A residency visa for the UAE enables visitors to stay for an extended time. The permit’s validity may range from two to three to ten years and may be extended as often as necessary. Several foreign families residing in the Emirates for several generations keep renewing their visas.
In the United Arab Emirates, permanent residency does not exist. Having a visa stamp on your passport and continuously residing in the UAE is all it takes to be considered a permanent resident.
How can I get Residency in the UAE?
A few options exist for obtaining residency in the UAE:
- Establish a business in the UAE
- Hire a job
- Dubai Golden visa
- Retiree residence visas in the UAE
- Apply for a freelancer’s permit in Dubai or another emirate
- Sign up for a university or college
- Become reliant (it can be a child or a retired parent of a resident)
- Possess a home worth over 1 million AED
Who can apply for a UAE residence visa?
One of the following categories must apply for you to receive a UAE residence visa:
- In the United Arab Emirates, you have invested.
- You bought a home in the United Arab Emirates.
- In the United Arab Emirates, you will work for a public agency or a private business.
- You’ll attend a school in the UAE to pursue your studies.
- You depend on a resident of another country or a citizen of the UAE.
- The UAE is where you’ll spend your golden years.
What are the requirements for a UAE residence visa?
You require several supporting documents when applying for a UAE residence visa, including:
- According to the requirements for UAE visa photos, two passport-size photos.
- A visa for entry
- Obtainable online or through the appropriate typing facility, the UAE Visa Application Form
- Your authentic passport
- Evidence of the UAE citizenship or legal residency of your sponsor
- Certification of your medical fitness
- Proof of health insurance coverage in the UAE
- Provide evidence of family links with family visa applications, such as birth and marriage documents.
- When applying for a work visa, your sponsor must submit copies of the job contract, the organisation’s current trade licence, and a firm card.
Process for getting UAE Residency
The procedure would be as follows if you were applying for a visa in your capacity as a business owner:
- Establishing a firm
- Obtaining an establishment card, a legal document that enables you to begin the visa application process,
- Getting an entrance permit (a prerequisite of a resident visa, which is done at its initial stage)
- Applying for an Emirates ID and undergoing testing
- The visa’s stamp in your passport
When a firm is formed, an establishment card is issued, and an entry visa is given, you can typically remain in your home country throughout this time.
While applying for an Emirates ID, having your medical records checked, and having your visa stamped, you must be present in person. You cannot depart the United Arab Emirates until your passport has been stamped at the immigration office.
Types of UAE Residence Visas
There are various UAE residence visa categories depending on why you’re travelling. Hence, there is the
- Relatives of UAE nationals or international residents may be given a UAE Family Visa.
- Foreign people who make a sizable investment in the UAE are given a UAE Investment Visa. Compared to other forms of resident visas, this type is granted for a more extended period.
- Foreign nationals who have secured a work permit and found employment in the UAE are given a UAE Work Visa.
- Older foreigners with the required financial resources who want to retire in the UAE are granted UAE Retirement Visas.
- The Work Remotely from Dubai program is available to freelancers working remotely in Dubai.
- A UAE student visa is issued for foreign nationals admitted to a UAE educational institution.
UAE Residence Visa Cost
Depending on how long your visa is valid, there are different fees for UAE residence visas. The cost of a UAE residence visa is AED100 for a year.
In addition, you will be required to pay a processing charge, which varies according to how you apply and can be as high as AED70 for in-person applications or AED40 for online ones.
Please be aware that the visa fees are subject to change, and additional costs are associated with getting a medical exam and purchasing health insurance.
FAQ
How long can I stay in the UAE with a residence visa?
The length of a UAE residence visa depends on why you’re travelling; they can be renewed for another 1, 2, or 3 years.
However, there are also 5–10 year renewable investment and retirement visas.
What are the benefits?
For those nationals who do not receive a tourist visa upon arrival, it is possible to gain UAE residency for either long-term residence or frequent, short-term trips.
Because a holder of a resident visa is regarded by compliance as being in a low-risk group, it is also beneficial for creating a corporate Dubai bank account.
How to Maintain a Visa?
You won’t experience any problems keeping your visa valid if you maintain permanent residence in the UAE.
If you frequently travel or do not reside in the UAE, you must ensure that you enter the country once every six months to retain the validity of your visa. If you neglect to do so, the permit will be immediately revoked, and you will have to begin the application procedure all over again for a new one.
How to Renew the Visa?
A medical exam and an updated Emirates ID are required, although renewing your residence visa for the UAE is easier than applying for a new one.
You only need to perform the required tests at the medical screening centre one to two weeks before the expiration of your visa and then apply for an Emirates ID renewal.
After receiving the medical report, submit it along with the passport to the immigration office to have the new visa stamped for an additional duration.