New Residence Visa Rules in UAE – Ultimate Guide

UAE is giving a new structure to its entry and residency procedures to make enormous progress toward being the best location for living, employment, entrepreneurship, investment, and education.

A UAE Residence Visa is required for foreign nationals who wish to reside and work in the UAE for an extended period of time. If you have a residency visa for the UAE you can travel to many countries without a visa, open a bank account, acquire a car or personal loan, get a driver’s license, send your kids to private or public schools, and have access to health insurance and government health services.

To be eligible for a residence visa for the United Arab Emirates, you must fulfill a number of requirements, such as making an investment or getting employment in one of the emirates. The government has now announced additional categories for golden visas and new entrance visas and residency permit types. This guide will educate you on new residence visa rules in UAE and the types that are important for foreigners.

New Residence Visa Rules in UAE in 2022

The UAE cabinet has approved the executive regulations of the Federal Decree-Law on Entry and Residence of Foreigners known as the Advanced Visa System in an effort to promote the UAE as an ideal location to invest, live, and work.

The UAE has recently broadened the Golden Visa categories and added about ten new types of entrance visas and resident permits.

The new entrance visas are currently being tested, and on October 3, 2022, they will be officially implemented. The new entry and residence system has been implemented to draw in and keep qualified employees from around the world, increase the local job market’s flexibility and competitiveness, and promote a strong sense of stability among citizens of the United Arab Emirates and their families.

The new visa and entry regulations are also specifically implemented to upgrade the UAE’s economic sector and support Emirati SMEs. One of the most significant modifications to the country’s immigration policy in recent years is the new revisions in the visa.

The new visas have a conventional 60-day entry permit (instead of the current 30 days) and a five-year, multiple-entry tourist visa that permits foreign travelers to stay in the UAE for up to 90 consecutive days.

The UAE will also establish a job exploration entrance visa for degree holders that eliminates the need for a host or sponsor. Plus, five-year green visas will be introduced to target passionate freelancers, skilled employees, and experienced self-employed individuals.

Male kids can now be sponsored by their parents until the age of 25, allowing them to continue living in the UAE after graduating from high school and college.

The golden visa project will also be expanded, making it simpler for talented workers earning  $8,100 or Dh 30,000 or more each month to obtain a 10-year visa.

UAE Golden Visa Rules in 2022

To make the eligibility requirements simpler and increase the categories of beneficiaries, the United Arab Emirates has recently broadened the Golden Visa categories and made significant changes to the Golden Residence Scheme.

Entrepreneurs, great students, investors, business owners, scientists, remarkable talent, skilled workers, and recent graduates will all be eligible for the long-term 10-year Golden residence.

The new regulations will permit Golden Residence holders to sponsor members of their families, including wives and kids. They can sponsor regardless of the age of the family members. Additionally, they are allowed to sponsor an unlimited number of domestic workers who provide support services. It will also let them save the money that they would otherwise need to spend on hiring local domestic laborers.

Not only that, there are no limitations on the duration of time that can be spent outside of the UAE while still maintaining the validity of the Golden Residence. In the case that the original holder of the Golden Residence passes away, there are additional privileges for family members that permit them to remain in the UAE until the permit’s validity period is over.

The golden visa is available for people of different categories such as:

Doctors and Nurses

In honor of their efforts and sacrifices, the UAE has started giving long-term residency to medical professionals who serve as the first line of defense.

Through the ICA’s golden residency services for doctors, the doctors are eligible to apply for the Golden Visa between July 2021 and September 2022. But they should be licensed by the UAE’s health regulatory organizations in order to apply for it. Medical staff and nurses, the unsung heroes of the COVID-19 battle of the UAE, are currently also qualified for the Golden Visa.

For doctors and nurses who want to apply for visas in person, seven centers connected to the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship have been set up in the Emirates.

Scientists

Researchers and scientists can also apply for the Golden Visa if they fulfill certain conditions.

Talented Individuals

People gifted with a special talent in the fields of innovation, art, law, culture, digital technology, medicine, sports, and other fields are eligible to apply for the Golden Visa program under the category of extraordinarily talented people.

Whatsmore, the 10-year Visa will also be granted exclusively on the basis of the applicant’s talent. It won’t be influenced by your level of expertise, employment situation, level of education, or salary. But a local government or federal body’s recommendation or approval will be necessary to avail of this benefit.

Skilled Workers

Skilled workers can also opt for the Golden Visa scheme upon meeting eligibility criteria.

Students

Students with exceptionally good academic standing, who received high grades, and who attended secondary schools or universities in the UAE are qualified to apply for the Golden Visa scheme or 10-year programs.

Additionally, gifted students having impressive talents who attended one of the top 100 colleges or universities in the world are also qualified to opt for the Golden Visa scheme. The criteria include a graduation year, university classification, and cumulative average/academic performance.

Real Estate Investors

Real estate investors have the option to choose the golden visa for real estate investors. It can be obtained upon buying any property worth more than 2 million Dh or more than $5 million. But with the new changes made to the visa, such investors can get the golden residence by taking loans from the banks in the UAE and then buying a property of the mentioned worth. Then, investors also have the choice to get the residence upon purchasing one or more off-plan properties from authorized real estate companies in the UAE. They bought properties should be of the same worth, more than 2 million Dh or more than $5 million.

Entrepreneurs

Investors who want to invest their money in startups can also get a gold visa. Their firm or company should fall under the category of SMEs (Small and Medium Enterprises) with yearly revenues of more than 1 million Dh or $ 2 million. The company should be registered inside the Emirates.

Humanitarian Pioneers

Humanitarian pioneers are also eligible to get the Golden visa.

Eligibility of a UAE Residence Visa

To qualify for a UAE residence visa, you must fall under one of the following categories:

• You’ll spend your retirement in the UAE.
• You are a dependent of a non-Arab or national of the UAE ( parent, child, maid, or close relative).
• In the UAE, you will work for a government organization or a commercial company.
• In the United Arab Emirates, you’ll go to school or must have gone to one.
• You must have purchased Any size property in the UAE.
• You’ve made an investment in the UAE.

Types of UAE Residence Visas

Depending on why you’re traveling, different types of UAE residence visas exist. These visas are:

• Foreign people who invest significantly in the UAE are granted a UAE Investment Visa (long-term residence). Comparatively speaking, this form of resident visa is granted for a longer period of time (up to ten years).
• Foreigners who have found employment in the UAE and secured a Work Permit are given the UAE Work Visa.
• Foreign people who have been admitted into educational institutions in the UAE are awarded UAE Student Visas.
• Family members of UAE citizens or international residents can be issued a UAE Family Visa.
• The Work Remotely from Dubai program is available to freelancers who want to work remotely in Dubai.
• Older foreigners with the required financial resources who want to retire in the UAE are granted UAE Retirement Visas.

Requirements for a UAE Residence Visa

It is required that you provide several supporting documents when applying for a UAE Residence Visa, including:

• The UAE visa application form is obtained through the relevant typing center or online
• To get a work visa, your sponsor must include copies of your contract, the company’s trade license, and the company’s firm card.
• Original passport
• Entry visa
• Proof of your sponsor’s UAE citizenship or legal residency
• Two passport-size pictures
• Proof of health insurance plan of the UAE 
• In order to obtain a family visa, provide proof of your family ties, such as marriage or birth certificates
• Documents related to your travel purpose. Such as:
  • UAE Retirement Visa
  • UAE Work Visa
  • UAE Student Visa
  • UAE Investment Visa
  • UAE Family Visa
• You must provide proof that you have passed a medical fitness test. Foreign nationals seeking a Residence Visa in the UAE must pass a medical exam proving their fitness.

UAE Entry Visa Rules in 2022

The UAE for the first time in history has offered roughly ten types of entrance visas for travelers to the country with a variety of visit purposes that eliminated the need for a sponsor or host.

Among the major improvements for the entry visas are facilitating entry requirements for all types of visas and offering flexible visa durations that meet visitors’ needs as well as their purpose for visiting.

Moreover, every entry visa will be valid for 60 days from the date of issuance and will be available for single or multiple entries. It is also possible to renew them for similar periods of time.

There is a green residence available for:

1. Partner or investor 
2. Skilled employees
3. Self-employment and freelancing

Conclusion

So, that was all about new residence visa rules in the UAE. We have covered golden visa rules, UAE residence visa, and golden visa rules in this piece of writing. If you think we have missed out on something, do let us know in the comments below.

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