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UAE visas and immigration services
Residence visas, entry permits, family sponsorship, renewals, cancellations and the company establishment card. My Eloah Business Hub sets out the route, the steps and the government fees before you apply.
- Employee, investor, family and freelance routes
- Dubai (GDRFA) and federal (ICP) applications
- Government fees shown before you pay
Find your visa route
Who is the visa for?
The company sponsors the employee. A Mainland company needs a Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) work permit first. A Freezone company gets its labour permit from the Freezone authority.
- Validity
- 2 years, renewable (private sector, Dubai)
- Work entry visa
- AED 200 base fee in Dubai
- After entry
- 60 days to complete residence
General guidance from the published GDRFA Dubai and ICP service rules. Fees are government base fees, extras apply, and the authorities revise them from time to time.
UAE residence visas, in brief.
A UAE residence visa lets a foreign national live in the country under a sponsor: an employer, a family member, their own company or, on some routes, themselves. Dubai applications go through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). The other six emirates use the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP).
Employers, investors, families and freelancers all need one. My Eloah Business Hub checks which route fits, lists the documents and government fees, and takes the application through each step with you.
- Authorities
- GDRFA in Dubai, ICP in the other six emirates
- Entry permit
- 60 days from entry to complete residence
- Employee visa
- 2 years, renewable (private sector, Dubai)
- Overstay fine
- AED 50 per day after the grace period
The main routes and who each is for.
Each route has its own sponsor and its own main condition. These are the ones business owners and their families use most.
| Route | Who it is for | Main condition |
|---|---|---|
| Employment residence | Staff of a Mainland or Freezone company | Company holds an establishment card. Mainland staff need a MOHRE work permit. |
| Green residence, skilled worker | Senior employees | MOHRE work permit, skill level 1, 2 or 3, bachelor's degree, salary of at least AED 15,000 a month |
| Green residence, investor or partner | Company owners | Paid share of at least AED 1,000,000 |
| Green residence, self-employed | Freelancers | MOHRE freelance permit and income of AED 360,000 a year for two years, or proof of financial solvency |
| Family residence | Spouse and children of a resident | Salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus housing. Partners need a share of at least AED 48,000. |
| Humanitarian cases | Parents and in-laws | Salary of at least AED 10,000, attested tenancy contract and 3-month bank statement |
| Virtual work residence | Remote workers employed outside the UAE | Monthly income of at least USD 3,500 and health insurance |
| Property owner residence | Owners of completed property | Fully owned or financed by a UAE bank. Income of at least AED 10,000 a month at issuance in Dubai. |
Conditions are those published by GDRFA Dubai. Golden residency has its own rules and is covered on our golden visa page.
What the authorities charge.
These are published government base fees for the most common services. Dubai files follow the GDRFA column. Files in the other emirates follow the ICP column.
| Service | GDRFA Dubai | ICP (federal) |
|---|---|---|
| Work entry permit | AED 200 | About AED 300, plus a guarantee if one applies |
| Change of status inside the UAE | AED 500, plus AED 15 (individual) or AED 50 (establishment) | AED 500 |
| Residence permit, issue or renew | AED 200 base. About AED 740 if applying inside the country with delivery. | AED 100 application + AED 100 per year + AED 100 smart services. AED 400 for 2 years. |
| Emirates ID for a resident | Issued by ICP | AED 100 per year of residence + AED 100 smart services. AED 300 for 2 years. |
| Residence permit cancellation | AED 100 | AED 50 application + AED 100 smart services. Exceptional cancellation AED 100. |
| Entry permit cancellation | AED 50 | AED 50 + AED 100 smart services, before entry only |
| Visit visa extension | AED 600 plus VAT, plus AED 500 if inside the country | AED 100 application + AED 500 extension |
| Establishment card, issue | AED 200 plus VAT and add-ons. About AED 280 online. | AED 100 application + AED 100 per year + AED 100 smart services + AED 2,000 system subscription |
| Establishment card, renew | AED 200 plus VAT and add-ons. About AED 280 online. | AED 100 application + AED 100 per year + AED 100 smart services + AED 1,000 subscription renewal |
Dubai base fees usually carry extras: 5% VAT on most base fees, AED 10 knowledge fee, AED 10 innovation fee, AED 20 delivery on residence permits, AED 100 for urgent processing and AED 100 if filed at an Amer centre. A Dubai residence longer than two years adds AED 100 per extra year. Medical fitness and health insurance are separate. The authorities revise fees, so we confirm the current total before you pay.
Before a company can sponsor anyone.
A company needs its own immigration file before it can apply for a single visa.
Establishment card
The establishment card, also called the immigration card, records the trade name, licence number, partners and activity. A company can sponsor staff once it is issued.
MOHRE work permit
A Mainland company gets a work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) before the entry permit is issued.
Freezone labour permit
A Freezone company gets its labour permit from the Freezone authority. Outside Dubai, the establishment card application also goes through the Freezone authority.
Overstay fines and grace periods.
Most immigration costs that surprise people come from a missed date. These are the ones to watch.
Overstay fine
The fine is AED 50 for each day of overstay after an entry permit, residence permit or exit permit expires or is cancelled. It starts the day after the grace period ends.
Grace period after expiry
Golden, Green and Blue residence holders and their families get 180 days. Skilled workers at levels 1 to 3 and property owners get 90. Permits issued with a guarantor or host get 60. Other categories get 30.
Cancelling a visa
For a private-sector employee, cancel the MOHRE work permit first, then the residence. Family permits under a foreign worker are cancelled before the sponsor's own.
Paperwork that runs out
A medical fitness result must be under 3 months old. An Emirates ID application is valid for up to 120 days. In Dubai, missing documents must be added within 30 days or the application is dropped.
What to have ready.
The exact list depends on the route. These items come up on almost every residence application.
Six steps to a residence visa.
The order matters, because each step depends on the one before it.
Start on WhatsApp →Open the sponsor's file
A company gets its establishment card, and a resident sponsoring family opens a sponsor file.
Get the work permit
For Mainland employees, MOHRE approves the work permit before the entry permit is issued.
Entry permit or status change
The person enters on the entry permit and has 60 days to complete residence, or pays the AED 500 status change fee if already in the UAE.
Medical fitness test
Anyone over 18 takes the medical fitness test at an approved centre.
Emirates ID application and biometrics
The Emirates ID application is filed with the residence, and anyone aged 15 or over gives fingerprints and a signature at an ICP centre.
Residence permit and Emirates ID
The residence permit is issued and linked to the Emirates ID, which is then delivered by courier.
UAE visas and immigration, answered.
Ask anything else on WhatsApp and we will answer for your company.
How long does a UAE residence visa take?
GDRFA Dubai usually turns most services around in 48 hours once the documents are complete, and ICP usually takes 2 days. Emirates ID services usually take 5 days. Each step is processed separately, so the full process takes longer than any single step.
How much does a UAE residence visa cost in government fees?
In Dubai the residence permit base fee is AED 200, or about AED 740 if you apply inside the country with delivery. Under ICP a 2-year residence permit is AED 400 and the Emirates ID is AED 300. The entry permit, status change, medical test and insurance are extra.
What is the overstay fine in the UAE?
The fine is AED 50 per day. It applies after an entry permit, residence permit or exit permit expires or is cancelled, counted from the day after the grace period ends.
How long can I stay after my residence visa is cancelled?
It depends on your category. The grace period is 180 days for Golden, Green and Blue residence holders, 90 days for skilled workers at levels 1 to 3 and property owners, 60 days for permits issued with a guarantor or host, and 30 days for other categories.
What salary do I need to sponsor my family in the UAE?
You need a salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus housing, to sponsor a spouse and children. To sponsor parents in Dubai you need a salary of at least AED 10,000.
Can I change from a visit visa to a residence visa without leaving the UAE?
Yes, through a change of status. The fee is AED 500 and a new entry permit must already be issued.
How do I cancel an employee's residence visa?
Cancel the MOHRE work permit first, then the residence permit. The Dubai cancellation fee is AED 100, and you need the sponsor's passport, the employee's passport and the MOHRE work permit cancellation extract.
What is an establishment card?
It is the company's immigration file, also called the immigration card. It records the trade name, licence number, partners and activity, and a company needs one before it can sponsor employees. In Dubai, issue or renewal comes to about AED 280 online.
Tell us who the visa is for and we will map the route.
Send your trade licence or passport copy on WhatsApp and we will reply with the steps, the documents and the government fees for your case.