UAE has offered reason enough to be the most popular destination worldwide. The distinction has been introduced due to lucrative visa processes. Visa is an approved entry granted to a person under the appropriate country requirements that the person is able to visit. Such permitted entry enables a person to join, remain or leave for a given amount of time and for a particular reason for the visit. We offer Visa Services in Dubai, UAE for both individual and corporate clients. We have a team of experienced PRO’s who can take care of the entire visa application process.
Types of Visa in the UAE
There are several types of visas available in Dubai and you need to know the difference between them. Here we rounded up the different types of visas you can apply for when traveling to Dubai.
Typically, visas can be categorized as:
Investor/Partner Visa
The UAE government distinguishes those who want to set up a Business in UAE, either in FREE ZONES or in Main Territory, with economic departments in various states. Individuals wishing to invest or establish a company may apply for a partner or investor visa in Dubai and other parts of the UAE. The investor visa will be valid for three years.
Residence/Family Visa
The resident visa is issued for 3 years, and upon its expiry, you will be able to renew it without limitations on the number of times it can be renewed. If you have a resident visa, you are entitled to permanent residence in the United Arab Emirates. In addition, you may obtain a visa for immediate family members: wife/husband and children under 18-year old. In order to maintain a resident visa, you are required to enter the Emirates at least one time every six months. Violation of this rule will result in a visa block. And, subsequently, the unblocking of the visa will entail compliance with the procedure for its re-activation thereof.
If you are a foreign national living in the UAE on a Residence Visa, then you are allowed to bring your dependents with you through a UAE Family Visa. However, not everyone can bring their dependents along as there are certain requirements that have to be met. A Family Visa for the UAE can be issued for 1, 2, or 3 years and can be renewed at least thirty days before expiry. Family Visas are dependent on the sponsor, so if the sponsor’s visa expires or is canceled, then the Family Visas will also be void.
Requirements to Sponsor Someone for a UAE Family Visa
To be able to sponsor family members to the UAE, you must fulfill the following conditions:
- Male expatriates must have a minimum salary of AED 4,000 per month or AED 3,000 per month plus accommodation
- Female expatriates must have a minimum monthly salary of AED 10,000 or AED 8,000 plus accommodation
- Teachers, doctors, engineers, or equivalent. She must have a minimum salary of AED 5,000
Additionally, all family members who are over 18 have to pass a medical fitness test taken at a government-approved health center in the UAE. They will be tested for HIV and Tuberculosis.
Documents Required for Family Visa application includes:
- UAE Visa Application Form (online or through a registered typing office)
- Passport copies of the family member/s being sponsored
- Passport-size pictures of the family member/s being sponsored
- Medical clearance certificate for any family member over the age of 18
- Copy of the sponsor’s employment contract or company contract
- Proof of the monthly salary the sponsor earns
- The legalized marriage certificate
- Proof of accommodation, such as the registered tenancy contract
- The latest utility bills
Employment/ Work Visa
It is mandatory to have a work visa for Dubai if you wish to live and work in this city. An edge for an employment visa is to leave and re-enter the country at any time without any other formality. Before obtaining the work visa, you will need to have a work contract or a valid job offer for Dubai. In general, it is your employer’s responsibility to sponsor your visa application as well as the relevant fees.
Once you’re in the country, the employer sponsoring you should then proceed to complete other formalities such as medical testing, obtaining an Emirates ID card, a Labour Card, and the work residency permit stamped on your passport within 60 days. The work residency permit is issued by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) from the emirate where you will be employed. If you have family members joining you, you will be eligible to sponsor them and bring them into the UAE once this process has been completed.
Requirements for Employment Visa
- There must be an employment contract or a job offered by a UAE-based company.
- The company has to request a work visa for a person at the Immigration Department.
- In requirements, there should be a valid passport, be aged between 18 to 60 (over 60 for certain professions), be healthy, and possess particular skills or qualifications.
- Some diseases like HIV, tuberculosis or hepatitis C tests are systematically carried out, and in case of infection, a person won’t be allowed to live in UAE.
- Your credentials need to be authenticated both by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and by the embassy or consulate of the UAE in your home country.
Tourist Visa
As the name suggests, a tourist visa is used by travelers whose purpose in the country is for tourism. The visa permits the holder to stay in the country for 30 days. To get one, you’ll need sponsorship by a UAE airline, hotel, and tour operators. Each UAE airline offers visa services when you fly with them. Apart from that, travel agents and hotels can also arrange a tourist visa for you. Many different options are available under this category:
30-day Tourist Visa
As the name suggests, a tourist visa is one, which is issued to people visiting UAE for leisure purposes. This visa has a validity of 58 days from the date of its issue and grants the holder an entry permit of 30 days to visit the UAE. Essentially a tourist visa is required to be procured by an individual from a country that does not have a Visa on Arrival arrangement with UAE or does not fall in the category of Visa-Free Entry.
90-Day Tourist Visa
A tourist visa may be issued for either 30 days or for a period of 90 days, depending on the plan of the tourist. You can choose between Single-Entry-Long-Term Visa and Multiple Entry Long Term Visa for 90-days are available.
Maid Visa
To sponsor a housemaid, you will need to have a UAE residency visa (this is not the same as an employment visa or work permit). Once you arrive for the first time in the UAE, allow at least a month before your own residence visa is issued. That varies substantially and depends mostly on how efficient your company is at processing the paperwork. Some companies delay the process by several months. Arranging maid sponsorship is a two-step procedure. First, you need to obtain an entry permit/employment visa so she can enter the UAE. Then you need to apply for a UAE residence visa for the maid. The DNRD will issue a residence visa, labor card, and labor contract for the maid.
Documents required for UAE maid residence visa
- Your own salary certificate and labor contract.
- Sponsor tenancy agreement.
- Your passport (and a copy).
- Copy of the maid’s passport (and original passport with entry permit after arrival in the UAE).
- Passport photos of the maid (4 should be enough but bring a few extra).
- If you (the sponsor) and maid have the same nationalities, then you will need an affidavit from your embassy or consulate to certify you are not related to the maid.
Other Types of Visa in the UAE
UAE Transit Visa
You need a transit visa when you need to fly through the issuing country on your trip. Two kinds of transit visas are issued by the UAE. First, you can stay for 48 hours, and then you can stay for 96 hours (depending on your citizenship). At Dubai International Airport or at Abu Dhabi International Airport, you may obtain your UAE visa. Both these transit visas cannot be extended.
Visit Visa
You’re going to need a friend or family living in the country to sponsor your UAE travel visa. They may apply for a visa at any GDRFA office in the Emirate, and the process will take a few days. Once you have received a visa, your agent will give you a copy of your permit via fax or e-mail. The initial permit will be submitted to the airport. You should pick it up from there as you arrive at the airport. You must obtain a copy of your entry permit before you leave your country.
Service / 14 Days Visa
This visa is issued to those who wish to stay in UAE for up to 14 days and also has confirmed return tickets or tickets to some other destination on Emirates airlines. Such a visa is issued to the following people and their family members who are with them: Company Representatives, Sales Managers, Account Auditors, Corporate Delegations, or those who need to visit UAE for some Commercial purpose.
eVisa
Dubai visitors can apply for an online visa which upon its approval, will be sent to the applicant registered email. UAE nationals, Expatriate residents in UAE, GCC nationals living in the UAE, Residents of GCC, and Visitors can all apply for entry permit/visit visas for themselves, families, friends, and relatives as well as workers. For GCC residents, their GCC Residency must be valid at least 3 months from the arrival date. Also, “GCC Citizen – Accompanies” won’t be approved for any family member or assistant categories if the sponsor is not traveling along with them.
Student Visa
This visa is for aspiring students who wish to study in Colleges and Universities in the UAE. This visa is eligible for one year and renewal is required upon furnishing proof that the individual will be continuing education. A new student visa has been introduced in November 2018, which is applicable for five years.
Entry Permit for Patients and their Companions
This permit is for foreign patients who need to visit Dubai for treatment. They must be sponsored by some medical facilities or hospitals. There are again two general varieties of a medical permit; the first is a single-entry permit with permission to stay for 90 days. The visa must be planned within 60 days from the issue of the permit. An extension on this permit can be sought. The second type of this permit is a multiple-entry permit with the same features as the single-entry. The only difference being the option to extend in a multiple-entry visa.
Documents required for Dubai Visa Application
The Mandatory Documents that are required to be submitted are below:
- Passport Bio Data Page: This is the page in the client’s passport that has the Photo and other personal details. The passport bio page has to be colored. Black and White copies will not be accepted.
- Passport Last Page: Certain nationalities have important information on the last page of their passport e.g. India. If your nationality does not have any information on the last page you are free to attach the first page of your passport in this browser. The Last page has to be colored. Black and White copies will not be accepted.
- Photograph: Each applicant needs to submit a clear color photograph of themselves. Preferably the photo should not be cropped from the passport. The photograph has to be colored. Black and White photographs will not be accepted.
In addition to the above, clients have to submit an observation page in their passport (If Any) or the Child endorsed page (If any) in the Non-Mandatory Documents field.
Why Choose RIZ & MONA for Visa Services
We RIZ & MONA Consultancy assist our clients at every stage starting from inception to completion of the visa, including medical, emirates ID processing, and a wide range of visa services in Dubai/ UAE. We work very closely with the high officials of the Dubai government and ministries. Reach us at Whatsapp. #: 00 971 54582 1012 – Email: info@rizmona.com