Types of residence visa in UAE, rules of issuance in 2023

A Dubai residence visa has many benefits, including allowing you to legally reside in the UAE and open bank accounts in the Emirates. We have compiled a guide to the main types of residence visas in order to make it easier for you to choose the appropriate method of legalisation in the UAE. At the end of the article, we will explain how to apply for an e-Visa and how to check your visa status online.

UAE Residence Visa by Buying Property

If a foreigner buys a property in Dubai worth 750,000 dirhams (204,000 US dollars) or more, he will get the right to apply for a 2-year residence visa. If the property remains in the ownership of the investor, then the visa can be extended for the next 2 years an unlimited number of times.

UAE Golden Visa by Buying Property

A 10-year UAE Golden Visa can be issued for investments in real estate worth 2,000,000 dirhams (545,000 US dollars) or more. We have covered the detailed conditions of this programme in our UAE Golden Visa: benefits and price article.

UAE Retirement Visa by Buying Property

A special type of visa is available to investors over the age of 55. They can get a 5-year residence visa for the purchase of real estate in Dubai worth 1,000,000 dirhams (272,000 US dollars) or more.

UAE real estate 364 listings on Tranio

From $127,000

The Community: Investment apartments with 8% yield per annum in the center of the developing area — Motor City, Dubai, UAE

Yield 8.0% Completion in: 2025.IV

From $345,000

New residence ONE with a golf course and a spa center, Ras Al Khor Industrial Area, Dubai, UAE

Completion in: 2026.IV Total of 2700 apartments

From $651,000

Peninsula Four residential complex by Select Group, close to the water channel in the business district Business Bay, Dubai, UAE

Completion in: 2026.II Total of 500 apartments

UAE Residence Visa by Opening a Company

There are several different types of residence visas for entrepreneurs in the UAE.

Entrepreneurs who have registered a company in the UAE with an authorised capital of at least 2,000,000 dirhams (545,000 US dollars) are eligible to apply for a 10-year UAE Golden Visa.

A 5-year Golden Visa is issued to entrepreneurs upon launching an innovative project in the UAE on the condition that an independent auditor from the UAE estimates the value of the project at 500,000 dirhams (136,000 US dollars) or more. Additionally, letters of recommendation from the authorities of one of the emirates as well as from a business incubator in the UAE will also be required.

A 3-year residence visa can be issued to foreigners for either registering a company in a free zone or opening a mainland company. It should be noted that the minimum requirement for the authorised capital depends on the chosen free zone; some free zones do not have such requirements at all. You can learn more about this procedure in our Residence permit in UAE by entity incorporation article.

Tranio’s team in Dubai selects the most suitable method of legalisation in the UAE for each client. We provide services on a one-stop shop basis: from helping with paperwork to opening bank accounts and advising our clients on taxes.

Okonova Saglara Tranio’s manager

UAE Freelance and Self-Employment Visas

Freelancers and self-employed foreigners can qualify for a 5-year Green Residence visa. The main requirements for obtaining this visa are:

1. Having a freelance permit from the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
2. Having a bachelor’s degree.
3. Earning at least 360,000 dirhams (98,010 US dollars) per year for the past two years.

In addition, freelancers have another legalisation option in the UAE: obtaining a freelance licence in one of the free zones.

Read more about visas available for freelancers in our Freelance visa in Dubai article.

UAE Remote Working Visa

The programme allowing remote employees to live in the UAE is officially called the Virtual Working Programme. This type of residence visa can be obtained by foreigners with an income of 5,000 US dollars or more per month. It is issued for 1 year with the possibility of extension.

We have also covered the conditions for obtaining self-employment visas in our Freelance visa in Dubai article.

Who Issues Residence Visas?

The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) is responsible for issuing entry, tourist and residence visas in the UAE.

In Dubai, the authorised body for the issuance of residence visas is the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA).

In addition, you can apply for a residence visa in Dubai at any Amer centre. These centres are located throughout the city; one of them even operates around the clock. Amer centres have a mobile app for both Apple and Android. You can start filling out your visa application on the app and then make an appointment to submit documents in person at a convenient time.

How to Apply for an e-Visa

The UAE residence visa is a plastic Emirates ID card with a chip, which stores the cardholder’s data as well as an individual 15-digit resident number.

While you are waiting for the physical card to be issued, you can get its electronic version online:

1. Download the ICA UAE Smart app from the Play Store or App Store.
2. Register and create your account: enter your Emirates ID number, passport number and its expiration date, as well as a valid email address.
3. You will then receive an email to verify your account.
4. Next, you need to go to the Emirates ID app section, where you will find a QR code that will allow you to create an Emirates ID e-card and add it to Wallet or a similar app on your phone.

How to Check Visa Status Online

In order to track the status of your visa application, you need an application number and reference number. Therefore, when applying for a visa, it is better to ask for these numbers right away so that you can track the status of the visa yourself.

If you applied for a visa in Dubai, you can check your application’s status on the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) website or the DubaiNow app.

When applying for a visa in other emirates, the status can be checked on the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) website.

If you already have a residence visa and want to check its validity period, this can also be done online on one of these agencies’ websites.

UAE Residence Visas Comparison

Anastasia Nikitina All articles by this author