Up to 2,000 special visas issued so far for participants of the Annual Meetings

Major Jasim Abdul Ghafoor, Assistant to the Director for Executive Office Affairs of the Dubai Naturalisation & Residency Administration (DNRA) and member of Dubai 2003's Administrative Services and Public Relations Committee, said the Administration has set up a full-fledged, fully-equipped off-site office in at the Dubai International Convention Centre (DICC), which also hosts the Dubai 2003 and the on-site World Bank Group and IMF Joint Secretariat.

"This is the first time ever we have moved outside our headquarters. The move allows us almost instantaneous communication and coordination with all the parties involved with the organising of the Annual Meetings," Major Jasim said.

He revealed that the DICC office is directly linked to the DNRA providing online real-time processing of all information that is required to issue the visas. The link is highly secure as is obviously necessary.

"We have issued almost 2,000 visas so far for those delegates and participants who will need visas to come to the UAE. There are, of course, nationals of 33 countries who do not require a visa in advance to enter the UAE. They can get it on arrival at any of our international airports," Major Jasim said.

"We have two officers and eight support staff at our offsite office at the DICC. They have cut down the visa processing time to just one hour," he added.

To facilitate the entry of participants, Dubai 2003 and the DNRA have come up with special visa application forms as well as special visas. "The effort is to streamline procedures so that we can ensure the smooth processing of participants when they arrive," Major Jasim said.

He explained the general procedure adopted for the visas to be issued. The Joint Secretariat of the World Bank Group and the IMF has distributed visa forms and invitations to all official delegates and other invitees

Major Jasim explained that special arrangements have been made at the airport to facilitate the arrival of the participants. Special desks will be set up.

"We want the participants - top-level officials from the government, non-profit and the private sector - to know that we have the latest and the best and that our level of efficiency and professionalism compares with the best in the world.

"We want them to have a most memorable visit with lasting impressions so that they, in turn, can influence others to come to the UAE to savour its hospitality," Major Jasim added.

The Annual Meetings of the Boards of Governors of the World Bank Group and the International Monetary Fund were first held in Washington DC in 1946. They are hosted by an international city one year in three. The UAE and Dubai were selected because of their highly developed transportation and logistics infrastructure, growing importance as a financial hub and its established position as an oasis of opportunity.