UAE Visa: Requirements, Types, Procedure, and Tips

A UAE visa is an official legal document. It allows foreigners to enter, stay, and work in the United Arab Emirates. The UAE ranks among the top ten destinations worldwide. It is mainly due to its economic opportunities, standard lifestyle, and business-friendly policies.  The UAE was ranked 9th position in the list of top destinations by the Mastercard Economics Institute.

The UAE offers several visa types to immigrants. A tourist visa allows short-term visits for tourism purposes, ranging from 30 to 90 days. For instance, a work visa is for employment purposes. However, residency visas provide long-term stay options for employees, investors, and family members. Their duration ranges from two to ten years. At the same time, there is a golden visa that helps investors, entrepreneurs, and other skilled professionals.

The application process for a UAE visa involves several steps, such as the visa application and document submission. They also need to pay application fees, which vary by visa type. Moreover, applicants have to pass different medical tests. The processing time depends on the visa category, ranging from a few days for tourist visas to several weeks for golden visas. The applicants can track their visas through the tracking application on the official portals.

Visa applications can be rejected for different reasons. These include incomplete forms, criminal records, previous immigration violations, etc. However, the applicants have the option to challenge it by fixing the problems and providing the necessary documents if they face rejection. That’s why it is recommended to take professional visa consultancy services. They will help understand these complexities and ensure compliance with UAE immigration regulations.

What are the Visa Types in UAE?

The UAE is one of the top five countries in which people from all over the world want to go, as per reports of Business Insider. The UAE offers several types of visas for this purpose, such as the following: 

• UAE Tourist Visa 
• UAE Work Visa 
• UAE Residency Visa 
• UAE Golden Visa 

UAE Tourist Visa 

The UAE tourist visa is a self-sponsored visa in which people come to the UAE for visit and tourism purposes. This visa allows them to stay for 30 to 90 days. Moreover, they can get both single and multiple-entry tourist visas, as mentioned on the Official Portal of the UAE government. 

UAE Work Visa

The UAE work visa allows immigrants to work in the UAE if they have the sponsorship of a UAE-based employer. This work permit is applicable in both the government and private sectors. The standard work permit is for 2 years, but it can be extended depending on the job contract, according to the United Arab Emirates’ Government Portal. 

UAE Residency Visa 

The UAE residency visa allows immigrants of tourists and work visas to reside in the UAE. The short-term residence visa provides a residency permit for 2 to 3 years. However, a long-term UAE residence visa allows people to reside for up to 10 years. This permit is for employees, businessmen, family members, and investors, as mentioned in Abu Dhabi Residence Office. 

UAE Golden Visa 

The UAE golden visa provides a permit of 5 to 10 years to reside and work in the UAE. This is a self-sponsor visa in which investors, entrepreneurs, specialized talents, researchers, and students are allowed. The UAE golden visa holders are allowed to sponsor their families as reported in the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security. 

What are the Requirements for a UAE Visa?

The UAE visa involves several steps, such as the following: 

• Application Submission 
• Document Submission 
• Visa Application Fee Payment 
• Medical Test Certificate Submission 

In terms of documents, the UAE visa requires the following: 

• Passport with at least 6 months validity 
• Application form 
• Photographs 
• Financial documents 
• Invitation letter or Employment Contract

At the same time, every visa type requires a different application fee. 

• The estimated range of application fees for tourist visas is AED 200 to AED 600. 
• The estimated application fees for work visas range from AED 2000 to AED 7000. 
• The application fees for residency visas can cost AED 1500 to AED 3000.
• In the case of a 5 to 10-year golden visa, it costs AED 4,000 to AED 6,000. 

Every 18+ expatriate needs to pass the medical examination from an authorized health center. These tests ensure that the person is away from all communicable diseases before entering the UAE. The communicable diseases include HIV or AIDS, Pulmonary Tuberculosis, Leprosy, Hepatitis B, and Hepatitis C, as mentioned in the Emirates Health Services. 

How Long Does the UAE Visa Process Take?

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, & Port Security and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) manage the visa processes, applications, and issuances. Every visa type takes a different time for its process, such as the following: 

• The tourist visa application takes a processing time of 3 to 4 working days. 
• In the case of a work visa, the application can take 7 to 10 working days for processing. 
• The residency visa also takes 7 to 10 days to process as per reports of Europe Emirates group. 
• The UAE golden visa takes a few weeks to a month. 

UAE Visa Application Process

The UAE application process varies for each visa type. It also depends upon the conditions of the applicants. First of all, you need to identify the purpose of visiting the UAE. After selecting the purpose, you can follow the steps given below: 

1. Select the type of visa, such as tourist, work, and residency, which can fulfill your purpose. 
2. Gather the documents regarding the visa application. You can get help from the travel agency or visit the respective website for this purpose. 
3. Find the visa authority for your destination, the Emirates, and apply through their website. Submit all the compulsory documents in their required format. 
4. After this, you have to pay all the application fees and then wait for the authorities to process your application. 
5. When you have received your visa, you need to undergo the medical tests and apply for the Emirates ID. Moreover, you need to get a residence permit according to your visa type. 

UAE Visa Application Tracking

The UAE offers this opportunity to track the visa at every step. You can do this with the help of your application and reference numbers. The visa provider authorities in each emirate provide these numbers to each visa applicant. Using these numbers, you can track the visa application in the following ways: 

1. In Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah

• You have to open the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) official website.
• Go to the Public Services section on the ICP website. 
• Click on the Track Application Status option. 
• Put the required information, such as the Application number and transaction number. 
• You may need to verify the CAPTCHA code. 
• Then, click on the submit button, and the visa status will be displayed. 

2. In Dubai

• You need to visit the official website of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA).
• The homepage of the GDRFA website has a services section. Clicking this section will open a “Track Visa Application” section. 
• Fill out the sections with the application number and reference number. You may need to include your passport number and nationality if required. 
• A CAPTCHA code will appear, you need to verify it. Then click on the submit button. 

The current status of your visa application will be displayed. 

UAE Visa Rejection

The UAE immigration authorities, such as the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Support (ICT) and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA) deal with visa approvals and rejections. They reject visa applications for several reasons, such as the following: 

• Most people make mistakes while filling out the application form. They put incorrect information or keep the application form incomplete. 
• When the applicant has a criminal record, especially in the UAE, there are very high chance that the respective authority will reject the visa. 
• The applicants who have violated the immigration rules and regulations during their previous stays in the UAE will also face rejections. In some cases, their visa will be blacklisted.  
• The UAE immigration authorities also reject the visa applications of unskilled workers. 

You can appeal for the visa rejection by following the steps given below: 

1. First of all, figure out the exact reasons behind the visa rejection. You can read the rejection notice or contact the respective authorities for this purpose. 
2. You have to rectify the main reason behind this by fulfilling the documents, verifying the employment or skills, making the right bank statement, or removing the criminal records by character certificate.  
3. Now, you need to write a visa appeal letter, with all the respective documents and proofs dealing with the main reason for rejection. 
4. Send this letter along with all the required documents through the recommended channel. You need to wait for the response of the respective authority. 

UAE Visa Consultancy Services

The UAE visa consultancy services have comprehensive experience and information about visa procedures and requirements. They help the applicants in several ways, such as the following: 

• First of all, they consider the conditions of the visa applicant and figure out the most appropriate visa category for them. 
• The consultancy services guide the applicants regarding the regulations and procedures of application. This will speed up the process while preventing any mistakes. 
• Document preparation and submission require expert advice from visa consultancies to avoid any mistakes. 
• The visa consultancy services also help in preparation for the interviews. This can increase the chances of visa approval. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Can I Work in the UAE with a UAE Business Visa?

No, you can’t work in the UAE with a UAE Business Visa. You need a standard work visa to legally work in the UAE, according to the Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations in the Private Sector. 

Can I Start a Business in the UAE with a UAE Business Visa?

No, you can’t start a business in the UAE with a UAE business visa. You have to get a UAE Green visa to establish or participate in commercial activities as mentioned in the United Arab Emirates’ Government portal. 

Which are the Most Preferred Visa Types for Business in the UAE?

The UAE offers several types of visas. Every visa type comes with different uses and limitations. However, the most preferred visa types for businesses in the UK are the following: 

• Investor visa or green visa
• Business visa 
• Golden visa 

Can I Visit all Emirates with a UAE Business Visa?

Yes, you can visit all of the Emirates with a UAE business visa. However, you need to follow the regulations regarding work and other activities in every Emirate.