Are you planning to live in Dubai? Here is the walkthrough for all visa options available there

Dubai: Are you looking to move to Dubai? Or Are you looking for a new residency option there? Recently Dubai government has introduced several Visa options for people who are interested to live in Dubai. In this, they include visas for several people including students, entrepreneurs, working professionals, or retirees. So you can go through and find the perfect fit for you.

The different visas available are: 

• Virtual Working Programme
• Retirement visa
• Golden visa

Virtual Working program:

This says that even if you have your office outside Dubai you can still get the visa to live in Dubai and continue working remotely from there.

Who can apply for this visa option?

The people who work outside the UAE or are entrepreneurs, who wanted to live in Dubai and also fit in all the eligibility criteria. And once the application for a virtual working visa is approved by the authorities you can bring your family along.

Duration:

This is valid for one year and then you can renew it by reapplying for the same.

How to apply:

The person applying for this visa needs to submit all the following documents:

1. Passport copy, where the passport is valid for at least six months
2. Health insurance with UAE coverage
3. Proof of Employment from a current employer with one year contract and also with a salary of US$5,000 (Dh18,365) monthly salary, last month’s payslip, and three preceding months’ bank statements.
4. For entrepreneurs: you must have proof of ownership for that firm for one or more years, and also with an average income of about US$5,000 (Dh18,365) and last three months’ bank statements.

You can email these documents to workvirtual@dubaitourism.ae.

And once all the documents are received by the authority then they will contact the concerned person for further processes.

Cost:

$287 (Dh1,054) per person, along with medical insurance and processing fees.

Retirement Visa:

This five-year renewable visa is available to those above 55 years of age and also those who meet the eligibility criteria. The visa covers all of you, your spouse, and your children.

Who can apply for this visa?

1. This visa requires a minimum age of at least 55 years of age.
2. One must have valid medical insurance covering the UAE.
3. Financial capacity:

• Property Value: One must own a property in the country that is not mortgaged and is worth no less than Dh2 million OR
• Cash Savings: To have a bank deposit in the UAE of no less than Dh1 million OR
• Minimum income: One can provide the proof that they have or had the income of not less than Dh20,000 or of an equivalent other currency OR
• Combination of property and saving: The sum of their bank deposit and market price of the property value is no less than Dh2 million.

Documents required:

Stating in the email about which option you are going to apply for the visa you must provide the documents accordingly like:

For the Property value- you can attach the document stating the property title deed.

For the income value- then you can attach a letter from the bank stating the value of the deposit.

For the minimum income- a bank statement for the last six months and the evidence for the source of income is a must.

For both property value and savings:  then a combination of proofs mentioned above to a minimum sum of Dh2 million is needed.

How to apply?

You can email your application and documents to RetireInDubai@dubaitourism.ae along with these documents:

1. Passport copy of applicant, spouse, and children (if applicable)
2. Marriage certificate copy (if sponsoring the spouse)
3. A current copy of the visa (If the applicant is a resident of UAE)
4. Copy of Emirates IDs of the applicant (if the applicant is a current resident in UAE)
5.  Eligibility evidence copy (as explained above).
6. Copy of a valid Health insurance policy covering UAE (policies for spouse and children if applicable)
7. Current home address (Building number, street number, area, city, country)
8. Mobile number and email address on which you wish to be contacted.

This application once received by the authority then the application will be forwarded to the Dubai Naturalisation and Residency Department (DNRD) for processing.

The one applying for the visa can expect to receive a confirmation within three days.

Golden-visa

If you are planning for long-term residency in Dubai then this is the visa you can apply for. This new visa enables foreigners to live, work or study in the UAE without the need of a national sponsor and with 100 percent ownership of their business on the UAE’s mainland. The duration for this visa is about 5 or 10 years and this will be reviewed automatically.

Cabinet Resolution No. 56 of 2018 Regarding the Organisation of Residence Permits for Investors, Entrepreneurs, and Professional Talent regulates granting golden visas to:

1. Entrepreneurs
2. Investors
3. Researchers in various fields of science and knowledge
4. Bright students with promising scientific capabilities

How to apply for the 10-year visa:

1. Investors in public investments of at least Dh10 million-  investments can be of various forms like:

• A deposit of a minimum of Dh10 million in an investment fund inside the country.
• Establishing a company in the UAE with an investment of a minimum of Dh10 million.
• One can be a partner with the existing company with a share value of not less than Dh10 million.

Conditions:

1. The amount invested must not be a loan.
2. The investment should be retained for at least three years.
3. There should be financial solvency (the ability of a person, business, or organization to pay their debts and have the cash to pay for future needs) up to Dh10 million.

The visa can be extended to the partner also only on the basis that both the partners contribute Dh10 million.

The long-term visa can include the spouse and children, as well as one executive director and one advisor.

      2. People with special talents

This includes specialized talents and researchers in science and knowledge like doctors, scientists, specialists, inventors, and also creative individuals in the field of culture and arts. The visa can cover spouses and children as well. 

Conditions

For this visa one must fulfill the following conditions:

1. For the scientists, they must be accredited by the Emirates Scientists Council or holders of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Excellence.
2. In regards to the creative individuals in culture and art, they must be accredited by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development.
3. Inventors must obtain a patent of value, which adds to the UAE’s economy. Patents must be approved by the Ministry of Economy.
4. Exceptional talents must be documented by patents or scientific research published in a world-class journal.
5. Executives here must be owners of leading and internationally recognized companies or holders of high academic achievement and positions.

Now talking about the doctors and specialists they must meet at least two of these conditions:

1. A Ph. D. degree from one of the top 500 universities in the world.
2. contribution to major scientific research in the respective field of work
3. an award or certificates of appreciation in the field of the applicant’s work
4. He/she has published articles or scientific research in their respective field of work.
5. He/she could be a member of an organization in relation to their field.
6. a Ph. D. degree, in addition to 10-year professional experience in their field
7. specialization in areas of priority to the UAE.

Five-year visa:

1. Investors in a property in the UAE

• The investor must invest in the property of a total value of a minimum of Dh5 million.
• The investment must not be on loan.
• The property must be retained for a minimum of three years.

1. Entrepreneurs

In this category, we have people who have the existing project with at least Dh500,000 of capital, or those who have the approval of an accredited business incubator in the country.

The entrepreneur is allowed a multi-entry visa for six months, renewable for another six months. The long-term visa covers the spouse and children, a partner, and three executives.

3. Outstanding Students

This covers:

1. The brilliant students with a minimum of 95 percent grades from any public or public primary secondary schools.
2. university students within and outside the country having a distinction GPA of at least 3.75 upon graduation.

The long-term visas include the families of the outstanding students

The most recent declaration made by UAE authorities was on Sunday, January 24, 2021, during a UAE Cabinet meeting. His Highness Sheik Mohammed receptacle Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister, and Ruler of Dubai uncovered that the council of ministers had approved new changes to the visa and residency rules where ex-pat students will be able to bring and sponsor their families if they are financially capable.