Working extra hours in UAE? You must be paid for it

The commutation periods spent by the worker from the place of residence to the work site thereof shall not be calculated within the working hours.

I am a teacher working for an Indian School in Dubai, which has sponsored my work permit/residence visa. This school has a very peculiar rule that those teachers who are on school visa should work an hour extra compared to those teachers who are on husband's visa.

For example, a teacher who is on husband's visa would wind up work by 2:00pm, however, the teachers on school visa are expected to stay up to 3.30pm. This rule is not written anywhere, neither in our appointment letter. However, this has been in practice verbally and those on school visa are obliged to stay back. Is that even legally allowed?

When we joined the organisation, we weren't informed of such a rule; it's only after we signed our employment contract and started working there that we were told verbally that our work timings are extended by an hour and half because the school has sponsored our visa. Please advise.

It is presumed that your employment is subject to the provisions of the Federal Law No 8 of 1980 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (the "Employment Law").

The Employment Law contains specific provisions pertaining to hours of work, whereby it is prescribed that the maximum working hours for employees normally shall be eight hours in a day. We cite Article 65 of the Employment Law for your reference in this regard.

"The maximum number of ordinary working hours for adult workers shall be eight hours per day, or forty-eight hours per week. The number of hours may be increased to nine hours per day for people employed in trade, hotels, cafeterias, security and other jobs whose addition may be made by virtue of a decision from the Minister of Labour. Furthermore, the daily number of working hours may be reduced for strenuous or harmful works and such by virtue of a decision from the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs. The ordinary working hours shall be reduced by two hours during Ramadan. The commutation periods spent by the worker from the place of residence to the work site thereof shall not be calculated within the working hours."

Further, it is also prescribed in the Employment Law that the daily hours of work are to be designed by the concerned employer in a manner that employees are not required to work for more than five hours at a stretch and there are adequate breaks for rest, meals and prayer. This is in accordance with the provisions of the Article 66 of the Employment Law which reads as follows.

"The daily working hours shall be so regulated that no worker shall work for more than five successive hours without breaks -for rest, meals and prayer- amounting in aggregate to not less than one hour. Such breaks shall not be included as part of the working hours.

However, in factories and workshops where work is organised in the form of successive day and night shifts, and in processes where work has to continue uninterrupted for technical and economic reasons, the manner in which breaks for rest, meals and prayer are to be granted shall be specified in a resolution by the minister."

It may be noted that the normal working hours for teachers are till 2pm - the rule should normally be applicable for all teachers regardless of their visa sponsorship status. In the event any teacher is compelled to work for additional hours, such teacher shall be entitled to receive payment for overtime work. In this regard, we cite Article 67 of the Employment Law for your reference.

"Where the work circumstances require a worker to work more than the normal number of hours, any period worked in excess shall be treated as overtime, for which the worker shall receive the wage stipulated for his normal working hours, plus a supplement of at least 25 per cent of that wage."

In view of the foregoing provisions of the Employment Law, the act of your employer to compel certain employees to work additional hours is arbitrary and without a justified reason. You may therefore try to prevail upon your employer to either maintain parity in the working hours for all employees i.e., the teachers; or, pay overtime remuneration for the additional hours of work done by the specific teachers in the school.

Help! I have got a labour ban

I joined a company in Dubai, which was closed down before I completed six months in my job. The owner of the company asked all the employees to look for new jobs. However, when I got a new job and the company applied for the visa, it was found that I have been banned for a year for not completing six months on my job.

I wish to know if there is any option for me to lift the ban, because I didn't leave the company on my own. I have a no objection letter from the company and other documents, but still the ban is in place. Please help me.

It may be noted that usually employment bans are not imposed on individuals who have completed one year of continuous service in their previous employment. But unfortunately, in your case, the period of employment was less than six months.

Notwithstanding the above, since the reason for termination of employment could not be attributed to you, the labour ban may be lifted at the discretion of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. In this regard, you may approach the ministry, requesting for a review of the ban and you may further represent there stating that you had not terminated the employment contract, and as such the termination was due to closing of the entity where you were working, by the employer.

It may however be noted that you may also seek for revocation of the employment ban in the event you are offered a salary which satisfies the minimum prescribed salary limits stated in this regard corresponding to one's educational qualifications. This is in accordance with the provisions of Article 4 of UAE Ministerial Order No 1186 of 2010 which states:

"As an exception to the provision of Item No. 2 of Article 2 of this Resolution, the ministry may issue a work permit to an employee without requiring the two year period in the following cases:

a) In the event that the employee is starting his new position in the first, second or third professional levels after fulfilling the conditions for joining any of these levels according to the rules in force at the ministry, and provided that his new wage is not less than Dh12,000 at the first professional level, Dh7,000 at the second professional level and Dh5,000 at the third professional level."

In view of the foregoing, you must be offered minimum salaries stipulated above so as to seek a revocation of the employment ban. Apart from this, labour bans issued by the ministry may not be effective at the free zones of the UAE. And, you may seek with any entity incorporated in any of the free zones.

You may contact the ministry for further enquiries.

Ashish Mehta is the founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates. He is qualified to practise law in Dubai, the United Kingdom, Singapore and India. Full details of his firm on: www.amalawyers.com. Readers may e-mail their questions to: news@khaleejtimes.com or send them to Legal View, Khaleej Times, PO Box 11243, Dubai.

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Indian nationals warned of fake UAE job offers

The letter appears to have official insignia and encloses a certificate of employment.

In the past few days, Consulate General of India, Dubai has come across at least two fraud job offers made to Indian nationals in the name of UAE companies.

The letter appears to have official insignia and encloses a certificate of employment.

The consulate attached a copy of the fraud job offer for residents perusal:

The Consulate General of India, Dubai would like to advise that job-seekers should not fall prey to such bogus job offers.

In case of any doubt, seek clarification from the Consulate by sending an email to Vice Consul (Labour) at labour.dubai@mea.gov.in and copy to cgoffice.dubai@mea.gov.in.

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Does your office keep your passport in UAE? Here's the law

An employer cannot terminate an employee for not surrendering its passport to its employer.

Q.1) I would like to raise a concern regarding the retention of a passport. My wife is working for a private travel agency and is on my sponsorship. She has been working in that firm since 2011 and all of a sudden the company manager is forcing her to surrender the passport, even though it is being informed to him that this is not in accordance with our consent.

He is threatening to take strict action against her. Please advise if it is legal to force an employee, who is not directly under the company's sponsorship, is supposed to submit their passport? My wife's entire job period is very clean with no dues or loans or any kind of misconduct towards the job. Can the manager or company force her to surrender the passport or terminate her due to the same reason? What steps should be taken to avoid such harassment? If we complain and the management starts harassing her for this, is there a legal way to protect ourselves?

Answer:

It is understood that your wife is employed by a private travel agency and her visa is sponsored by you. Your wife has been working with her employer since 2011 and all of a sudden her employer is forcing her to surrender her passport, even though she has informed her employer that it is against your will to do so. The employer is threatening to take strict action against your wife. Further, your wife has a clean record of employment which is devoid of any loans or any kind of misconduct.

Pursuant to your queries, detention of passport against the will of the passport holder is unlawful in the UAE. An employer cannot ask its employee to hand over the passport to keep in their custody without the employee's written consent. Should she face any continued harassment at her workplace she may report the same to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiritisation (MoHRE) where she may lodge a complaint against her employer and may consider reporting this matter to the police.

Further, an employer cannot terminate an employee for not surrendering its passport to its employer. In the event the employer terminates your wife on grounds of not surrendering her passport to them it will be termed as arbitrary termination of employment.

KNOW THE LAW

An employer cannot ask its employee to hand over the passport to keep in their custody without the employee's written consent.

Ashish Mehta is the founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates. He is qualified to practise law in Dubai, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and India. Full details of his firm on: www.amalawyers.com. Readers may e-mail their questions to: news@khaleejtimes.com or send them to Legal View, Khaleej Times, PO Box 11243, Dubai

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What banks can do in case of dishonoured cheque in UAE

Whenever a cheque is dishonoured by the bank, a criminal complaint may be initiated by the cheque's beneficiary, who shall be the complainant in this matter. Article 401 of Federal Law No. 3 of 1987 on issuance of Penal Code (the 'Criminal Law') of UAE states: "Detention or a fine shall be imposed on anyone who, in bad faith, gives a draft (cheque) without a sufficient and drawable balance or who, after giving a cheque, withdraws all or part of the balance, making the balance insufficient for settlement of the cheque, or if he orders a drawee not to cash a cheque or makes or signs the cheque in a manner that prevents it from being cashed.

The same penalty shall apply to anyone who endorses a cheque in favour of another or gives him a bearer draft, knowing that there is no sufficient balance to honour the cheque or that it is not drawable."

Based on the above provision, it is the discretion of the court to decide the quantum of punishment, which may either be fine or detention or both. Normally, a travel ban may be imposed on the signatory of the cheque by the public prosecutor. If you are cleared of the criminal case filed against you, the bank may file a civil claim against you for the amount on the cheque plus costs and seek a travel ban, in accordance with Article 644 of Federal Law No. 18 of 1993 on the issuance of The Commercial Transactions Law, which states: "If a penal action in any of the cheque-related crimes provided for in the law of penalties have been filed against the drawer, the holder of the cheque who claims the civil right may sue the court for obtaining an amount equivalent to that of the cheque or to the extent of the unpaid amount of its value, apart from the compensation, when necessary."

Further, the bank may at its discretion pursue criminal and or civil charges against you and recovery of the amount from the insurance policy held by the bank does not provide you any immunity.

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What to do when your visa expires after exiting UAE

The rules regarding expiry or cancellation of visa are to be found in the Federal Law No (6) for 1973 concerning immigration and residence as amended by virtue of Law No. 7 of 1985, Law No. 13 of 1996 and Federal Decree- Law No. 17 of 2017 (the 'Federal Residency Law') read with the provisions of the Ministerial Decision No. (360) of 1997 regrading the issuance of executive regulation of the Federal Law No. (6) of 1973 concerning the entry and residence of foreigners (the 'Federal Residency Rules').

In view of your queries, it may be noted that residence/employment visas for expatriates in the UAE may be deemed to have been cancelled if the individual concerned stays outside the UAE for a continuous period of six months. This is in accordance with Article 61 of the Federal Residency Rules, which reads as follows:

"The residence permit granted to the foreigner shall be deemed to have been cancelled if the period of his stay outside the country exceeds six months."

However, there are certain exceptions to this rule, which are stated under Article 62 of the Federal Residency Rules that read as follows:

"As an exception from the provisions of Article (61) hereof, the residence permit shall continue to be valid until the end of its term for the following categories:

a) The foreigner wives of UAE national.

b) Servants accompanying UAE nationals delegated to study abroad.

c) Servants and escorts of UAE national patients travelling or sent for medical treatment abroad.

d) Foreign patients (and their escorts) who are travelling or sent for medical treatment abroad, holding valid residence permits, provided that they present a medical report approved by the Ministry of Health or the Medical Services of the Armed Forces or Police.

e) Servants of the members of the diplomatic and consular missions representing the state abroad, and employees of such missions holding residence permits in the state.

f) Foreigners delegated by the public sector corporations to attend training or specialisation courses, or those working in their employers' offices abroad, and their families holding valid residence permits in the state.

g) Servants of the members of the ruling family in the UAE, who are serving their houses abroad, and who are holding valid residence permits in the state.

h) Students studying in one of the universities or institutes abroad."

However, it may be noted that your son may not qualify for any of the exceptions as cited hereinabove, and it may be presumed that his visa may have already been cancelled. 

Therefore, considering these circumstances, your son may contact his employer in the UAE, regarding his current status and if such employer would like to continue the employment relationship with him. If the response is positive, then the employer may arrange for a fresh employment visa for your son. Otherwise, your son may re-enter the UAE on a visit visa.

Further, in view of your apprehensions, it may be advisable for you to engage a legal practitioner in the UAE, who may check with the competent authorities if there are any cases filed against your son, or if there are any impending issues regarding his entry to the UAE.

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How you can settle UAE bank loan from outside the country

You have not specified the nature of the complaint filed against you, and therefore our response shall be based on two probable scenarios, viz. complaint on dishonour of security cheque and a civil suit being filed against you for recovery of debt.

In the UAE, banks usually collect cheques from the debtors as security against loan, and they reserve the right to submit such cheque for encashment for recovery of dues from the debtor. If the cheque gets dishonoured, the banks have the right to file criminal case against the debtors concerned. This is in accordance with Section 401 of Federal Law No. 3 of 1980 which reads as follows:

"Detention or a fine shall be imposed upon anyone who, in bad faith, gives a draft (cheque) without a sufficient and drawable balance or who, after giving a cheque, withdraws all or part of the balance, making the balance insufficient for settlement of the cheque, or if he orders a drawee not to cash a cheque or makes or signs the cheque in a manner that prevents it from being cashed. The same penalty shall apply to anyone who endorses a cheque in favour of another or gives him a bearer draft, knowing that there is no sufficient balance to honour the cheque or that it is not drawable."

Hence, if you issued cheque/s in favour of your bank and the same got dishonoured upon submission, we understand that the bank had subsequently filed a criminal complaint against you.

It may also be noted that your bank would reserve rights to simultaneously initiate a civil suit against you for recovery of dues from you.

Since you are interested in settlement of your dues against the bank, you may consider to appoint a legal practitioner in the UAE, who may on your behalf contact and negotiate with the bank for an alternative repayment plan, and also for withdrawal of the complaint/s filed or civil suits initiated against you.

In the event the bank agrees and provides a repayment plan for you, you may be able to rehabilitate your outstanding loan and get it out of default. Once your dues against the bank are settled, your legal counsel may further obtain a 'no dues certificate' for you from the bank.

Know the law:  Detention or a fine shall be imposed upon anyone who gives a draft (cheque) without a sufficient and drawable balance or who, after giving a cheque, withdraws all or part of the balance, making the balance insufficient for settlement of the cheque

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Employees who worked on public holiday entitled to paid leave or overtime pay

Public holidays, official government working days and hours are determined by a decision of the UAE Cabinet.

Q-I work for a federal government company in shifts. My company gives me a day off on public holidays only if it falls during my day shift on a weekday. If the public holiday falls when I am on night shift or on a weekend, I don't get any sort of compensation. Is this legally right?

A-It is understood that you work for a federal government company in shifts and your employer grants you a paid leave for a public holiday only if it falls on a day when you are on day shift and on a weekday. Such a leave is not granted if the holiday falls on a weekend or on a day when you are scheduled to work on a night shift, and no compensation is given to you for this.

You have not specified your shift schedules and the type of employment, and we shall therefore assume that you are on a full-time employment and your employment is subject to the Federal Decree Law No. 11 for 2008 On Human Resources in the Federal Government (as amended by Federal Decree Law No. 9 for 2011 and Federal Decree Law No. 17 for 2016), called 'Human Resource Law'; and the Cabinet Resolution No. 1 of 2018 On the Executive Regulations of Human Resources Law in the Federal Government, called the 'Executive Regulation'.

According to the Human Resource Law, public holidays, official government working days and hours are determined by a decision of the UAE Cabinet. The chairman of your federal entity may also make necessary arrangements for flexible working hours and may invoke a shift system as necessary, provided that the total weekly working hours shall not exceed 48 hours. This is in accordance with the provisions of Article 74 read with the provisions of Article 75 of the Human Resource Law that read as follows:

"Article 74- 1. Official Government working days and hours are determined by a decision of the Cabinet.

"2. The Chairman of the Federal entity may make necessary arrangements for flexible working hours as needed and within the limits of normal working hours per week."

"Article 75: Public Holidays are determined by a decision of the Cabinet. The decision also designates competent authorities that announce public holidays."

The Executive Regulation further sets forth that when employees are required to work on official holidays, they shall be entitled to receive compensatory leave on some other day or, if applicable, may opt to receive extra compensation for the actual overtime work he performs during these days. However, if the said holiday coincides with a weekend, he is not entitled to any compensation. This is in accordance with the provisions of three clauses of the Article 116 read with the provisions of Article 117 and Article 122 of the Executive Regulation, which are quoted here for reference:

"Article 116: (3)The chairman of the federal entity may introduce a flexible working system as required by work needs and conditions as long as it is within the limits of approved weekly working hour.

"(5) Official holidays for federal entities shall be subject to Cabinet resolutions.

"(6) Except for religious holidays, any other holidays set forth in the proceeding article may be carried over to the beginning or end of the week, if they occur between two working days. The official holiday may not be moved or compensated if it coincides with another holiday or weekend."

Further, Article 117 of the Executive Regulation states that a federal entity may apply a system of shift-based work. The provision reads as follows:

"A Federal Entity may apply a shift system on all or part of the positions or organisational divisions within its structure, depending on its and requirements and nature of work, provided that the total weekly working hours shall not exceed 48 hours."

In accordance with the provisions of Article 122, it may be noted that when an employee is required by his or her superior to work on official holidays, he or she shall be granted paid leaves that are equal to the number of holidays he or she was on duty. Under clause (3) of Article 117, it may be noted that such employee may either choose days of paid leave for the number of days worked during public holidays, or may seek compensation for the actual overtime work performed during the period. The provisions under Article 122 read as follows:

"Compensation for work during official holidays:

1- The direct superior may assign an employee to work during an official holiday if deemed necessary as per work requirements.

"2-An employee who works on official holidays shall be granted days equal to the number of days he works during weekends in compensation. Part of a day shall be considered full day.

"3-An employee who is entitled to overtime pay may choose between being compensated by days equal to the number of days worked on official holidays or receive a payment in compensation for the actual overtime work he performs during official holidays."

In pursuance of these provisions of the Human Resource Law and those of the Executive Regulation, it may be noted that you shall not be entitled to compensation if the public holiday coincides with a weekend. But if a holiday coincides with a weekday when you work on night shifts, you may be entitled to additional days of paid leave or you may also choose to get compensation for overtime work.

You may address your concerns with your supervisor and seek compensatory days off or overtime payment, if your working hours have fallen on public holidays. However, if you feel that your supervisor has not followed the prescribed working hours for its subordinates, you may consult the human resource department of your organisation.

KNOW THE LAW

If a public holiday falls on a weekend, no compensatory day off or overtime pay shall be granted to an employee.

Ashish Mehta is the founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates. He is qualified to practise law in Dubai, the United Kingdom, Singapore, and India. Full details of his firm on: www.amalawyers.com. Readers may e-mail their questions to: news@khaleejtimes.com or send them to Legal View, Khaleej Times, PO Box 11243, Dubai

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Sheikh Mohammed outlines 50-year charter for Dubai

The pledge comes a day after Sheikh Mohammed shared his 8-point mantra of governance.

A Dubai Silk Road that connects the East and West and the North and South are among the nine visions laid out by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai.

"Our region has historically been one of civilisation and trade and this role must be restored," Sheikh Mohammed said in the 'Fifty-Year Charter' unveiled on Sunday.

The document is a "pledge and promise, on behalf of myself and the ruling family of Dubai, of what we will undertake to improve the quality of life, develop the community of Dubai, and ensure the future of generations to come".

HH Sheikh Mohammed

✔@HHShkMohd

This is a Charter that represents our pledge and promise towards enhancing the life of people in Dubai in 2019. A new charter shall be launched on Jan 4 every year .. http://en-50.teo.ae 

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6:13 PM - Jan 6, 2019

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The charter will be released on January 4 each year to announce exceptional projects in Dubai. "We have divided this document into nine articles in order to facilitate implementation, follow up and accountability."

The pledge comes a day after Sheikh Mohammed shared his 8-point mantra of governance.

Below is the full text of the charter: 

The Fifty-Year Charter

In the Name of Allah, and praise be to Him!

From Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, to the people of Dubai and its residents is a document that represents our pledge and promise, on behalf of myself and the ruling family of Dubai, of what we will undertake to improve the quality of life, develop the community of Dubai, and ensure the future of generations to come.

It is an annual document that I have named 'The Fifty-Year Charter' to mark my 50th anniversary of assuming my first official post in serving my country, and in the hope of another 50 years during which we will maintain a city governed by law and bound by the spirit of compassion, love harmony and tolerance.

A prosperous city where future generations achieve their dreams and aspirations.

On January 4, 2019, I declare my commitment, as well as the commitment of the ruling family of Dubai, and the commitment of our government and all our teams to the vision presented in this document.

We have divided this document into nine articles in order to facilitate its implementation, follow-up, and accountability.

This document does not replace the government's strategies, but it is a document that includes some aspects of our vision for the future city of Dubai and the life we wish to maintain for everyone living in this community.

We will release The Fifty-Year Charter on January 4 each year to announce exceptional projects in Dubai.

Our guidance to everyone is to act in accordance with this charter, and in accordance with the Eight Principles of Dubai document, which we have launched, to ensure continued prosperity.

The following are the nine articles, which I will personally observe, and overseen by the Crown Prince Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

Article 1: Dubai Silk Road

Dubai is destined to be a crossroad between East and West, and between North and South.

We have the largest international airport in the world. It connects us with more than 200 cities.

Over the next 10 years, more than one billion passengers will pass through our airports.

Worldwide, we operate around 80 ports that are connected to hundreds of cities.

Our next goal is to build our own Silk Road in cooperation with our friendly neighbours who share our vision.

Our region has historically been a region of civilisation and trade, and this role must be restored. We will seek to build international cooperation to support these aspirations.

Article 2: A Geo-Economic Map for Dubai

In the coming phase, we will work to develop a geo-economic map for the city of Dubai and set up specialised, integrated economic zones in the whole city.

Each geo-economic sector in the city will have its own council, which manages and markets it.

Each geographical sector will have its own economic and investment goals.

We will monitor the achievement of these goals with transparency.

A Governor will be appointed for each economic zone to oversee the achievement of its goals, as well as its progress and success.

Article 3: First Virtual Commercial City

Dubai will lead the establishment of the rst virtual commercial city in the region that grants commercial licenses without having to reside in Dubai. e city will allow investors to open bank accounts and grant e-residencies according to best international laws and regulations. We aim to have 100,000 companies in the virtual city.

Article 4: A Central Education File for Every Citizen

We aim to develop a centralised education database for every citizen to document all the academic degrees obtained, classes and training taken, and conferences attended.

This will help us design customised educational plans for our citizens that suit their personal skills.

We aim to build an educational and learning system that explores and develops people's skills.

Our goal for our citizens is to have life-long learning so they can continue to improve their skills and capacities to adapt to the rapid global changes in the world.

Article 5: A Doctor to Every Citizen

We aim to provide citizens with medical consultations 247/ through hundreds of thousands of doctors, specialists and medical consultants across the globe.

This will be facilitated by smart government application.

Our goal is to transform the medical system to bring doctors closer to individuals, enhance awareness, and utilize top medical minds globally to serve the health of our citizens.

Article 6: Free Economic and Creative Zones in Universities

Dubai's foundation is rooted in trade.

We will announce our public and private universities as free zones that allow students to carry out business and creative activities, make these activities part of the education and graduation system, and shape integrated economic and creative zones around the universities.

These zones will support students with education, research and funding during the launch of their projects.

We want our universities to not only graduate students but also create companies and employers.

Article 7: Self-sufficiency in Dubai Homes

We will develop an integrated program to build a comprehensive system that allows at least a tenth of our citizens' homes to be self-sufficient in terms of water, food and energy.

The achievement of this goal will help change lifestyles and contribute to the preservation of our environment.

We aim to create a new economic sector that supports energy, water and food self-sufficiency in the houses of Dubai, for at least a month, to be increased later. 

Article 8: Cooperative Companies in Various Sectors

This is a long-term programme that aims to provide new sources of income to our citizens, improve the quality of some services through privatization, and establishes cooperative companies owned by citizens in a number of vital sectors.  

Article 9: Annual Growth in Philanthropy

Our daily businesses and projects should not let us forget about giving to those who need help.

We pledge to increase philanthropic initiatives every year and grow them by at least an equal percentage of our annual economic growth.

Charity is indeed a major factor in the happiness of societies and the continuity of progress and prosperity.

These are some highlights of our future vision reflected in a number of practical programs that can be implemented and measured. A new Charter shall be launched in January 4, every year to sustain the welfare and happiness of our society.

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UAE announces new rules for tourist visas

The decision follows the exemption of transit tourists from visa fees for the first 48 hours.

Tourists travelling to the UAE during the summer won't need to pay visa fees for dependents aged 18 years or below, the UAE Cabinet announced on Sunday. The fee exemption will be applicable between July 15 and September 15 every year and is expected to boost tourist numbers during the off peak season.

The decision follows the exemption of transit tourists from visa fees for the first 48 hours.  Travel agents in the UAE have welcomed the move, saying it would help boost tourism during the summer season.

A 14-day express tourist visa costs Dh497 per head and a 30-day multi-entry tourist visa costs Dh917 if the traveller purchases it online.

New visa rules in the UAE: All you need to know

However, according to tour operators, the most popular tourist visa is the 90-day multi-entry tourist visa, which is priced at Dh945.

"The total visa costs for a family of four (parents and two children) would be Dh3,780. With the exemptions, families will have to pay only Dh1,890, excluding taxes," a travel agent from Sharjah-based Sharaf Travels explained.

Rifa Dalvi, a travel consultant from Cozmo Travels, said the move would help residents who stay without their families in the UAE to bring their loved ones for a visit. "It will be great for all tourists ... Airlines offer ticket concessions for infants and children, it only makes sense that countries offer it for visas as well."

Travel agents said contrary to popular belief, the weather is not a deterrent for visitors during this time.

"For example, from Kerala, the festival of Onam is coming up. Though a lot of people want to go back home, now they can also bring their families here and celebrate the festival in Dubai," said the agent from Sharaf Travels. 

Shilpa Mahtani, COO of BNBME, a holiday management company, said the period of the fee-free visa offer coincides with the European summer holiday. "Hopefully, we can get some crowds from there, too."

Cofounder and CTO of travel web portal Musafir.com Albert Dias said the move would help promote travel to the UAE from within the GCC region. "However, we expect it to have a limited impact on inbound travel from key feeder markets such as India. Most parents with children in these markets prefer to travel during their local school summer holiday seasons, which usually run from April to June."

The number of passengers travelling through the country's airports reached 32.8 million during the first quarter of this year.

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New visa rules in UAE: All you need to know

A number of visa facilitations for visitors, residents, families and people overstaying have been approved by the Cabinet.

The Cabinet, chaired by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, adopted a number of visa facilitations for visitors, residents, families and people overstaying their visa to cater for a wider segment of the society.

The Cabinet approved a new legislative package, including a review of the current residency system to allow a two-year extension of the residency period for the dependents of their parents after finishing their university studies.

Transit visa

1. A new decision has also been approved to exempt transit passengers from all entry fees for the first 48 hours.

2. Transit visa can be extended for up to 96 hours for a fee of only Dh50.

3. Obtaining transit visa will be facilitated by a number of express counter at the passport-control hall across UAE airports.

Visa for overstayed job seekers  

In the same context, the Cabinet adopted a decision to grant people overstaying their visa a chance to leave the country voluntarily without a "no entry" passport stamp.

. A new 6-month visa will be introduced for job seekers who overstayed their visa but wish to work in the country.

.  The temporary visa enhances the UAE's position as a land of opportunities and a destination for talents and professionals.

. As for Individuals who entered the UAE illegally, they will have the chance to leave voluntarily with a "no entry" stamp for two years given that they provide a valid return ticket.

.  In a step aimed at simplifying the process and easing the financial burden on individuals wishing to adjust or renew their visa, they can now do so for a fee without having to leave and re-enter the country.

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