Dubai, Aug 12 (IANS) Visitors who hold international health insurance will not be required to obtain local insurance policies for entry to and residency in Dubai. Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) acting director Obeid Mohair Bin Suroor told representatives of free economic zones at a meeting here that the new executive rules of the residency law exempt holders of international health insurance cards from obtaining local insurance coverage, the state-run Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported.

A new visa regime came into effect in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Jul 29 this year.

Under the new regime, there are 16 categories of visas and health insurance has been made compulsory for all visa categories.

Bin Suroor said that companies operating under the umbrella of free zones have to work out a mechanism for the health insurance cover of their prospective employees and furnish the names of the beneficiaries in individual or group applications.

Government institutions hosting expatriates have to make written undertakings to incur the expenses in accident cases during the visitor’s stay in the country, he added.