Grounds for
Residence Visas

Grounds for Obtaining Residence Visas

• In addition to permanent residence in UAE territory, a visa entitles you to:
• Opening bank accounts, obtaining consumer loans and mortgages
• Conducting business within the UAE
• Obtaining UAE tax residency status
• Medical care and insurance policy registration
• Employment
• Long-term rentals

In other words, a residence visa allows you to live in the UAE for a long time and use the entire social infrastructure.

The UAE resident visa is issued on the basis of employment or registration of your own company in the country, as well as the purchase of real estate in the United Arab Emirates.

1. An employment visa is granted for a period of 2 years. In this case all the costs of obtaining the visa are borne by the employer.
2. A visa for starting your own company is valid for 2 years.
3. A visa for the purchase of real estate is issued for two years or 10 years, depending on the amount of investment. A 10-year Golden Visa can be obtained if the total value of real estate (up to three objects) is AED 2M (USD 545K).
4. A 5-year Golden Retirement Visa is issued to foreigners aged 55 if they bought real estate in Dubai in the amount of AED 1M (USD 272K) or opened an investment deposit in one of the local banks in the amount of at least AED 1M (USD 272K).
5. A 10-year talent visa includes doctors, researchers, scientists, investors and artists. These individuals can be granted a 10-year visa after an accreditation in their field of work.

Residence Visa

The residence visa is a pink sticker. Since 2023, the mandatory insertion of a visa into a foreign passport has been canceled. In addition, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship issues an identity card of a UAE resident — Emirates ID. It can be used inside the country instead of a passport, as well as when crossing the border of the Emirates through electronic checkpoints (E-gates).

The validity period of a residence visa depends on its category, and the document can be extended. The visa applies to family members of the person submitting the documents (sponsor) — spouses, children and parents. For each type, there are restrictions on the age and marital status of children. The application for a visa to family members is available only after the applicant himself receives it.

It is important to note that family members must show proof of relationship to the applicant in order to get a visa. This involves marriage and birth certificates of children translated into Arabic and legalized in the UAE.

The process of applying for a residence visa is very long and complicated, especially for first- time applicants. METROPOLITAN CONSULTING specialists will help you go through all the procedures as quickly as possible and without unnecessary hassle. Our company provides support and full assistance, from obtaining the basis for the visa (company registration, purchase of real estate) to the issuance of the original Emirates ID. This means that we will assist you through the whole procedure, fill in and submit all the necessary documents for you, arrange the most comfortable medical examination and hand back your passport with a valid visa and a residence card, saving you a huge amount of time.

Brief Information about the visa application process and the requirements

The list of required documents may vary for different categories of visas, but generally includes the following:

• Entry clearance from the Federal Identity and Nationality Agency (in case the applicant is outside the UAE at the time of visa application).
• Scanned copy of passport and an original passport for visa insertion.
• Digital passport photo (a high-quality studio photo on a white background).
• For family visas you will require copies of passports, children's birth certificates and proof of marriage if you are married. All documents must be translated into Arabic and legalized in the UAE.
• For employment in the UAE, an education degree (and other documents proving professional qualifications) will be required. The documents must be translated into Arabic and legalized in the UAE.

NBD! Your passport must be valid for at least 6 months when applying for a resident visa to the UAE.

Once the resident visa is approved, the applicant will undergo a medical test in one of the authorized UAE clinics (fluorography, blood tests for HIV and Hepatitis B and C) and also undergo an identification procedure for an Emirates ID.

What are the Conditions for Visa Cancelation?

All foreign nationals residing in the UAE on a resident visa must have their visa revoked if they wish to leave the country permanently. Before you start the process of canceling your visa, you should take care of closing your bank account, ending your rental agreement and checking for utility arrears, etc.

If you need to cancel your employment visa, you will not be able to submit the request yourself, since only the individual/company on whose behalf your visa was issued can do this.

If you have an investor visa, you can initiate the process yourself in one of the ways, which can be found below:

• By visiting a visa center or online. In this case, investors must prepare all the necessary official paperwork on their own.
• By contacting a company that provides professional services in this field. We offer full legal support in opening, closing or obtaining a new visa.

NBD! Leaving the country without canceling your residency visa may result in a refusal for a new visa, should you decide to return, and you may be barred from re-entering the country for a set period. Therefore, it is recommended to always ensure that your resident visa is canceled on time, and keep proof of your visa cancelation before you leave the UAE in order to avoid problems with future visa applications.

Important! A visa becomes invalid for entry if you stay outside the UAE for more than 180 days, and in order to return back to the country, you must first cancel the invalid visa and then reapply for an entry permit. So, for instance, if you stayed in the country on a work visa and left without officially quitting your job, your employer has the right to claim that you are absconding and this could lead to legal issues upon reapplying.

Possible Changes to Your Residency Status

If you are a holder of an employment visa, for instance, the following options are possible:

• Switching a work visa from one company in the UAE to another. As a rule, employees do not have to decide this on their own, as this is handled by the PROs or HR departments of the companies.
• Switching to a family visa provided that you have a direct relative (husband, wife, adult child with an independent income) with a visa whose status is sufficient to sponsor your residency.
• Replacing an employment visa with an investor visa.
• Reissuance of a visa from an expired passport to a new one, with a change in the immigration file.

Possible reasons for visa refusal:

1. If the applicant previously left the country without canceling the original residency visa.
2. Violations of the law by the applicant, including criminal offenses, fraud or misconduct in the UAE.
3. Potentially dangerous diseases (HIV, hepatitis B or C, tuberculosis and others).
4. If you have previously applied for a tourist or work visa but never entered the country. In order to be approved for a new visa, you will need to have a travel agent or a sponsor (a potential employer) apply to the Immigration Department to have your previous visa within the UAE terminated.

Possible misprints of name, passport number or occupation code on the visa application form can lead to delays or refusal of the visa. This also applies to scanned copies of your passport – if they are unclear or blurred, your visa may be delayed or refused.

How we can help you

Visa services in the UAE require professional knowledge in order to successfully handle the entire procedure without any legal nuances. We have extensive experience in dealing with visa applications, and we are at your service any time.