at the Philippine Consulate or the Philippine Embassy. To renew your passport, you must do and submit the following:

• Confirmed Online Appointment
• Personal appearance of applicant
• Original old passport
• Accomplished E-passport application forms
• Old Passport Copies
• Photocopy of visa

For more info, visit www.dubaipcg.dfa.gov.ph or www.abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph

6. How can I replace a lost or damaged passport?

If in any case you have lost or damaged your passport, you will need to submit the following:

• E-Passport application form
• Original and one (1) copy of the Report of Loss from the UAE Immigration Office, duly stamped by the Abu Dhabi or Dubai Police General Headquarters, with English translation
• Birth Certificate in Security Paper issued by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), duly authenticated by the DFA
• For married woman, Marriage Certificate in Security Paper of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) duly authenticated by the DFA
• Original Affidavit of Loss filed at the Embassy
• Passport fee

7. What do I need to get an Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC)?

An Overseas Employment Certificate (OEC) is a requirement under POEA rules and regulations to help ensure that Filipino Overseas Workers (OFWs) are properly documented and protected.

Only OFWs are required to get an OEC.  Once issued, an OEC is valid for sixty (60) days, one (1) day for OECs issued by the Labor Assistance Centers (LACs) at the airports. Filipinos can get an OEC at POLO Dubai / Abu Dhabi. Here are the procedures in getting an OEC:

• Confirm online appointment through polodubai.com or www.bmonline.ph
• Update or apply OWWA membership
• Accomplish print OEC BM On-Line appointment form
• Present original Passport
• Submit photocopies of passport and visa page
• Present confirmed roundtrip plane ticket
• Personal appearance

For more info, please visit www.polodubaiportal.org

For Balik-Mangagawa, Household Service Workers or Housemaids, here are the requirements:

• Immigration Contract (original and photocopy) of the worker
• Original passport of the worker
• Passport copy of the sponsor and the worker
• Residence Visa copy of the worker
• Sponsor’s residence visa copy (if non-local)
• Affidavit of undertaking of sponsor
• Information sheet of sponsor

A Balik Manggagawa worker with employment visa / work permit, who has served or is serving his/her employment contract and is returning to the same employer or to the same job site, or already has a record in the POEA Database can acquire OEC exemption.

For more info, please visit www.bmonline.ph

8. Where can I file my labor complaints?

If you are facing any work-related problems and issues like non-payment of salary, abuse at the workplace, and disputes with your employer, you can call

Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE): 80066473

Human Rights Department – Dubai Police: 901

For more info, please visit www.mohre.gov.ae

9. How can Filipinos get married in the UAE?

Filipinos (both parties) can get married at the Philippine Consulate or the Philippine Embassy. To get married, couples must do and submit the following:

• Accomplished application forms and joint affidavit of witnesses
• Original DFA-Authenticated (red ribbon) NSO Certificate of No Marriage (CENOMAR) of both Bride and Groom
• Original DFA-Authenticated (red ribbon) NSO Birth Certificate of Bride and Groom
• Valid Passport Copies and Visa Copies of Groom, Bride, Witnesses
• Recent passport-size colored photos of bride and groom
• Original DFA-Authenticated (red ribbon) Affidavit of Parental Consent for applicants aged 18-21/Affidavit of Parental Advice for applicants aged 22-25

For more info, visit www.dubaipcg.dfa.gov.ph or www.abudhabipe.dfa.gov.ph

10. What do foreign nationals need to get a Philippine visa?

Foreign nationals who want to visit the Philippines can get a tourist visa at the Philippine Consulate or at the Philippine Embassy. Here are the requirements for a Philippine visa:

• Accomplished visa application form from Philippine Consulate or Philippine Embassy website
• Personal appearance of the applicant, for first time applicant
• Original passport and photocopy of passport data page (passport must be valid for at least 6 months)
• Photocopy of English UAE residence visa. The UAE visa must be valid for at least six (6) months;
• Recent passport-sized photo
• Letter of Guarantee from employer/company sponsor
• Signed invitation/Reference letter from Philippine sponsor/contact person or company together with the inviting person’s passport or any valid ID and indicating the complete address and telephone number(s) in the Philippines or Hotel Booking in the Philippines and copy of ticket;
• Proof/s of applicant’s financial capacity to travel
• Police Clearance in English issued by the UAE Ministry of Interior for ages 18 years old and above

*Please note that UAE nationals do not need a visa for entry to the Philippines when stay is 30 days or less.