Hi folks,

After submitting our non-immigrant OA visa applications 13 days ago, we got a request for additional documentation a week later. Most of it was straightforward and relatively easy to get, but they asked for an attested marriage certificate, something I’ve never seen mentioned in many months of following this subject.

I submitted the certificate we had attested in 2011, when I changed jobs here, but the following Monday, I learned that the UAE had restricted the validity of attestation to ten years, so we had to start again.

When I asked the agency obtaining the attestation why we needed it, they said it was because I was sponsoring my wife, but because she’s over 50, she had to submit her own application and prove access to the requisite level of funds, so why do we need this repeated attestation, which is costing a significant sum of money and putting our scheduled departure, and all the associated dependencies, including three cats, at risk?

I doubt the consulate will cancel the requirement and the UAE embassy in the UK is unlikely to speed things up, but if anyone can explain why they are questioning just short of 31 years of marriage, and no, she’s not Thai, she’s Japanese, I’d be very grateful.

Good night, all.