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andysscovered · 7 years ago

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Visa Exit to Oman ( Bus experience )

UAE has been the 1st, 2nd or 3rd or probably the 2nd to the last place where Pinoys flock to find a better opportunity. With the recent challenge facing the oil-producing countries, there has been a significant change in terms of career opportunities in the UAE. Like most Pinoys who tried their luck in UAE, I am one of those who seemed to have run out of luck and also ran out of time. My 3-month visa has expired without me landing on a job. My relatives advised me to instead of going back to my country, just apply for another long-term visa and try again(and due to the fact that it is cheaper)…only, do better at finding a job.

I asked a few favors from my loved ones to help me out in securing another long-term UAE visit visa (I thank God for their good heart) and one responded positively. My sister reached out to their contacts who deals with travel documents and stuff. There are 3 options that most agencies provide; you got the Airport-to-Airport, Armenia and the Oman exit. (Consult your travel agent for the information of these exit options). The Oman exit was chosen for me because it is relatively cheaper than the two previous packages. There are 2 ways to exit out of the UAE via Oman and that is by bus or plane. So we chose the Bus ride to Oman. It is much cheaper so it seems (about 1400+ AED more or less depending on your travel agency) than the airplane option. Out of curiosity, I tried searching online about the visa exit via Oman by land but most information available in the internet are people who have cars and they do half of the visa process themselves. Some information I picked up are complaints found in social media reviews of hotels that were used by previous exiting UAE tourist which doesn’t really help. So, this blog will stick only to my experience with the bus ride option. I read somewhere it is called the Oman Visa Run.

Travel agencies will advertise that your UAE tourist (visit) visa can be processed within 24-48 hours (depends on the day it was processed of course especially when it falls close to a weekend or a holiday) no matter which exit you choose. Typical agency information are the cost, requirements, some other information, disclaimers etc. What they don’t really divulge even in their disclaimer (intentional or unintentional, or probably they failed to elaborate or we forgot to ask, God knows) is the possibility that you might get stuck for a number of days even if you get your visa approved within 24-48 hour time frame. Being the cheapest among their package, it consist of a bus ride from Reef Mall to Oman, Omani Visit Visa, UAE Visa processing and a return ride back to Dubai. They did advise that the accommodation and food is not included in the package. I thought of getting myself some easy to cook meals as I am somehow a bit confident with my agency that I will not stay for more than 3 days in Oman. I did mention the reviews of hotels frequently recommended by travel agencies in Al Buraimi. I must admit, the reviews and complaints does gave me a bit of scare. The fear of being stranded in a foreign country is not something you would wish to be a reality. So everything was set, bills are paid, schedules are given but instructions and directions are not really clear. Other information I got is that the last trip for this kind of exit is Wednesday. I guess the best adventures are those without itineraries so I went with it. I asked what hotel they are recommending for me to stay for 3 days and 2 nights. They told me that Al Buraimi Hotel is where I can stay for 50 AED/day.

I was instructed to come to Reef Mall parking lot in Deira, Dubai on Sunday at 11 am. I did my best to come on time and messaged the agent that I might be 20-30 minutes late. I am conscious of my punctuality because I am expecting a lot of people who might be waiting for the bus to depart on time. It would be embarrassing if I am the reason why it is being held up or worst be left out. To my surprise, the agent seems to not mind and told me that there will still be final checks to be done after 11am. I arrived at 11:20 am and went to ALL parking lots inside and outside looking for groups of people and buses bound to Oman. I found the group at the outside parking lot on the side of Reef Mall basking in the 40+ degree heat waiting for their ride. I went and ask a few Kabayans about the bus bound to Oman and each of them provided different answers. I messaged again the agent and my sister, to verify if I am in the right place. Turns out, all of the people in the parking lot are going to the same destination but on different routes. One bus will be for those who will take the airplane to Oman and two will be to the Hatta border by bus. We waited for almost 3-4 hours for the driver and PROs sorting out and transferring some passengers to one bus to the other. When everything were all sorted out, We were then provided with Omani visas in our seats.

Oman Visa

Though not all passengers received their documents, we were told that the other visas was at the border and someone will meet us there. We were cautioned about the prohibited items in the border. Medicines other than Panadol and prescription drugs (provided that you can present the prescription) are not allowed in the border and….condoms.

The bus left Reef Mall at past 3pm. The bus ride has its visual perks as you go past sand dunes and mountain ranges in Ras Al Khaima and Sharjah.

📷 Ras Al Khaima roadside.

We had to stop near the Hatta border to get the remaining Omani visas for those who did not receive it earlier in Deira. We arrived at the border with the sun barely setting on the horizon. Entering the Hatta border, signs warn all people to not take photos or videos of the border. But being Pinoys, most of us can’t help but take selfies and groupies of the place and no one seemed to care. We stopped and got off the bus to get an exit stamp for our UAE visa and passport. By the way, there is a 35 AED charge for the exit stamp which the driver collected during our stop near the border. Payment for over-staying tourist is also done at the Hatta border. We proceeded to the Omani immigration office a few miles from the Hatta border for our Oman entry stamp. Then we went to another stop just a few meters from the immigration office for inspection of our bags and luggage. The border police also boarded the bus and checked for any prohibited items left and as luck would have it, they did found paracetamol tablets and 3 packs of condom in the overhead baggage bin. The border police asked the person seated on the spot where the items were found. He did admit on bringing tablets because he is not feeling well but denied bringing the condoms. He also thought that he threw the tablets away just before we left Dubai. There were a lot of discussions but due to the fact that the items were found in the bus bin and not in his personal possession, the border police let it slide with a stern warning. A friendly reminder to all Kabayans who has medical conditions needing their maintenance meds, please bring your prescription. The only headache or Paracetamol tablet they would allow is the Panadol brand. Other than that, please do not insist on anything else, lest you want to be turned back to UAE or worst, jail time. Another stop again is where a border police came in and suppose to check our faces against the passport picture. The guy just went in and looked at everyone and that’s it. Then we went on in an almost 1 hour ride to Al Buraimi. The bus stopped on a roadside café and restaurant so we can at least have something to eat. I tried their chicken shawarma for 5 AED. It wasn’t bad and there is no other meat choice anyway. I got used to the Philippine version of shawarma where the only choice is beef but the shawarma here has some good tasting spices in it. After an hour, we continued the journey to Al Buraimi Hotel and arrived at around 11 pm.

📷 Al Buraimi Hotel

Al Buraimi hotel is one of dozen hotels by the roadside of Sohar-Salalah Road in Oman. The bus driver then cautioned us to let the women got off first and the guys went out last. We went to the reception area located behind the hotel. I think this reception area was really for exiting tourist as there is a real reception area at the front lobby of the hotel for real guests. We went in and they took our passports and were asked to pay on the spot, 150 dirhams for 3 days and 2 nights stay. Receipts can be claimed on the following day. If you’re asking about a refund in case you only stayed for less than 3 days, sorry to disappoint you but there is none. The women were first taken to their accommodations and a couple of hotel staff took us to a room upstairs right behind the hotel. Based on what I read about this hotel, I didn’t really expect much but I was taken aback on how filthy-looking the actual “room” looked like (picture below). Walking inside the semi-lit room, there are about 20 or more bunk beds lined in 3 rows across the room. The room is actually big because it used to be a bar re-purposed to become a makeshift hostel but it looked like more of a barracks. Looking around you’ll see extension cords sprawled on the sides of the room with gadgets stuck on them. We found a lot of Kabayan guests who are also waiting for their UAE visa since last week and welcomed us inside. One more thing, once you crossed the border, your UAE mobile network signal will no longer be available. Good news is there is FREE Wi-Fi! Bad news is, with about 50 or more people connected to a 3Mbps bandwidth, you cannot expect a decent speed of connection. You can choose to enable your UAE mobile network’s roaming option which I guess is another charge on top of your monthly mobile package. The bathroom is downstairs with 2 showers, 1 toilet seat and 2 urinals which pretty much is a public toilet. Inside the room, cleaners went in carrying pillows, woolly blankets and linens and asked us to pick one of each. Being tired and weary of the whole thing and ignoring the suspiciously looking pillow, bed cover and blanket, I fixed my bed and slept. The room air-conditioning is cool enough but gets colder as the evening passes by.

Waking up, I went outside and took an actual look at the place. Since our room used to be a bar, you would expect a kitchen area but there is none. Some kabayans brought electric pots so we can make our coffees and some brought portable stoves as well. The hotel staffs told us not to cook inside because the room is close to the hotel restaurant and other hotel rooms. Cooking are allowed outside or if you can get to one of the villa’s kitchen. Walking further behind there is a swimming pool at the back of the hotel along with villas where the ladies are staying. I could say the ladies has a much decent accommodation than the guys somehow. The villa has about 8 to 10 beds, an old CRT TV with cable channels , bathrooms and a kitchen area. As any Arab countries, men are not allowed to the women’s room and vice-versa. Although the policy is implemented strictly during the evening as the hotel staff regularly check the rooms at around 9-10 pm and another inspection at a later time. The policy is relaxed during the day though. When it comes to food, if you have a lot of cash in hand you can try their restaurant for a hefty price. There are also Pinoy restaurant close by with Pinoy menus for prices typically ranging from 10 to 12 dirhams a meal. A few Indian and Kabayans also comes by selling coffee, food, water etc. There is also a McDonalds fast food about half a kilometer from the hotel. There are number of groceries and stores right in front of the hotel across the street if you choose to cook your own food and a fish market a few kilometers from the hotel. There are Kabayans exiters in the hotel who offers to cook for large group for 10 dirhams for 2 meals; lunch and dinner. I opted to go with paying 10 dirhams for group meal since I have no utensils and food at all and I expect to not to stay long.

📷 The permanent guest of the hotel.

So a day passed and I kept tabs with my travel agency regarding my visa and they are prompt enough to inform me of the progress. I had this nagging feeling of a possibility that I might stay longer than I have anticipated but I still kept a positive outlook that I will be able leave no longer than 2 days. So I made a few friends and acquaintance and talked about their stay in the hotel. I am a bit disquieted by the fact that some of the guys are staying here for more than 4 weeks! With limited resources, that’s one of the few concerns that we noobs of the exit process have. On the 2nd day of my stay and few exchanges with the travel agency, my gut feeling of staying in Oman for more than 2 days became a reality. The bus bound to Dubai is only scheduled on Sunday until Wednesday at 3am. From Thursday to Saturday, even if your visa is already approved and a printed copy can be obtained at the reception, you can only book a bus ride on the next bus schedule (Sunday to Wednesday). There are other alternatives if you can’t wait until next week if you have the money for a ride to the airport. The capacity of each schedule is only for 90 passengers. My visa was approved on the 3rd day of my stay (Tuesday) and the last bus bound to Dubai (Wednesday) is already fully booked since Monday. I was able to book the Sunday schedule but still have to stay in the hotel for another 3-4 days. I asked for additional funds from my family since the dirhams on my hand will not be enough for my extended stay. There is a remittance and forex also across the street but since your passport is at the hotel reception, you need to come by the office and asked if you can borrow your passport. They asked then for you to come back at 5:30 pm because you will be with a group of people who will also have business with the forex establishment. A hotel staff will accompany the group to the store and you will need to photocopy the Oman stamp and ID on the passport to claim your money. You will receive the money in Omani Riyals which roughly cost about 9-10 dirhams = 1 Riyal depending on the foreign exchange. You will need to return your passport to the hotel staff and get back your receipt from the hotel reception at the back. I checked out on Friday as instructed by the reception staff and paid about 200 dirhams in advance for my extended stay. Nothing much to do but wait.

During my stay in Oman, I generally observe the place, the people and some Kabayans who are working here. Going outside, there are other hotels that is also being used by other Kabayans and foreign nationals to stay and wait for their UAE visas. Transportation differs greatly compared to Dubai. No public bus transport as far I have observed, just private cars and taxis. The taxi drivers are mostly elderly locals and the car is not equipped with taxi meters. The fare is fixed on 10 dirhams no matter how near or far you are going and I guess that is just around the Al Buraimi town. If you want more variety of fish for your lunch and dinner, the fish market is about 1 km from the hotel via taxi. I am not really an expert when it comes to fish variety but they normally have those big fishes like tuna, salmon, some other large fish I am not familiar with, crabs, shrimps and squids. Groceries and stores in Al Buraimi also stock some Filipino food products as well. I also love the chicken shawarma here that only cost 3 dirhams. No beef options again, though. The only options is regular and spicy (but not hot). It also looks like that most owners and cashier employees in larger stores and groceries are locals. Some of them can utter a few Filipino words and phrases specially the hotel staff and store owners.

Unlike most places in the UAE, Al Buraimi, Oman doesn’t have much buildings and large structures that somehow gives you an impression that this is a rural town with sparse development in some other places. A quick trip to Wikipedia entry for Al Buraimi did verify my observation. Maybe their capital, Muscat may have a different sight but they said it is another long hour ride from this town. I snapped a few pictures of the place around the hotel for a souvenir. It is generally quiet and the locals we met are mostly nice.

📷 One of the few signs around the hotel.

Normally, I post a review and rate my experience in hotels, restaurants etc., in Trip Advisor but I thought I will make an exemption for this hotel. Since I didn’t come here for a vacation or any kind of leisure. It would seem unfair to rate them based on my purpose of being here because I didn’t really pay 400 dirhams/day (the lowest actual hotel room rate for a single room) for their amenities. Exiters (if that is a word) use the back facilities of the hotel and 50 dirhams per day isn’t really that bad. Pool use is 10 dirhams and mostly the locals and hotel guests are the ones using it. There is a bar behind the hotel that opens at around 9 pm. This is where Kabayans, men and women, and locals have a drink and socialize. I can’t say much about the bars and what is happening during those hours of the night because I chose to stay inside the room and have a chat with the other guys. Yes, there are other interesting things going on in the bar and some other dark places of the hotel but I guess you can ask the people you know who have been in this place for those stories. But as far as I’m concerned, stick to the policies and prohibition that is implemented to avoid issues, fines and even jail time.

3 days has passed I am ready to go! I wasn’t able to sleep that night and just anxiously counted the hours until 3 am. We gathered up in front of the reception area to check our names in the list. Sure enough I am in the list of one of the bus returning to Dubai. The 2 buses are actually bound to 2 separate border; Hatta and Kalba. I was part of the group going to the Kalba border which is a bit longer ride than Hatta. At 3:30 am we boarded the bus and the passports are distributed to their respected owners. Again, the drive and Omani PRO cautioned us again about the prohibited items in the border; tablets and pills other than Panadol or prescription medicines and condoms. They also advised that the visa copies needs to be neat, not crumpled or folded. They did inspected our visa paper conditions. They will ask you to print another copy if your visa looks like crap. The huge Omani guy and the elder one keeps joking about being “babaero” and “lalakero” to Kabayans they talk to. But these guys were nice and friendly, even the hulking dark one. After filling the bus with petrol and few people returning from a trip to the toilet, we set off towards the Kalba border.

The first stop is near the immigration post for baggage inspection. Thank God, no incident like the first time we went in Oman happened. After roughly about 2 hours of travel, we arrived at the Khatam Malaha port where Omani immigration officers inspects and stamps the passport for exit. We proceeded then to Kabla border and there we queued for eye scan and entry stamp for UAE. It took a while on the entry stamping because there is only one immigration officer doing both the eye scan and stamping of visa that time. After that, it is another almost 2 or more hour journey to Deira and then home sweet home.

These experiences has opened my eyes on a lot of things, like appreciating what you have and do better job in finding work. The stories of Kabayans quest to have a better life here in the UAE and even in Oman. The scary stories of being stranded because of the process gone awry and sadly due to some crooked travel agencies who ran away with their money. I witnessed how Pinoys can adapt to any situation and still have a cheery disposition. Some are ingenious enough to make money while helping out other Kabayans. There are a lot of stories that I could probably tell but this blog is already long enough that it might lull you to sleep. Over all, with my first hand experience despite the bad reviews of the place, I think Al Buraimi hotel is a decent and affordable place to stay while waiting for the visa exit process. You can always choose other packages and agencies and ask them where you can stay, but if you opt to use the Bus ride to Al Buraimi hotel, I hope this blog can at least help you prepare yourself.

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