Many foreigners are seeking to obtain a UAE residence permit today. There is a highly developed infrastructure and ample business opportunities. In addition, the UAE authorities have provided the most comfortable conditions for moving — permission can be obtained under simplified rules.
Benefits of UAE residence permit
There is no such thing as a «residence permit in the Arab Emirates». Here you need to apply for a resident visa to enter and stay. It is similar in form to a residence permit, which is obtained for staying in other countries and gives the following opportunities to the owner:
- free residence in the UAE for a period of six months to ten years;
- economic and legislative protection, as for local citizens;
- permission to come to the Emirates at any time, but taking into account that the period of absence in the country should not exceed 180 days;
- free movement in the neighboring countries of the Persian Gulf;
- purchase of real estate in Dubai or another city of the Emirates and its registration in your own name;
- spouse’s and children’s stay in the country without additional permits, if the applicant’s income is at least 10,000 dirhams ($2,723);
- opening an account in the Bank of the Emirates.
Also, businessmen will be able to significantly save on tax payments, because the tax on most types of activities here is 0%.
Options of residence permit in the UAE
A visa to the UAE is issued for a different period, and it depends on the basis of obtaining a permit:
- for 10 years. Such a long-term resident visa in the Emirates is issued to highly qualified specialists: doctors of sciences, programmers, engineers, creators of IT technologies. Talented graduates of secondary schools and universities with high grades for exams can also get permission.
In addition, a long-term residence permit is issued to large investors. These include entrepreneurs who have invested in the economy of the state in the amount of 10,000,000 dirhams (approximately 2,722,496 dollars). Investment options: purchase real estate in the UAE, open your own company or partner with a local enterprise.
- for 5 years. This permission is granted to investors who were able to buy real estate in the UAE in the amount of 5,000,000 dirhams (about 1,361,248 dollars). At the same time, the money for the purchase of the object should not be taken on credit.
- for 3 years. The most popular type of residence permit in the UAE. To get it, you need to purchase real estate in the Emirates worth 1,000,000 dirhams ($272,249) and above. Also, the applicant must have an income of 10,000 dirhams ($2,723) per month. The holder of a 3-year visa must leave the country every 6 months.
- for 2 years. For such a period, a visa is mainly issued to work in the UAE. For its registration, an employment contract with a company officially registered and operating in the Emirates is required. Work visas can also be issued for a longer period.
- for 1 year. A resident study visa to the United Arab Emirates is issued for a year for foreign students. It is subject to renewal annually if the applicant provides confirmation from the educational institution of continuing education.
- for six months. A resident visa in the UAE, unlike a guest visa, which can also be issued for 6 months, makes it possible to repeatedly enter the country during this period.
How to get a residence permit in the Emirates
Buy a property worth from 1,000,000 dirhams ($272,249)
When investing in UAE real estate, you can get a 3-year visa. The purchased object must be put into operation (in the completed construction stage). It can be of commercial or residential type.
If you get a visa for investing in real estate in the Emirates, you will be able to live in the country, open an account with a local bank. But you are not allowed to be officially employed.
To purchase an object, you can take a mortgage, but then you will need an initial payment of at least 50% of the cost. It is allowed to invest in several objects at once, and then their total cost is taken into account. You can buy a house in the Emirates and rent it out, getting a stable passive income.
Open an onshore company or invest in a local enterprise
Most foreigners apply for a visa through business investment in the UAE. In this case, you can get a permit to stay in the country for 3 years with the possibility of extension.
The company must be onshore (located in the «free zone»), its registration will need to be renewed annually. Also, the company must have a rented or own office in the Emirates.
Advantages of opening a company in the UAE: no taxation on most types of activities, comfortable service in local banks.
Officially get a job or enroll in an educational institution in the UAE
To enter a university in the Emirates, you need to be fluent in English and get high results in the IELTS or TOEFL exams. In many universities, you can start studying only after full annual payment. And an important point: under the conditions of granting a visa, students do not have the right to officially find a job in the territory of the Emirates.
A work visa in the UAE can only be obtained by specialists who have confirmed their qualifications. Permission to enter and reside in the country is issued at the request of a company officially registered in the Emirates. After obtaining a visa, the applicant can only work in this company.
UAE Residence Permit Requirements
To obtain a resident visa, a package of documents is required, which is selected depending on the basis of obtaining a permit. Basically, the kit consists of:
- passport;
- visa application form;
- 3 color photos 3×4;
- evidence of the grounds for obtaining a permit (owner’s certificate for housing, business purchase agreement, income statement, employment contract, etc.);
- receipt for payment of the consular fee;
- marriage certificates or documents for the child.
Copies of the listed documents, as well as their translations into English or Arabic, must be notarized.
It will take 3-4 weeks to get a resident visa in the UAE. The process consists of the following steps:
- Get a migration card (Establishment card).
- Submit a package of documents to the ICA Federal Authority for Identity & Citizenship or to the General Directorate of Residency & Foreigners Affairs. This can be done on the official websites of organizations or through their mobile applications.
- Get Entry Permit.
- Come to the Emirates and pick up a resident visa. Usually, the process of approving documents and obtaining a permit takes no more than 5 working days.
- Get a resident ID card ( ID Emirates).
A visa may not be issued if there are violations in the registration and list of documents. To obtain a residence permit on the basis of employment, the applicant undergoes a medical examination. And if diseases such as HIV, hepatitis B and C are detected, they will not be given a visa. Other reasons for refusal: criminal past or problems with credit history. In other cases, there will be no problems with obtaining a resident visa.