Eid holidaymakers cram Oman-UAE border

DUBAI // Queues at the Oman-UAE border crossing at Hatta have begun to ease after thousands of holidaymakers streamed through it earlier this week.

The crossing was packed on Monday and Tuesday, with people travelling into and out of the Emirates because of the Eid al Adha holiday. Hussein al Shibli, who works at a vehicle insurance company that operates a branch on the Oman side of the border, said some people were waiting for two hours in long queues on both days.

Emiratis, Omanis and other GCC nationals did not experience too many problems, Mr al Shibli said. However, expatriates who had to secure visas for Oman or the UAE were held up in long queues from early in the morning on Monday and Tuesday, said an immigration official.

Border officials are now bracing for a mass return of people to Oman and the UAE across the Hatta border tomorrow and Saturday.

zconstantine@thenational.ae