Baby RL is now 2 months and 22 days. In the UAE, well at least in RAK, newborn expats (is that a thing? hmmnn..) are allowed to stay in the country without a visa 4 months after birth. After that, the father or mother needs to sponsor the baby for a residence visa. Visa application for newborns takes only a week or so since they don't need medical, etc. But then at the rate the policies are changing, we will know if the time frame still applies. I'll blog about the process when its done.
While some parents eagerly apply for passport days or weeks after the baby, we have waited for more than 2 months. Are we lazy? Did we procrastinate? Erhhmm, kinda. Baby RL was born early and I was scared to travel with him in the first month. In the second month, I went back to work and cannot take a leave of absence. Then Ramadan came, it was summer, and so many things in between.
So after much preparation on my part, I hauled my family and trekked to PCG-Dubai on a fine Monday morning. Coming from RAK it took us just a little over an hour to get there. We arrived at the consulate at around 9am and people are already swarming outside. The line inside the processing area was not very long and there was priority lane for babies, pregnant women and disable. (Yey! for that). There was a lady in from of the counter filling up her forms and I really wanted to ask her to do that somewhere else so the line could move, but whatevs. When it was my turn, I handed over my documents, all filled up, stapled, paperclipped and arranged in the order listed in the website. Then lo and behold, they asked for the Original Birth certificate and I don't have it with me. Doi! Imagine the rage and fury of the hubby when I asked him to go back to RAK to bring the Birth Certificate. I asked him to bring us to Dubai Festival City Center where we can wait for him. There is an IKEA in DFCC and I went Bat-shit cray-cray! But that's another post.
When hubbie returned, we went back to PCG. There was no one manning the special lane but I was called by the gentleman at the regular counter despite the queue. After he reviewed the documents I was told to go to counter number 3 (Cashier) to pay. The Cashier is outside of the main building and around the back. After paying I went inside to check the line and there were a lot of people sitting and standing waiting for their turn. But babies again have special treatment and we were called on right away. Only catch is, baby must be awake (eyes open) for the photo! And my was he tough to wake. I had to call his papa but he was no help. The ate outside gave us baby wipes for his eyes, but no. I bought water to wet his face, but no. A nice arab gentleman help his papa wake him, but no. So Mama resorted to a NICU tested way to wake him up, make pitik his dapa-dapa! He woke up screaming so we rushed inside and was able to take a few photos. Unfortunately, none looked good. Kind manang at the counter offered to take another photo but as I was lifting him up, he started to get drowsy and slept in a nanosecond. People at the room were laughing at him. So baby when you see your passport photo, remember that mama did her best to make you look good but you insisted on your pugak look so there!
Anyway for new babies, here are the procedure.
1. Get the Original Birth Certificate (in English) attested from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, cost is AED 160
2. Download form for Report of Birth here,
3. Download passport application, here
Useful tips:
- Bring 6 sets listed documents, except for passport application you will only need 1. There is a photocopy machine but there is a line.
- Bring Original Marriage Certificate as well, they asked for this.
- Make the baby wear Polo or Shirt with collar
- Bring a rattle or something that will keep your baby's attention while photo is being taken.
Passport will be ready in 8 weeks (Yikes!) hopefully it will be less. Inshallah!
While some parents eagerly apply for passport days or weeks after the baby, we have waited for more than 2 months. Are we lazy? Did we procrastinate? Erhhmm, kinda. Baby RL was born early and I was scared to travel with him in the first month. In the second month, I went back to work and cannot take a leave of absence. Then Ramadan came, it was summer, and so many things in between.
So after much preparation on my part, I hauled my family and trekked to PCG-Dubai on a fine Monday morning. Coming from RAK it took us just a little over an hour to get there. We arrived at the consulate at around 9am and people are already swarming outside. The line inside the processing area was not very long and there was priority lane for babies, pregnant women and disable. (Yey! for that). There was a lady in from of the counter filling up her forms and I really wanted to ask her to do that somewhere else so the line could move, but whatevs. When it was my turn, I handed over my documents, all filled up, stapled, paperclipped and arranged in the order listed in the website. Then lo and behold, they asked for the Original Birth certificate and I don't have it with me. Doi! Imagine the rage and fury of the hubby when I asked him to go back to RAK to bring the Birth Certificate. I asked him to bring us to Dubai Festival City Center where we can wait for him. There is an IKEA in DFCC and I went Bat-shit cray-cray! But that's another post.
When hubbie returned, we went back to PCG. There was no one manning the special lane but I was called by the gentleman at the regular counter despite the queue. After he reviewed the documents I was told to go to counter number 3 (Cashier) to pay. The Cashier is outside of the main building and around the back. After paying I went inside to check the line and there were a lot of people sitting and standing waiting for their turn. But babies again have special treatment and we were called on right away. Only catch is, baby must be awake (eyes open) for the photo! And my was he tough to wake. I had to call his papa but he was no help. The ate outside gave us baby wipes for his eyes, but no. I bought water to wet his face, but no. A nice arab gentleman help his papa wake him, but no. So Mama resorted to a NICU tested way to wake him up, make pitik his dapa-dapa! He woke up screaming so we rushed inside and was able to take a few photos. Unfortunately, none looked good. Kind manang at the counter offered to take another photo but as I was lifting him up, he started to get drowsy and slept in a nanosecond. People at the room were laughing at him. So baby when you see your passport photo, remember that mama did her best to make you look good but you insisted on your pugak look so there!
Anyway for new babies, here are the procedure.
1. Get the Original Birth Certificate (in English) attested from Ministry of Foreign Affairs, cost is AED 160
2. Download form for Report of Birth here,
3. Download passport application, here
Useful tips:
- Bring 6 sets listed documents, except for passport application you will only need 1. There is a photocopy machine but there is a line.
- Bring Original Marriage Certificate as well, they asked for this.
- Make the baby wear Polo or Shirt with collar
- Bring a rattle or something that will keep your baby's attention while photo is being taken.
Passport will be ready in 8 weeks (Yikes!) hopefully it will be less. Inshallah!
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