Changing carriers AND terminal at DXB with an additional scheduled stopover on the return leg
I am an Indian passport holder, flying in to Dubai International Airport (DXB) on Emirates. Within four hours, I am flying out to Athens via Doha on Qatar Airways, on different tickets. Emirates arrives on Terminal 3 at DXB and Qatar Airways departs from Terminal 1 at DXB.
On the return leg, I am staying over in Dubai for a day to meet friends.
A) What do I need to do about transit visa for the forward leg, since I am changing carriers and terminals? My flight is not on the same ticket/itinerary and I have check-in bags to pick up. Transit Visas are issued only for transit times over 8 hours and must include a hotel stay. Services like that of Marhaba are not confident about baggage transfer.
B) I am stopping for a few days on the return leg, and was planning to get a proper single entry visa for this. What complications can I expect here, since I cannot have more than a single valid visa at a given time.
All pointers and help appreciated. Thank you!
Best Answer
Several years ago, TSE user @BurhanKhalid offered step-by-step instructions on how to accomplish this:
If your luggage is not checked through, then I am afraid you will have to collect it and to do that you'll need a visa as the baggage carousels are after the immigration counters.
The sequence is:
- De-plane.
- Depending on the terminal, you'll have a long walk (and then go down a few flights of stairs) or a short one, or really no walk at all (if you are at Terminal 2, as the bus will drop you right at the immigration counter).
- The bank counter where you pay for the on-arrival visa will be on your right (Terminal 3, 2), or on your left (Terminal 1).
- Go through immigration, then turn right to go through the metal detectors where they will scan your carryon luggage (in Terminal 3 its a straight walk).
- Collect your baggage.
- Go through either the Green Channel or the Red Channel (depending on what you have to declare).
- Welcome to Dubai.
I'm afraid you'll need a visa - the good news is a transit visa is available at the counter if you can show a continuing ticket/itinerary.
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