Resident visa in the UAE

Secure long-term residency in the UAE for you, your family members, or your employees

Obtaining a residency visa in the UAE allows for working and studying, unrestricted travel, owning a business, opening a local bank account, and enjoying many other benefits of living in the country. A residency visa is mandatory for all foreigners planning to stay long-term in the UAE.

Types of residency visas in the UAE

Visa application process

Timelines

Types of residency visas in the UAE

We invite you to explore various types of visas and the required documents for obtaining them. You can always reach out to our specialists for professional assistance regarding obtaining residency in the UAE.

Description of
working with us

You can always contact our experienced visa specialists for professional support in obtaining a residency permit in the UAE.

Discussing your request
and goals for life in the UAE

Signing the contract and payment

Working on obtaining
the right visa for you

Obtaining a residency visa
and Emirates ID

Residency based on employment provides the right to legally reside and work in the UAE for a specified period with the option of renewal.

1. Standard Employment Visa

An individual can obtain a work visa if they:

Have received a job offer in the private sector (Mainland or Free Zone company)
Have received a job offer in the public sector

The standard duration for which an employment visa is issued is 2 years.
After receiving a job offer, the sponsoring company (employer) must apply for the standard residency visa.

The employment contract between the employer and the employee outlines the work conditions, including salary, weekly working hours, and any additional terms. Such a contract helps protect the rights of both employees and employers in case of disputes.

The main requirements for obtaining an employment visa include having a valid job offer, a signed employment contract, undergoing a medical examination, providing biometric data, and having a legalized document confirming the level of education (for certain positions). The employer acts as the sponsor and is responsible for submitting the visa application to the relevant authorities.

An indicative list of documents required for obtaining an investor's employment visa in the UAE (the list may vary depending on specific circumstances):

Job offer

Color copy of passport (valid for at least 6 months)

Photo on a white background

Legalized copy of the education document (for some positions)

2. Green Employment Visa

The Green visa in the UAE is a type of residency visa valid for 5 years and does not require sponsorship.

Who can apply for a Green Visa?

1. Freelancers and/or self-employed individuals
Freelancers or self-employed individuals with permission from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, a bachelor's degree confirmation, evidence of annual income from self-employment for the past two years of at least 360,000AED, or proof of financial stability throughout their stay in the UAE.

2. Skilled Professionals
Skilled professionals categorized in the first, second, or third professional levels by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, possessing a valid employment contract, a bachelor's degree, and a monthly salary of at least 15,000AED.

If you have purchased real estate in the UAE, you are entitled to an investor visa valid for 2 years or a long-term Gold visa valid for 10 years.

The duration of the visa depends on the property purchased: if the property`s value exceeds 750,000 AED, you can apply for a 2-year investor visa. If the property's value is over AED 2,000,000, you can obtain a 10-year Golden Visa.

If the property is jointly owned, the conditions remain the same, and the spouses' share in the ownership of the object for obtaining a visa should be equal. If the shares are not equal, the largest share holder will be able to apply as the main visa holder and then sponsor the other party (spouse).

Also, a necessary condition is the readiness of the property – if the property is in the construction phase, the property`s readiness must be at least 50%. If you have purchased multiple properties, you can consider their total cost when applying for the visa.

In the case of joint ownership, each applicant`s share must be at least 750,000 / 2,000,000 AED for the investor visa and Gold visa, respectively. The 10-year Gold visa gives you the right to sponsor 10-year visas for your close relatives.

Golden Talent Visa in the UAE is a long-term residency visa allowing foreign talents to live, work, or study in the UAE. Exceptional specialized talents include:

Doctors
Scientists
Creative individuals in culture and the arts
Inventors
Specialists in scientific fields
Athletes
PhD holders
Specialists in technology and science

Each specialty requires a qualification confirmation letter from the respective department, such as the Ministry of Health, Department of Culture and Arts, or Ministry of Education.

1. Investor/Partner Visa

The most suitable visa type for entrepreneurs and investors looking to start their own business or invest in an existing business in the UAE. Typically, the process of obtaining an investor visa involves setting up a company and going through the standard visa process.
The investor visa allows the owner to reside in the UAE and come and go at their discretion throughout the visa`s validity period. The visa holder in Dubai can also become a tax resident of the UAE, open a bank account, obtain a driver`s license, etc. This visa also allows its holder to sponsor their spouses, children, and parents to enter the UAE.

Approximate list of documents required for obtaining an investor visa in connection with opening a company in the UAE (the list may be increased depending on specific circumstances):

Color copy of passport (valid for at least 6 months)
Photo on a white background.
Copy of Memorandum of Association
Copy of the company`s trade license

2. Gold Entrepreneur Visa

This visa is available to entrepreneurs with a technical or future-oriented economic project based on risk and innovation.

Additionally, you must have a confirmation letter from each of the following entities:
UAE auditor: project cost is at least 500,000 AED
Emirate authorities: confirmation of the technical or future-oriented nature of the project
Accredited business incubator in the UAE: organization of project activities

1. Student Visa

Students planning to study in the UAE can apply for a student visa. To do this, they must obtain an admission offer from a recognized educational institution in the UAE. The educational institution will provide the necessary documents, and the student or their guardian must submit an application to the relevant immigration authorities.

2. Gold Student Visa

This type of visa is issued to university students or high school students.
For high school students, a 5-year Gold visa is attainable if the student achieves national-level excellence (with a minimum score of 95 percent in a public or private high school), possesses a recommendation letter from the Ministry of Education, and fulfills other specified criteria.

Exceptional university students can obtain a Gold visa for 10 years, provided that:
The university has an A or B level according to the Ministry of Education`s rating.
A recommendation letter from the university, academic transcripts confirming the student's high GPA, and other conditions are met.

Exceptional students of foreign universities can be granted a Gold visa for 10 years, provided that:
The university is among the top 100 universities in the world according to the rating system recognized by the Ministry of Education in the UAE.
The student maintains a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 and satisfies other specified conditions.

If you invest in a local investment fund, you may be eligible for a 10-year Gold visa, provided that:
Submission of a letter from an investment fund accredited in the UAE stating that the investor has a deposit of 2,000,000AED, or submission of a valid commercial or industrial license and an Memorandum of Association confirming that the investor`s capital is at least 2,000,000AED
Submission of a letter from the Federal Tax Authority confirming that the investor pays the government at least 250,000AED to the UAE annually.

Additionally, you must:

Fully own the invested capital; it must not be a loan
Provide proof of having medical insurance for yourself and your family (if available)

If any member of your family already has a long-term residency visa in the UAE, they can sponsor your visa.

If you are the holder of a 2, 5, or 10-year visa yourself, you can apply for visas of corresponding duration for your children, wife, and parents. To sponsor a visa, the sponsor must also meet certain criteria, such as minimum salary requirements.

Obtaining a freelancer visa in the UAE allows you to legally provide your professional services to clients.

For a freelancer visa, you need to choose the field in which you provide your expert services. This can be consulting, event organization, education, film production, new media and entertainment, as well as if you are an artist, singer, photographer, etc. You also need to obtain a freelancer license from the relevant free economic zone authority, the fee of which varies depending on the chosen area of work.

Issued to individuals employed by a foreign company or having a business outside the UAE, and wishing to permanently reside in the UAE.

We provide a full range of services for obtaining residence visas in the UAE, including consultations on choosing the optimal residency program, processing necessary documents, and assistance in undergoing medical examinations and submitting biometric data.

Stages of obtaining a UAE residence visa (using the example of a work visa):

Agreement on salary, number of days off, and working hours
Add/Modify quota – adding quota to the company / selecting a specific position for the employee
Job offer and Employment contract – signing the employment contract by both parties
Work permit – obtaining a work permit
Insurance – basic insurance
Entry permit - obtaining an eVisa
Change Status – changing the visa status to a UAE work visa
Medical test – mandatory medical examination, including blood tests and X-rays
Visa Stamping – obtaining the residence visa (previously stamped in the passport, discontinued since 2022)
Fingerprinting appointment – providing biometric data
Emirates ID – obtaining the resident identity card

We provide a full range of services for obtaining residence visas in the UAE, including consultations on choosing the optimal residency type, processing necessary documents, and assistance in undergoing medical examinations and submitting biometric data.

Our services: