British Political Atency
Abu Dhabi
TRUCIAL STATES VISAS - TRANSITIONAL ARRANGEMENTS E
The Abu Dhabi Government will not now be ready to take over
the issue 01 Stay visa on 1 August. It seems likely that
stay visas and N O Cs will be handed over together in the
autumn but much will depend on when a Union Immigration
Law is provided and on its tertas.
R
2. Whatever the date of the transfer, I am a little
concerned about the long administrative "overhang" will
occur il we take no steps to curtail it(para 3(b) ol your
letter 40/24 ol 11 May not to all). Let us assume, for
the moment that there will be a simultaneous handover in
Dubai and Abu Dhabi of both Stay visas and N OCs on Best Me
1 December 71. If we continue to follow normal practice,
NO Cs issued in late November 71 will remain valid until
late February 72 and the visas issued against them will be
valid for a further six months until late August 72. IL
there are stay visas valid for 12 months, people could be.
residing in the Irucial States on British issued documents
until August 1973. This hardly matters of itsell but is
bound to surprise newly appointed (and sometimes semi literate) Immigration officers.
3. In order to curtain this overhang and to provide
clear and simple instructions Por our own missions I suggest
that we proceed as follows:
a) As from 1 October 71 all N O Cs issued by the
Agencies in Dubai and Abu Dhabi should be stamped
Hvalid only until 31 December 71".
b) As from 1 October the Agencies in Dubai and
Abu Dhabi should stamp all re-entry and Multiple
entry visas "Valid only until 31 March 72". (Those
Multiple entry visas which have recently been
issued wil, or course, be valid until June or
July 1972.
As from 1 October 71 British Missions should be
asked to stamp all visas issued whether discretionary
or against N Cs "Valid only until 31 March 1972".
