How to apply for a residence permit in Dubai, UAE

About 90 per cent of people living in the United Arab Emirates are foreigners. Each of them moved to the Emirates for a number of reasons - comfortable lifestyle, safe environment, accelerated process of obtaining visas and business registration, quality medical and educational services and others.

A residence permit enables long-term residence in the region and enjoyment of all its benefits. Visitors can obtain it for a period from 1 to 10 years, depending on the chosen basis for legalisation. Let us look at the main ones.

1. Employment

Any foreigner over 18 years of age is allowed to work in the UAE, provided that he meets the criteria set by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE). This requires finding a suitable vacancy, going through an interview and signing a labour contract. The issuance of the visa and entry permit for the medical examination is the responsibility of the employer. It is issued for 2 years and renewed by employers as long as your contract is valid.

2. Opening a business

The second option - registration of a company on the territory of the main land or in the freezone will allow you to issue a residence permit for 2 years. In this case, you will have to choose a location, rent the necessary premises, obtain a licence and approvals depending on the type of activity. Only after these steps can you proceed with the visa application and account opening. Each stage can be fraught with various difficulties associated with the peculiarities of local legislation. Therefore, we advise you to contact Openbiz specialists for advice and assistance at each stage.

3. Moving with the family

If one of the family members has already obtained a residence permit, he can sponsor his relatives and open visas for them. However, a number of requirements regarding the sponsor's salary and housing conditions must be met. Persons eligible for a UAE family visa are the spouse, spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under the age of 18 and the applicant's parents.

4. Study

Entry to one of the UAE educational institutions requires a student visa. It is granted to persons from 18 years of age for one year with the possibility of further extension. However, outstanding school and university graduates who have achieved at least 95% and 3.75 grade point average respectively for their studies can use a 5-year visa for further studies.

5. Freelancing or remote work

A freelancer visa allows you to legally live and work in the country as an entrepreneur without occupying an office space. To get the right to work as a freelancer, you need to choose an activity and get a licence in one of the free economic zones. Each of them has a certain focus, which gives you the opportunity to choose a FEZ for the specifics of your specialisation.

If you have a remote job that allows you to operate from anywhere in the world, it is possible to obtain a digital nomad visa, subject to several conditions: from the presence of an employment contract to a certain level of salary and insurance.

6. Retirement age

Persons over 55 years of age can also apply for residency if some requirement is met: a regular income of AED 20,000 per month, making a deposit in a bank with a certain amount, buying a property without a loan.

A visa may be refused for several reasons:

presence of certain serious illnesses;
suspicion of criminal connections and intentions;
provision of erroneous or false data.

A variety of options for obtaining a residence permit in Dubai allows you to choose the most suitable basis for any purpose and budget. Openbiz specialists will help you to understand the visa application process. Sign up for a free consultation and find out how to get a residence permit in Dubai, UAE.

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