I recently arranged for my son's passport to be renewed and now have the new one, but his UAE residency visa is still valid for one more month. Is it advisable to travel to India for 25 days with the old passport with the valid visa and the new passport without a visa? My second query is whether he will be permitted to re-enter the UAE with just five days remaining on his residency visa? RKM, Dubai
It is not unusual for UAE residents to have their current visa in a passport that has expired. In this case the individual must travel with both passports, preferably joined by an elastic band, so that officials can see that they have both a current passport and a current residency visa. Until a new residency visa is obtained, RKM's son must travel with both passports. It should not be an issue to enter the UAE with just a few days remaining in a residency visa although you may be asked for confirmation that a replacement has been applied for.
Keren Bobker is an independent financial adviser with Holborn Assets in Dubai. Contact her at keren@holbornassets.com