Residency visas are granted to foreign nationals arriving in the United Arab Emirates for employment, study, investment, or for other reasons.
In the UAE, residency visas are classified as temporary or permanent.
Types of UAE Residency Visas
In the UAE, there are seven primary categories of residency visas:
- Regular work visa: issued to foreign nationals employed in free zones, the public and private sectors.
- Green residency: given for five years to skilled workers.
- Virtual Work Visa: Subject to certain requirements, this visa enables foreign nationals employed abroad to live and work in the United Arab Emirates.
- Retirement Residence: Five years of residency is granted to individuals over 55.
- Residency to establish a business: This enables investors to apply for a residency permit to open a business nationwide.
- Study residence: provided to students attending colleges, universities, and other educational institutions in the United Arab Emirates.
- Family member residency: Allowed to relatives who work, invest, or run businesses as long as they make at least 4,000 dirhams a month, which covers housing.
Golden Residency is one of the most prominent residence visas in the UAE and is granted to investors and high-net-worth individuals.
It is provided to people who make specific-amount investments in the UAE, such as startups or real estate ventures.
This visa grants its holders a variety of benefits and privileges, including:
- A UAE permanent residence.
- The ability to bring relatives.
- The ability to work, learn, and do business in the Emirates without restriction.
- Exemption from import goods’ customs duties.
General requirements for acquiring a residency visa
Depending on the kind of visa, there are different general requirements for acquiring a residence permit. Nonetheless, the following general requirements hold for all varieties of residency visas:
- The applicant for the visa must be a legal resident of the UAE.
- The applicant’s passport needs to be valid.
- The applicant needs to be free of any contagious illnesses.
- The applicant needs to have good moral character and conduct.
How to apply for a residency visa
You can apply for a residence visa by visiting one of the UAE’s consulates or embassies abroad, or by visiting the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security’s website.
The duration of the residency visa application process
The time it takes to obtain a residence visa varies according to the type of visa. However, some procedures, such as medical examination and the submission of certain papers, are prerequisites for the issuance of a visa.
