UAE new visa rules: What to expect?

Beginning on Monday (September 5), a new set of laws governing how people work and live in the UAE will be enforced. The new visa law is one of the most significant changes to the country's immigration policy in years, and the Cabinet approved it in April. The headline changes include:
  • Extended tourist visas
  • Long-term residency for sought-after professionals
  • Easy access to the 10-year Golden Visa scheme
How do these changes affect you? Golden Visa services have a dedicated portal on the federal immigration website. No costs have yet been released, but some require a deposit of between Dh1,500 and Dh2,000. The Cabinet approved the "executive regulations" of the Federal Decree-Law on Entry and Residence of Foreigners. The approval paved the way for introducing new visas and gave official permission to visa programs that were already in place, like the Golden Visa residency system. New elements include a 60-day entry visa for many tourists and allowing parents to continue sponsoring disabled children when they reach adulthood. Golden Visa The UAE government has prioritized attracting more skilled professionals, those with medicine and science backgrounds, and the brightest students and tech-savvy minds to live in the Emirates. Wealthy investors, entrepreneurs, and company owners are some of the professionals that the country hopes to attract. The government is rooting for them to plant permanent roots, buy property, and stay in the country permanently. The range of visa types may benefit many residents and people planning to make the country home. Multiple visa categories, such as the recently authorized Golden Visas, are directed at groups beginning in late 2020. Dubai alone issued 44,000 visas in the first year. Green Visa Green visas fall into the middle class and are granted to skilled workers, freelancers, and the self-employed. Green visas give the holder five years of residency. Candidates must have a monthly income of Dh15,000 and a bachelor's degree in science, law, education, culture, or the social sciences, among others. Freelancers licensed for two or three years may find this option appealing, but the associated costs have not yet been determined. A green visa holder can sponsor relatives for residency for five years. Previously, this was typically allowed for two years. Jobseekers Low-income and low-skilled workers have no particular pathway to obtain visas. However, those hoping to relocate to the Emirates for work or family ties may benefit from jobseeker or five-year multi-entry visas. People from countries like India, Pakistan, the Philippines, and Bangladesh, where a visa must be purchased before a flight, may benefit the most from this. Officials did not say how long a jobseeker visa is valid but previously said six months before the pandemic. It is primarily aimed at "young talent and skilled professionals." Recent graduates from the world's top 500 universities are included in this category. Family Sponsorship Authorities extended the age at which parents could sponsor their sons from 18 to 25 last year. The decision in April appears to affirm that and to add new provisions, allowing parents with a disabled children to sponsor them into adulthood. Unmarried daughters of any age may also continue to receive parental sponsorship. By attracting more bright minds to the Emirates, the government hopes to expand the country's "knowledge economy." BKM/ Expat Media
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