UAE residence visa: Requirements and application process

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) offers multiple types of residence visas for employees, students, investors, family members and retired individuals. Applying for a residency visa in the UAE involves multiple steps, documents and requirements. If you are interested in living or working in the UAE, here is your guide to everything you need to know about residence visas in the country.

What is a UAE residence visa?

If you want to live and work in the UAE in the long term you will need a UAE residence visa. A residence visa in the UAE offers the holder several benefits including opening a bank account, getting a bank loan, having visa-free access to several countries, getting a driver’s license, and having access to government services including health and education services.

Types of UAE residence visas

There are several types of residence visas that the UAE issues for different types of individuals, depending on the purpose of their stay in the country:

Standard work visa

A foreign national can get a standard employment visa, usually for a duration of two years, if they are employed in the private sector.

Green visa

The green visa is a type of UAE residence visa that allows its holder to sponsor themselves for five years, eliminating the need for a UAE national or employer to sponsor their visa. Freelancers, self-employed and skilled employees can apply for a green visa.

Freelancers and/or self-employed people who want to apply for a green visa need to submit:

• Freelance/self-employment permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation
• Proof of a bachelor’s degree or a specialized diploma
• Evidence of annual income from self-employment for the previous two years amounting to not less than AED360,000, or proof of financial solvency throughout their stay in the UAE.

To apply for a green visa, skilled employees must have:

• • Valid employment contract
  • Be classified in the first, second, or third occupational level according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization
  • Hold a minimum of bachelor’s degree or equivalent
  • Have a salary of not less than AED15,000 per month

Golden visa

The golden visa is a long-term, renewable visa for investors, entrepreneurs, specialized talents, students, humanitarian pioneers and frontline heroes. It is available for either five years or 10 years, each with its eligibility criteria. The categories under the golden visa include:

• Investors with public investments (10-year validity)
• Investors in real estate (10-year validity)
• Entrepreneurs (5-year validity)
• Specialized talents (10-year validity)
• Outstanding high school students (5-year validity)
• Outstanding university students (10-year validity)
• Humanitarian work pioneers (10-year validity)

Virtual work residence visa

Foreign nationals employed outside the UAE are permitted to live here legitimately with a virtual work visa. The one-year visa allows foreign nationals to enter the UAE under self-sponsorship and work in line with the terms and conditions issued with the visa. To apply for a remote work visa, you must provide proof that you work remotely for an organization outside the UAE and that you receive a monthly income of $3,500.

Blue visa

The blue visa is a 10-year residence visa that the UAE offers for individuals who have made an exceptional contribution towards the environment’s protection and sustainability, both inside and outside the UAE.

The UAE offers this visa for supporters of environmental action, including members of international organizations, international companies, members of associations and non-governmental organizations, global award winners, and activists and researchers in environmental work.

Residence visa for the retired

Retired foreign nationals can apply for a long-term residence visa of five years.

For a retiree to be eligible for the retirement visa, they must:

1. Either have worked for not less than 15 years inside or outside the UAE, or be 55 years old or more at the time of retirement and
2. Own a property/properties of no less than AED1 million, or have financial savings of no less than AED1 million, or have a monthly income of AED20,000 (AED15,000/month for Dubai).

Student visa

A student can stay in the UAE to study, either under the sponsorship of a parent, who must be a resident of the UAE, or under the sponsorship of the accredited university or college they are studying at. The UAE offers a student visa for a duration of one year at a time, renewable for a similar period upon proof of continuation of study.

Residence visa for family members

Both employers and employees with valid UAE residence visas can sponsor residence visas for their families. Employees can sponsor their families regardless of their job titles if they earn a minimum salary of AED4,000 or AED3,000 plus accommodation. Residents can sponsor their wives, children and parents.

Expatriate residents can sponsor their daughters only if they are unmarried, with no restrictions with regard to their ages. Moreover, expats can sponsor their sons until the age of 25. If sons have special needs, expats can sponsor them with no restriction on their ages.

Expatriate employees can also sponsor their parents for a year’s stay by paying a deposit as a guarantee for each parent. The UAE requires that the employees sponsor both parents together and provide proof that they are the sole supporters of their parents. If one of the parents has passed away or if the parents are divorced, the employee must submit official documents and proof.

Benefits of a UAE residence visa

Holding a UAE residence visa has several benefits that allow you to:

• Open a bank account
• Access financial facilities
• Apply for a driving licence
• Access to government health services and health insurance
• Register your children in government and private schools
• Work and invest
• Travel visa-free to certain destinations
• Access world-class infrastructure and amenities
• Benefit from tax-free income
• Live in a stable political environment that is safe and secure to live and work in
• Get exposure to diverse cultures
• Network, grow your business, and self-develop

Eligibility criteria and required documents

A UAE residence visa requires applicants who are 18 and above to undergo a medical test to prove that they are medically fit. They must also pass a security check and apply for an Emirates ID card from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship.

Some visas like the student visa, green visa or blue visa have additional requirements and proof that applicants need to apply for to ensure they are eligible for the visa.

Required documents

• The UAE visa application form
• Your passport
• Two passport-size pictures
• Entry visa
• Proof of sponsor’s legal residency
• Proof of financial statements
• A medical fitness test
• Health insurance approved by DHA or other federal authorities
• Birth/marriage certificates when applying for family visas

How to apply for a UAE residence visa

There are several steps you need to follow to get a residence visa in the UAE:

1. Secure a sponsor to apply for a residence visa

Unless you are applying for a green visa, blue visa or golden visa, you require a sponsor to apply for a UAE residence visa. A sponsor can be a UAE company, a UAE citizen, or an educational institution. The sponsor plays a crucial role in initiating the application process and ensuring you meet the requirements.

2. Obtain an entry visa

Your sponsor must first initiate the visa process by obtaining an entry permit from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship’s online portal or through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) website. This can also be done at licensed GDRFA typing centers.

You can apply for the entry permit via the UAE immigration website portal. Follow these steps to obtain an entry permit:

1. Register: Create an account on the website. You can use this to manage all future work visa and residence applications
2. Apply: Upload supporting documents to the system and pay the visa fees
3. Collection: Receive the entry permit within 48 hours of making the application

3. Submit required documents

Compile all the necessary paperwork depending on the type of visa you are applying for. Ensure that they are complete, valid, and meet the specified format requirements.

4. Apply for residence visa

Your sponsor needs to apply for your immigrant visa now at the GDRFA or ICA and provide all your documents.

5. Pay for the residence visa

At the time of application, you will have to pay a UAE residence visa cost. The fee varies depending on your residency visa validity and the purpose of your stay in the country.

6. Wait for approval and visa

The authorities will review your application. Upon approval, the visa will be provided.

7. Obtain Emirates ID

After receiving your residence visa, you need to apply for an Emirates ID, which is the official identification document in the UAE. The Emirates ID will be valid for the same duration as the visa.

Application fees

The fees for UAE residence visas vary depending on the type you are applying for:

Golden visa

If you are applying from the UAE, a golden visa will cost you between AED2,800 and AED3,800. If you are applying from outside of the UAE, the visa will cost you anywhere between AED3,800 and AED4,800. In addition, you will need to pay a AED150 application fee for the 10-year golden visa. You must also spend approximately AED1,000 for a medical examination and a processing charge for an Emirates ID. Additionally, you must purchase UAE health insurance which starts at AED800 and varies in cost.

Green visa

The cost of a green visa is AED2,280. The price excludes the Emirates ID card fee, which costs around AED575, and the medical fee, which costs AED320 for normal services.

Family visa

The fees for sponsoring a child’s visa in UAE include:

• Application fee of AED350
• Family personal file opening for AED255 
• Entry permit: If the child is inside the UAE, it will cost AED1,170. Meanwhile, if the child is outside the country, it will cost AED492.
• In-country change of status costs AED690
• Warranty deposit, if applicable, costs AED2,500 per child

Work visa

The fees for a work permit in the UAE are:

• Category 1: AED300
• Category 2: AED600 to AED2,000, depending on whether the worker is skilled or unskilled
• Category 3: AED5,000

The Dubai work visa for two years costs between AED3,000 and AED7,000. Moreover, visas for foreign workers above 65 years of age cost AED5,000.

Virtual work residence visa

The virtual work visa fee is AED200 + 5 percent VAT. Additional fees if the person is inside the country:

• Knowledge fee: AED10
• Innovation fee: AED10
• Fee inside the country: AED500

Retirement visa

The UAE retirement visa costs AED3,714.75 and includes the entry permit, visa status adjustment, and residency stamping, as well as the Emirates ID, medical examination, and management fees. However, this price does not include mandatory health insurance.

Student visa

The average cost of a UAE student visa ranges from AED5,000 to AED6,000.

How to obtain a medical fitness certificate

An essential step in applying for a residency visa in the UAE is getting a medical fitness certificate. This certificate enables the applicant to obtain a certificate of good health following a fitness examination to prove that the applicant is free from communicable and infectious diseases. This certificate allows you to obtain a residence permit within the UAE or to renew your current residence.

How to apply for a medical fitness certificate?

1. Go to the Emirates Health Services website.
2. Locate and print the smart form for the medical fitness exam. You can do this at a printing center or access it electronically through the e-services platform.
3. Pay the required fees for the medical fitness exam. You can do this at the printing center where you retrieved the form or electronically through the system.
4. Ensure you have all the necessary documents, including your passport, visa application form (if applicable), and the completed medical examination form.
5. Locate a government-approved preventive medicine center or examination center for residency visas. Present your documents for verification.
6. Follow the center’s instructions to undergo the required tests, which may include a chest X-ray, blood tests, and a physical examination.
7. The medical center will notify you of your results by email and SMS. These results will also be submitted to the relevant government authorities.

Required documents

Here are the documents you need to apply for a medical fitness certificate:

• One passport-sized photo
• Passport copy: Provide clear photocopies of both the information page (first page) and the signature page (second page) of your passport.
• Residence permit: For new applicants, bring a copy of your valid entry permit. For residence permit renewals, present a copy of your current UAE residence visa or your completed UAE ID application form.
• UAE identification: For new applicants, no UAE Emirates ID is required at this stage. For residence permit renewals, bring your original UAE Emirates ID card.

Renewal and cancellation of UAE residence visa

Renewal process and requirements

The time limit to renew expired UAE residence visas is 30 days from the date of expiry. However, if you need to renew it a few months earlier (one to six months) for traveling reasons, you must first get special permission and approval from the relevant authority in the emirate that issued your visa.

The conditions for renewing the residence visa are similar to when your visa was issued for the first time. Some of the basic requirements include:

• A sponsor with a valid residency permit
• Passing the medical fitness test
• Insurance card
• A renewed identity card issued from ICP, or an original receipt that you have registered with ICP to get a renewal

You will also need the following documents:

• Online application or application through a registered typing office for renewal of residency permit signed by the sponsor, whether public sector, private sector company, or personal sponsor
• Your original passport
• Personal photo

How to cancel a UAE residency visa

Residents cannot cancel their own visas. Only visa sponsors can cancel their residence visa. However, if expats hold an investor visa, they can submit visa cancellation requests on their own.

Your employer will need to pay your pending salary, leave salary entitlements, gratuity (if eligible), and provide an air ticket. This is prior to the cancellation of your work permit with the MOHRE.

Required documents

Applicants should provide these documents to apply for visa cancellation:

• Passport and Emirates ID
• Copies of the sponsor’s passport
• A statement of all financial liabilities (if applicable)
• Cancellation or assignment of the trade license upon cancellation of partner or investor residency (if applicable)

Cancelling a UAE residence visa is simple a process that you can do using several channels, including online platforms and physical service centers.

ICP website or app

1. Access the ICP website or download the ICP app.
2. Navigate to the specific service you wish to apply for.
3. Complete the application form with the required data.
4. Pay the applicable service fee.
5. Submit your application.

GDRFA website or app

1. Visit the GDRFA website or download the app.
2. Create a new user account if you do not already have one.
3. Select the visa cancellation service you need.
4. Upload all necessary documents.
5. Pay the required fees.
6. Submit the request.

If you want to cancel a residence visa in person, visit the following centers:

AMER centers

1. Go to a nearby AMER service center.
2. At the reception, request the visa cancellation service.
3. Provide all necessary documents to the service clerk.
4. Pay the applicable fees.
5. Complete the submission of your application.

In-person at typing centers

1. Locate and visit the nearest typing center.
2. Take a number and wait for your turn.
3. Hand over all required documents to the center employee.
4. Pay the service fee.
5. Submit your application for processing.

Read: How to check UAE visa status, validity with passport number

FAQs

What are the different types of UAE residence visas?

The UAE offers different types of residence visas including the standard work visa, green visa, blue visa, golden visa, student visa and retirement visa, among others.

What documents are required for a UAE residence visa?

Here are the basic requirements to apply to a UAE residence visa:

• The UAE visa application form
• Your passport
• Passport-size pictures
• Entry visa
• Proof of sponsor’s legal residency
• Proof of financial statements
• A medical fitness test
• Health insurance approved by DHA or the federal health ministry
• Birth/marriage certificates when applying for family visas

How long does it take to process a UAE residence visa?

With the UAE government’s new ‘Work Bundle’ platform, the time to process work permits and residency visas now is five days

How much does a UAE residence visa cost?

The price of a UAE residence visa varies depending on its type. A golden visa will cost you between AED2,800 and AED4,800. Meanwhile, a work visa for two years costs between AED3,000 and AED7,000. 

Can I renew my UAE residence visa?

Yes, you can renew your residence visa through the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) website.

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