An Expat’s Guide to Medical Conditions in the UAE and How They Can Affect Your visa Status
Following the passing of the United Arab Emirate’s (UAE’s) Cabinet Resolution in 2016, those looking to live and work in the beautiful Arabian Peninsula must take into account the importance of their medical conditions and how they may affect their VISA status.
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In order to obtain their work and residence permits, expats are thoroughly screened for all communicable diseases, which include HIV and Tuberculosis. Additionally, workers in specific industries, such as healthcare and food and beverage, are required to test negative for syphilis and Hepatitis B.
These stringent requirements call for an understanding of the main diseases tested for, their respective testing methods, and how their results have a direct impact on your visa status, all of which will be touched upon in this Pacific Prime Dubai article.
To begin, let’s look at the main diseases that are tested for and their key details.
HIV
HIV is a human immunodeficiency virus, with over 39 million people living with it globally. It is a lifelong disease with no effective cure. However, with proper treatment, people with the disease can live long and healthy lives.
Given that HIV affects people differently depending on the varying stages of the disease, the symptoms may comprise:
- Fevers
- Chills
- Rashes
- Night sweats
- Muscle aches
- Sore throat
- Fatigue
- Swollen lymph nodes
- Mouth ulcers
Today, treatment shots or antiretroviral pills are routinely provided to HIV patients to suppress the viral load to a level at which tests are unable to detect it. Please note, that in the case of the UAE, this is prohibited, as being HIV positive is a strict case for outright visa denial.
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis (TB) is a disease that is transmissible by airborne germs spread from person to person. It is highly contagious and can affect numerous parts of the body, including the brain, spine, or kidney. As a result, people with the condition are urged to seek immediate medical treatment.
The key symptoms of TB are:
- Weakness
- Weight loss
- Fevers
- Night sweats
- Chest pain
- Coughing up blood
Treatment for TB can be administered through the routine ingestion of a combination of several drugs for a period of 6-12 months. These drugs are to be strictly taken in succession, given that the TB disease germs may become highly resistant to the drugs.
It is also important to note that some people are more predisposed to developing the disease than others due to immunal deficiencies, and this includes those who are HIV positive. Moreover, if the germs develop resistance to drugs, they will become more difficult and expensive to treat.
Syphilis
Syphilis is a sexually transmissible disease caused by the Treponema pallidum bacteria. Other means of transmission include mother to child transmission, which, if left untreated, could result in severe adverse birth outcomes.
The adverse outcomes include:
- Neonatal death
- Prematurity
- Low birth weight
- Stillbirth
- Congenital infection.
The general symptoms of syphilis in adults are characterized by varying stages. During the initial stages, which typically last for 21 days, hard, oval shaped sores appear at the site of contact, often within the penis, anus, or vagina, and if left untreated, will progress to the secondary stage.
The secondary stage of infection is characterized by the occurrence of rashes on the palms and soles. While these rashes are non-itchy, other parts of the body, such as the anus and labia, are prone to developing large white or gray lesions that, if left untreated, progress to the latent stage.
The latent stage does not present clinical symptoms. However, years or decades of neglect or non-treatment may result in neurological and cardiovascular diseases. These dangers comprise serious health problems and neuralgic issues such as:
- Brain and nerve problems
- Eye problems
- Blindness
Fortunately enough, if identified in its early stages, the disease can be easily treated with injectable penicillin. As a result, blood tests should be taken immediately to establish the presence of antibodies and determine whether it is a current or past infection.
Hepatitis B and C
In simple terms, Hepatitis B and C are liver infections caused by a virus. Its similarity to HIV lies in the way that it is spread, which is through the sharing of injection equipment, perinatal transmission, and sexual transmission.
The differences between the two can be described as follows:
- Hepatitis B is transmitted through bodily fluids.
- Hepatitis C is transmitted through blood-to-blood contact.
The general symptoms of Hepatitis B and C are as follows:
- Vomiting pale or gray stools
- Jaundice
- Nausea
- Joint pain
- Fever
- Fatigue
- Dark yellow urine
Although there is currently no cure for Hepatitis B and C, Hepatitis C can be treated through the ingestion of direct-acting antiviral (DAA) tablets. These tablets are considered the safest and most effective medicines for treatment.
In the case of Hepatitis B, or chronic Hepatitis, oral medicines can be taken to reduce cases of liver cancer, stall the progression of cirrhosis, and improve the overall chances of long-term survival. Other recommended actions are to live a lifestyle based on a healthy diet.
How These Conditions Affect Your Visa Application
The UAE takes medical conditions very seriously, and if an individual tests positive for a contagious disease, they may face deportation or have their Visa denied. Only people who are applying for or renewing a tourist visa are exempt from medical tests.
The UAE has taken extraordinary measures to ensure the safety and well-being of its citizens by making health insurance mandatory in 2013. Since then, the country has made it a strict requirement that all potential expats entering the country are free from infectious diseases, especially HIV.
As a result, all current and potential expats are to undergo medical checks to guarantee their medical fitness and ensure that they are free from HIV and TB. For workers in the below categories, a negative medical test for syphilis and Hepatitis B, including negative pregnancy tests, is required:
- Workers in nurseries
- Domestic workers
- Workers in the food and beverage sector
- Workers in saloons and beauty centers
- Workers in health clubs
Those found with scars of TB, active TB, or who are found to have drug-resistant TB will be issued conditional fitness certificates and residence VISAs for one year. They are then required to undergo treatment by making three consecutive visits to preventive health centers until they are cured.
In the case of those who are HIV positive, the UAE will outright deny the visa and residency application and, if they test positive during visa renewal, quarantine and deport the applicant.
Given that medical tests are an essential part of the UAE visa application process, applicants must be careful to specify the medical conditions that they have and be aware of the medical tests they must undergo. Failure to comply will result in a visa denial or revocation.
What to Expect from UAE Visa Medical Tests
Typically, the tests run on visa and residency applicants consist of blood and chest X-ray tests. These tests are adequate to screen applicants for the full range of the aforementioned diseases.
For additional details, present and future expats can access Pacific Prime Dubai’s articles, such as the 2023 Guide to Mandatory Health Insurance in Dubai, Do You Need a Medical Test for UAE Visa Applications?, and How Tuberculosis Will Affect Your UAE Visa Application.
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Upon graduating from Mahidol University International College’s International Relations program, he spent his career in marketing and business development, working for an international subcontractor, a marketing research firm, an international news agency, a software development company, and a creative agency. His journey now continues at Pacific Prime, where he hopes to make an impact by simplifying insurance.
In his free time, Piyanat is an avid martial artist and musician, spending most of his time at boxing gyms in Nakhon Pathom and music studios with his friends in the music industry. He’s also a big fan of turtles.
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