Picture for illustrative purposes only. ARCHIVE

It is now exactly one year since the UAE launched three new visas to make it easier for foreigners to visit or live in the country without a guarantor or host. The golden visa, green visa and jobseeker’s visa came into effect last October 3, 2022 as part of the UAE’s updated visa system. The green and golden visas also provide advantages for the residence of family members, including allowing expats to easily bring in family members, such as wife and children up to the age of 25, including unmarried female children, and children with special needs, regardless of their age. The updated system of entry visas also provides flexible and extendable visit periods of up to one year, and without the requirement of a guarantor or host in the country with the aim of facilitating procedures and requirements, which gives the opportunity for visitors and job seekers to achieve their ambitions in the UAE and enjoy a safe and stable life. Here’s a review of the visa types:

UAE Green Visa

The green visa is a residency visa that is valid for five years without the need for a guarantor. The visa is available to skilled workers, self-employed and investors or partners in a business activity. The visa replaces the investor’s previous residency of two years. Holders of green visa can bring their family members into the UAE, as well as relatives from first degree, and allows them to stay in the UAE within a grace periods of up to six months in the event that the visa is cancelled. How to apply Applications for green visas may be submitted by the policies of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP) at icp.gov.ae.

UAE Jobseeker’s Visa

The jobseeker’s visa allows visitors to explore job opportunities or even business opportunities in the UAE without a guarantor or host. The jobseekers visa is valid for 60 days and is a multi-entry visa, allowing visa holders to enter the UAE multiple times during this period. Fresh college graduates can apply for this visa if they graduated from one of the best 500 universities in the world, with minimum educational levels of a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent. Applicants must also be classified in the first or second or third skill level as per the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. This includes managers, artists, technicians, professional assistants, secretaries, customer service agents and more. How to apply Go to the ICP website, select Services and then eChannels Residency & Citizenship in the drop-down menu and fill in the necessary fields.

UAE Golden Visa

The golden visa has the longest validity among the UAE's residence visa types. It is valid for 10 years without the need for a sponsor or host. It is available to scholars, specialists, top students and graduates, frontline heroes as well as creative talents and real estate investors. The UAE Golden Visa allows foreign nationals to live, work or study in the country without a local sponsor. The visa will remain valid even if the holder stays outside the UAE for more than six months, whereas a regular residence visa becomes automatically void if the holder stays outside the country for more than six months. Golden Visa holders can sponsor their family members, regardless of their age, and an unlimited number of household workers. The original visa holder’s family members are also allowed to stay in the UAE until the end of their permit validity, in the event of the death of the original holder of the Golden Visa. How to apply In Dubai, applicants can register through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs app, website, or any approved typing centre. Applicants from other emirates can apply through the ICP or ICP-approved typing centre. ICA/Expat Media
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