Dubai Residence

Dubai is one of the most connected cities on a global scale, making it an ideal place to set up residence. Not only is it known as the “gateway to the world,” the emirate is the fourth most-visited city on the planet and enjoys a well-deserved reputation for luxury and quality.

Residents enjoy a high standard of living complemented by year-round sunshine, a seasonally dry climate, beautifully maintained public spaces and a beachfront lifestyle.

Aside from UAE and GCC national citizens, all other nationalities must obtain a UAE residence visa to live and work in Dubai and other emirates legally.

Dubai residency options span several visa types, such as employment, investor, governmental and sponsor.

Dubai residence

Obtaining a Dubai residence visa depends on specific criteria and the Department of Naturalisation and Residency of Dubai (DNRD) oversees this process in Dubai. The other emirates in the UAE have similar entities that manage this process. 

The authorities assess eligibility through several factors, such as contractual employment with a UAE-based company, property ownership and shareholdings in UAE-based companies.

A residence visa is essential for all expatriates looking to launch a business in the UAE and for their employees. The process includes a mandatory medical exam.

Visas are valid for two to three years, which you can extend for longer, and you will receive a labour card. You need a residence visa to obtain a driving licence, register a car, apply for a PO Box, buy a property and open a bank account in the UAE.

Residents must also apply for an Emirates ID card, which has the same validity period as the visa and is a mandated form of identification for various UAE government and immigration activities.

The steps to get your UAE residency visa are:

  • Apply for the Employment Entry Permit either while the applicant is in or out of the UAE

  • Once the Entry Permit is approved and issued, the applicant is required to do the medical test and apply for his/her Emirates ID.

  • Once the applicant clears the medical examination, you must submit the original documents along with the original passport to the Immigration Department, where they will verify the documents and stamp the residency visa in the passport.

Some of the additional administrative support services we provide include:

  • Visas for dependents

  • Residency visa renewals

  • Residency visa cancellations

  • Trade licence renewals

  • Licence amendments

  • Setting up company PO boxes and renewals

  • Document notarization and attestation

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