How many types of visas are there in the UAE?

Whether you are planning a vacation, looking for a job to live in the UAE or want to start a business, here are all your visa options.

Before you plan to travel to the UAE, you must check whether you need to apply for a visitor visa in advance, as certain nationalities can obtain a visa on arrival.

If you want to know if you are eligible for a visa on arrival, click here here.

If you are not eligible for a visa on arrival, here are your options:

If you have a short layover at an airport in the UAE, you can apply 48-hour or 96-hour transit visa. You can obtain your visa through the Emirates airline or travel agent you are travelling with.

However, it is important to note that transit visas cannot be extended or renewed and you must leave the UAE within 48 or 96 hours of arrival.

Depending on how long you plan to spend your holiday in the UAE, a 30-day or 90-day tourist visa can be issued, allowing you to enter either single or multiple times. You can apply for a tourist visa by:

• Airline
• Travel agency or hotel
• Family or friends who can sponsor a tourist visa

• Online platform of UAE immigration authorities – Federal Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) or Dubai General Directorate of Foreign Affairs (GDRFA).

For an in-depth guide on how to get a tourist visa, click here here.

If you frequently visit the UAE for business purposes or have family and friends here, opting for a long-term multiple entry visa is an easy way to visit the UAE without having to apply for a new entry permit each time.

You can apply for a five-year multiple entry tourist visa through the official website of ICP at icp.gov.ae.

According to the ICP website, visitors with this visa can stay for up to 90 days per visit. This can be extended for another 90 days.

One of the main requirements for a five-year multiple entry visa is to provide bank statements for the past six months with a balance of at least USD 4,000 (Dh14,700) or its equivalent in foreign currency.

This visa is for residents of GCC countries and their family members. You can apply for the GCC e-Visa online through the ICP or GDRFA website. If you apply for a visa, you must ensure that your GCC residence visa and passport are valid for at least three months from the date of arrival.

The entry permit is valid for 30 days from the date of issue and you can stay for 30 days from the date of entry.To learn more about how to apply for the GCC Resident eVisa, click here here.

The new job seeker visa will be October 3, 2022allowing people to come to the UAE to explore job, investment and business opportunities without a sponsor or host.

To apply for a visa, you must meet the following requirements:

• Persons classified as Skill Level 1, 2 or 3 according to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).
• Fresh graduates from Fortune 500 universities
• The applicant’s minimum education level should be a bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

If you want to work and live in the UAE, you need to make sure you have an offer of admission from a UAE company. Once you have accepted and signed the acceptance letter, the company will first issue an entry permit allowing you to travel to the UAE.

Once you arrive in the UAE, your employer will start the visa application process. This includes taking a physical fitness test, providing fingerprint biometrics for the Emirates ID, stamping the visa in the passport and delivering the Emirates ID to you.

For the step-by-step process for UAE residence visa application, click here here.

In addition, it is worth noting that according to the UAE Labour Law, Employers must bear all recruitment and visa related costs.

If you want to bring your family, spouse or children to the UAE, you can provide them with a residence visa if you are working in the UAE, an investor or business owner in the UAE or an owner in the UAE.

If you are looking for long-term residency options in the UAE, the UAE government has recently expanded the categories eligible for long-term visas April 2022.

The Golden Visa allows eligible residents to stay in the UAE for 10 years and sponsors family members including spouses, children and support staff for the same period.

Below is a list of categories eligible for a visa:

Outstanding talents in the following fields:

• culture and art
• Investors and innovators
• athletic
• Digital technology
• Other important areas

scientists and professionals

• scientists
• Chief Executive Officers and Senior Officials
• Scientific professionals
• Engineering Professionals
• Health professionals
• Education professionals
• Business and management professionals
• Information Technology Professionals
• Legal, social and cultural professionals

Outstanding Students and Graduates

• Highest performing students in secondary school
• Best graduates from UAE universities
• Graduates from the top 100 universities in the world

humanitarian pioneer

• Distinguished members of international and regional organizations
• Outstanding member of public welfare association
• Recipients of Humanitarian Field Recognition Awards
• Outstanding volunteer and sponsor of humanitarian work

frontline hero

• Frontline workers doing extraordinary work during the COVID-19 pandemic.

If you do fall into the eligible category and are interested in applying for a Golden Visa, please read our guide here which will give you a breakdown of the entire process.

A green visa is a five-year residence permit in the UAE that does not require a sponsor.With a green visa, you can sponsor first-degree relatives and There is a six-month grace period after visa cancellation or expiry.

The green visa will come into effect on October 3, and the following groups are eligible to apply for the visa:

Freelancer (self-employed)

• Applicants should obtain a freelance/self-employment permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).
• Minimum education should be a bachelor’s degree or a professional diploma.
• The annual income from self-employment for the first two years should not be less than Dh360,000, or the applicant demonstrates financial solvency during their stay in the country

• Applicants should have a valid employment contract.
• They should be classified as 1st, 2nd or 3rd occupational level according to MOHRE.
• The minimum education level must be a bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
• Salary should not be less than Dh15,000.

• Under this category, Green Residency holders also do not need a guarantor.

Over the past few years, the UAE has emerged as an attractive higher education destination due to its large number of international universities, diverse student body and safe student environment.

UAE student visas are sponsored by universities, but Student visa application Processed and issued by the relevant General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in each emirate.

Student visas are valid for one year. To renew the visa, students must provide official proof of continued study at their university.

This retirement visa Issued by the Dubai General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), which means it is only issued and valid in Dubai. Other Emirates airlines have yet to introduce retirement visas.

Retirement visas are valid for five years and retirees must be at least 55 years old to apply.

If you intend to start a business or be listed as a shareholder in a company.In this case, you can apply General Investor Visa. The company shareholder visa is valid for three years.

The UAE also offers Golden Visas to individuals investing in real estate in the UAE, however, they must meet one of the requirements for applying for a Golden Visa:

• A Golden Visa is available for real estate investors when purchasing a property worth at least AED 2 million.

• Investors are also entitled to a Golden Visa when they purchase property through certain local bank loans.

• Investors can also obtain a Golden Visa when purchasing one or more off-the-plan properties with a minimum value of Dh2 million from an approved local real estate company.

If you are an entrepreneur looking to set up a company or invest in a startup in the UAE, you can apply for Golden Vvisa as long as you meet one of the following conditions:

• Entrepreneurs should own or be a partner in a UAE-registered start-up business in the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) category with an annual revenue of not less than AED 1 million.

• In addition, obtain approval for an entrepreneurial idea from an official business incubator (organization that helps start-ups or entrepreneurs develop their business) or the Ministry of Economy or local authorities.

• If the person is the founder or co-founder of a previously sold project with a total value of not less than AED 7 million. Projects or ideas require approval from the Ministry of Economy or local authorities.