MFI Group Consultancy is a leading provider of visa and immigration services in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). With a wealth of experience and expertise in this field, we are well-equipped to help you navigate the various types of visas available in the UAE and understand the pros and cons of each one.

The UAE offers a range of different visa options for those looking to enter the country for work, study, or other purposes. These include:

1. Tourist Visa: This is the most common type of visa issued to visitors to the UAE. It allows you to stay in the country for up to 30 days and is typically issued for both single and multiple entries. The main advantage of a tourist visa is that it is relatively easy to obtain and can be extended for an additional 30 days if needed. However, it is not suitable for those looking to work or study in the UAE, as it does not allow for any form of employment or education.
2. Visit Visa: A visit visa is similar to a tourist visa but allows you to stay in the UAE for up to 60 days. It is typically issued for single entry and can be extended for an additional 30 days if required. This visa is also not suitable for work or study, but it can be a good option for those looking to visit friends or family in the UAE.
3. Residence Visa: A residence visa is issued to individuals who are planning to live in the UAE on a long-term basis. It allows you to stay in the country for up to three years and is typically issued for multiple entries. In order to qualify for a residence visa, you must be sponsored by a local company or individual. This visa is suitable for those looking to work or study in the UAE, as it allows for full-time employment or education.
4. Employment Visa: An employment visa is issued to individuals who have been offered a job in the UAE. It allows you to work and live in the country for up to three years and is typically issued for multiple entries. In order to qualify for an employment visa, you must be sponsored by a local company and have a valid job offer. This visa is suitable for those looking to work in the UAE and is often the preferred option for expatriates.
5. Student Visa: A student visa is issued to individuals who are planning to study in the UAE. It allows you to stay in the country for the duration of your course and is typically issued for multiple entries. In order to qualify for a student visa, you must be sponsored by an educational institution and have a valid enrolment certificate. This visa is suitable for those looking to study in the UAE and is an excellent option for students who wish to pursue higher education in the region.
6. Investor Visa: An Investor visa allows individuals to invest in the UAE, it allows you to stay in the country for up to three years, and is typically issued for multiple entries. This visa is suitable for entrepreneurs and investors, it allows them to establish their businesses in the UAE, and invest in the local economy.

Each visa has its own set of requirements and conditions, and it is important to understand these before making a decision. MFI Group Consultancy can provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision about which visa is right for you.

In conclusion, the UAE offers a wide range of visa options for those looking to enter the country, including tourist, visit, residence, employment, student and investor visas. Each visa has its own set of pros and cons, and it is important to understand these before making a decision. MFI Group Consultancy can provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision about which visa is right

Types of Residency Visa in UAE

This article was last modified on November 28th, 2022

The UAE is a nation consisting of nearly 88% expatriates. One can easily argue that the country is built by the hands of its ex-pat community of over 200 nationalities from all over the world. If you’re wondering how to get a residency visa in UAE and become part of its promising future, you need to check the various types of residency visas available.

That’s why MFI Group has this simple guide for you. Check it out.

UAE 10-Year Golden Visa or Long-Term Investor Visa

The 10-year Golden Visa in the UAE is a type of investor visa with specific requirements that should be fulfilled by the applicant. 

It is considered as a residency visa by investment because the applicant must have public investments of a certain amount in the UAE. Check out the requirements and conditions as stated below.

Requirements 

One of the following requirements for the UAE Golden Visa must be fulfilled: 

• An investment in the UAE that’s no less than AED 10 M
• Being an owner of a company within the UAE whose capital is at least AED 10 M
• Partnering in a company in the UAE with a share that’s valued at a minimum of AED 10 M 
• Investing in all of the above sectors mentioned in previous points with a total amount of AED 10 M at least (given that 60% of the total investments should be in non-real estate sectors).

Guidelines 

• The investor shouldn’t be loaned the money they invest 
• The investment must be retained for a duration of 3 years 
• The investor should have financial assets amounting to AED 10 M
• If the investor wishes, business partners can be included in the investment, provided they invest an amount of AED 10 M each.

Validity 

This visa is valid for 10 years and will be renewed automatically. 

UAE 5-Year Golden Visa or Property Investor Visa

There’s always the question of whether you can get a residency if you buy a property in Dubai or the UAE, and the answer is yes. If you’re wondering how you can achieve residency through property investment, you should read about this type of residency visa. 

Requirements

All the investor has to do is acquire a property in the UAE, fulfilling the following requirements: 

• The gross value of the property should be no less than AED 5 M
• When investing, the amount used shouldn’t be a loan 
• The said property has to be retained for a duration of 3 years. 

Documents 

The following copies should be available with the investor when applying:

• Passport 
• Previous visa 
• Personal photo (white background) 
• The title deed of the property 
• Good Conduct Certificate 
• Bank statement 
• Health insurance approved by DHA
• Utility bill.

Validity

It is valid for 5 years with automatic renewal. 

You can check this detailed guide for investor visas in Dubai on MFI Group. 

UAE Retirement Visa 

Residents in the UAE who are above the age of 55 years old can apply for a retirement visa.

Requirements 

There are a few rules and regulations to this UAE residency visa for someone looking to retire in the country. 

One of the following requirements must be fulfilled:  

• The applicant must have an investment in a real estate property that’s worth AED 2 M (in this case it is considered a type of investment visa) 
• The applicant must have savings in the amount of AED 1 M or more 
• The applicant has to have ongoing income that’s worth at least AED 20,000 per month
• The applicant can combine between owning a property and their savings in the UAE, amounting to AED 2 M

Documents 

The below copies are required by the applicants in any of the above cases: 

• Passport (applicants and their dependants if any)
• Marriage certificate (when applicants are spouses) 
• Current UAE residency visa 
• Emirates ID 

Further specific documents are required depending on the case as follows: 

1. Real estate investment
   •  Copy of title deed 
2. Savings
   • Proof of retirement letter 
   • Proof of savings in UAE letter 
3. Fixed income
   • Proof of retirement letter
   • Proof of income letter 
   • Bank statement of 6 months 
4. Property investment and savings
   • Copy of title deed 
   • Proof of savings letter.

Validity 

The UAE retirement visa is valid for 5 years and can be renewed. 

For details on how to retire in Dubai, check this retirement visa guide on MFI Group. 

UAE Employment Visa 

The first type of residency visa in the UAE is obtained when a foreign national is employed by a company within the country. This type of visa allows them to legally live and work in the UAE. 

Sponsorship 

In this case, the employer of the individual will act as a sponsor for them to obtain the visa. Employers can be private entities located on the mainland or in free zone, or they could be government-owned facilities. 

Documents 

Some documents are required from the company and the employee as follows: 

For a mainland company, copies of the following are required:

1. Company
   1. Trade License 
   2. Company Immigration Card
   3. Company Labour Card
2. Employee
   1. Passport
   2. Personal photo (white background)
   3. Education certificate 
   4. Previous residency visa if applicable 
   5. Previous Emirates ID if applicable 
   6. Tourist Visa if applicable 
   7. Health Insurance approved by DHA

For a free zone company or government entity, copies of the following documents are required:

1. Company
   1. Online visa application 
   2. Trade License
   3. Company Immigration Card
   4. Office Lease Agreement 
2. Employee
   1. Passport
   2. Personal photo (white background)
   3. Copy of offer letter/appointment letter 
   4. Education certificate 
   5. Previous residency visa if applicable 
   6. Previous Emirates ID if applicable 
   7. Tourist Visa if applicable 
   8. Health Insurance approved by DHA

Validity 

• The UAE Employment Visa’s validity with a mainland company is 2 years 
• The UAE Employment Visa’s validity with a freezone company or government entity is 3 years. 

Both visas are subject to renewal.

UAE Company Investor Visa

This UAE residency visa is acquired by foreigners who are owners of their own companies in the UAE or hold shares in one. Furthermore, it’s for ex-pats looking to start up their own businesses in the country. 

The UAE residency visa by investment gives legality to its holder to live and work in the country for its duration of validity. 

Documents 

For investing in a mainland company, the following copies are required from the company and the investor:

1. Company
   1. Trade License
   2. Immigration Establishment Card
   3. Memorandum of Association (LLC) 
   4. Local Service Agreement
   5. Partnership contract if available 
   6. Partners list (LLC)
2. Investor
   1. Passport 
   2. Personal photo (white background)
   3. Bank statement if applicable 
   4. Previous visa if applicable 
   5. Previous Emirates ID if applicable 

For those investing in a free zone company or government entity, these copies will be required as follows: 

1. Company
   1. Trade License 
   2. Share Certificate 
   3. Immigration Card 
   4. Memorandum of Association 
   5. Certificate of Incorporation 
2. Investor
   1. Passport 
   2. Personal photo (white background)
   3. Bank statement if applicable 
   4. Previous visa if applicable 
   5. Previous Emirates ID if applicable 

Validity 

This type of investor visa is valid for 3 years, subject to renewal. 

UAE Family Visa 

If an ex-pat has acquired any type of residency visa within the UAE, they are then able to be a sponsor to their immediate family. 

Sponsorship

In this case, the person will be able to sponsor their spouse, children, and parents. 

Requirements

To issue a UAE family visa, these rules have to be met:

• Investors looking to sponsor their family have to pay a refundable amount of AED 3,000 per family member.
• For employees wanting to sponsor their families, their salary has to be at least AED 4,000. Alternatively, it can be AED 3,000 plus the monthly rent.
• When sponsoring parents, the person’s monthly income should not be less than AED 20,000. In this case, both parents are sponsored; if one is deceased, their death certificate is required. 

Documents 

Here are the required documents for a UAE family visa by the sponsor and dependants:

1. Sponsor
   1. Passport copy 
   2. UAE residency visa copy
   3. Original Emirates ID
   4. Labour card and contract by Ministry of Labour copy 
   5. For employment by freezone or a governmental facility, an Arabic salary certificate 
   6. Ejari or Tawtheeq Certificate 
   7. Utility bill 
   8. Bank statement if applicable 
2. Dependants
   1. Passport (with at least 6 months validity)
   2. Passport-size photo (white background)
   3. Previous visa copy if applicable 
   4. Marriage certificate (if the dependant is the spouse) 
   5. Birth certificate for children 
   6. Health insurance approved by DHA

Validity 

• Family visas have different durations depending on the type of visa their sponsor carries. They can be issued from 1 to 3 years or in parallel to the sponsor’s visa duration. Renewal depends on the case. 
• Furthermore, family visas are linked to the visas of their sponsors. If for any reason the sponsor’s UAE residency visa is cancelled, then the dependents’ visas have to be cancelled as well. 
• When the sponsor’s visa is cancelled, a grace period for the UAE family residency visa is 30 days to be cancelled. Following this duration, they are subject to fines. 

UAE Domestic Workers Visa

If ex-pats are looking to recruit a domestic worker, this residency visa should be issued for the worker.

Sponsorship 

In this case, they are sponsoring either a maid, housekeeper, cook, private driver, or babysitter, and the like.

Requirements 

The below requirements have to be met in order for an ex-pat to be able to sponsor a domestic worker in the UAE:

• The ex-pat looking to be a sponsor has to earn a salary that’s at least AED 25,000 
• The domestic worker cannot be related to the person sponsoring them
• The sponsor has to be a UAE resident already who lives with their family
• If the domestic worker is a private driver, then the sponsor must have two personal cars registered under their name in the UAE.

Documents 

Here are the documents required to sponsor a domestic worker in the UAE:

1. Sponsor
   1. Visa application 
   2. Proof of non-relation (if a worker is of the same nationality as their sponsor)
   3. Passport copy 
   4. Resident visa copy 
   5. Passport-size photo (white background)
   6. Bank statement
   7. Labour contract copy
   8. Health insurance card copy
   9. Tenancy contract (at least 2-bedroom unit)
   10. Salary certificate
2. Worker
   1. Passport copy 
   2. Visa copy 
   3. Passport-size photo (white background)
   4. Medical fitness certificate from worker’s country of origin

Validity 

The visa will be valid for one year and the sponsor can apply for renewal or cancellation. 

You can check this guide on MFI Group for details on how to sponsor a housemaid in Dubai.

UAE Specialist Resident Visa 

This is a residency visa that can be granted to special talents working in the Emirates in the fields of science and knowledge. Ongoing employment is mandatory for all applicants. 

Requirements 

Here are the requirements for special talent ex-pats looking to apply for a specialist residency visa in the UAE:

• Scientists have to be accredited by the Emirates Scientist Council or winners of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Excellence 
• Applicants working in the culture and arts field have to be accredited by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development 
• Investors must have a patent valuation that adds extreme value to the economy in the UAE, and it has to have approval by the Ministry of Economy 
• Any exceptional talents must be documented by patents or published in globally recognized journals 
• Executives applying for this visa must own a renowned company that is considered a leading organization on a global scale 

On the other hand, doctors and specialists need to fulfil at least two requirements from the below list: 

• The applicant’s PhD has to be from a university that is on the list of the best 500 universities in the world and they have experience working in the field for at least 10 year 
• The applicant has to be recognized by a special award or a certificate of appreciation for work in their field
• They have contributed significantly to large-scale scientific research in their respective fields 
• An article or scientific book in their field has been published by the applicant in a well-known publication 
• The applicant is a member of an esteemed organization that specializes in their field of work
• Their speciality is specifically needed and considered a priority profession in the UAE.

Validity 

The specialist visa’s duration is for 10 years and can be renewed if conditions are still met.

UAE Student Visa 

Students looking to apply to educational institutions in the UAE can do so through a student residency visa in the UAE. 

Documents 

Here are the documents required by students to obtain this type of visa:

• Passport copy (validity of at least 6 months) 
• Passport-size photo (white background) 
• Visa and tuition fees receipt 
• Current visa copy (if applicable) 
• Copy of admission letter.

Validity

The student visa is issued with a 1 year validity period; the student applies for renewal on an annual basis until their education years are done. 

Furthermore, outstanding students can apply for a 5-year student visa, provided they have a grade of 95% in secondary school. For university students, their GPA should be 3.75 at least.

Remote Working Visa 

In case you already have your own remote job and want to live in Dubai, you can enjoy this now. Dubai’s government offers you a Remote Working Visa which enables you to stay in the emirate and enjoy its stunning living atmosphere. 

There are some documents and requirements to apply for this type of visa; check them below.

Documents

Here are the required documents to apply for the Remote Working Visa: 

• A valid passport for 6 months at least
• Health insurance with UAE coverage validity
• For employees, you should submit:
  • Proof of employment from your current employer with a contract of at least one-year validity
  • Proof of minimum $5,000/month salary  
  • Payslip for the last month
  • Bank statements for three consecutive months.
• In case you’re a business owner, you should provide these documents:
  • Proof of ownership of your company for one year or more 
  • A paper that proves your average monthly income is $5,000/month
  • Bank statements for three consecutive months.

Validity 

It’s valid for one year.

Now you know what the different types of residency visas in UAE are, so you can take the jump, see what’s your best option, and join one of the most successful countries in the world.

This Blog is made available for educational purposes only, in addition to providing you with general information and a general understanding of its content, including referenced laws and regulations, and not to provide specific legal advice. The Blog should not be used as a substitute for competent advice from a licensed professional.