New visa rules in UAE for 2024

2024 UAE residency rules

The first thing worth mentioning when it comes to the new UAE visa rules is the new visa types. These visas do not call for a local sponsor or host while offering a choice between single and multiple entries. The length of stay under such visas is changeable, as they are renewable with a validity period of 60 days. This is a step towards considerable simplification of entry procedures for tourists and visitors to the UAE.

Here are other major changes to the residency rules.

Visa extensions

One of the key changes in visa regulations is the introduction of visa extensions. Under the new visa rules, holders of 90-day visitor visas now have the opportunity to extend them one time for 30 days. In addition, all types of tourist visas can be extended for an additional 30 days from inside the country, which makes the UAE visa mechanism significantly more flexible and convenient.

This means, for example, that the period of stay in Dubai on a 90-day tourist visa can be extended to 120 days (maximum stay length) without having to leave the country and re-enter to obtain a new visa. You can extend your visa at the same place where it was obtained, and the cost of the extension is currently AED 600.

The fees for UAE and Dubai visas, in particular, have been increased. As for UAE entry permits, they can now be managed through a personal online account, including both permit renewals and cancellations. For example, if a visitor visa has not been used, it must be canceled within the specified period. This procedure will cost AED 300.

Another significant change is the introduction of a new multi-entry tourist visa with a validity period of five years. This visa allows its holder to make self-sponsored visits to the UAE for up to 90 days at a time and extend the length of stay by a further 90 days, bringing the total possible period of stay in the UAE to six months for each entry. This new multi-entry visa requires evidence of a bank balance of at least USD 4,000 in the previous half-year period.

Residing in the UAE after the visa expiration date entails a fine of AED 100 and AED 50 for each day of delay, as well as the need to obtain permission to leave the country. Visitor visas have a 10-day grace period, after which penalties begin to accrue.

Family sponsorship, friends and relatives

The newly introduced rules include updates to family sponsorship. Presently, male children can be sponsored by their parents until the age of 25, while unmarried daughters are eligible for sponsorship without any age limits. Children with disabilities can also be sponsored for an unlimited amount of time, making the new family sponsorship rules more inclusive.

The next change involves residence permits for family members of citizens of the UAE and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries. Residence permits can be received by children and spouses of GCC citizens with foreign passports, parents and children of UAE nationals with foreign passports, and by widowed female residents with children.

Also, under the new rules, the entry permit for visiting family or friends in the UAE does not require a host or a sponsor. The same goes for work trips, as long as the person visiting is provided sponsorship by the employer. In a similar manner, accredited educational institutions and certain public or private bodies can provide entry permit sponsorship to those visiting the UAE for training or studying purposes - for example, work placement programs, educational courses, etc.

In addition, owners of residence visas who have spent over six months outside the UAE now have the option of acquiring a re-entry permit. This provides an opportunity to maintain the residency status by returning to the Emirates within 30 days of approval.

Job exploration and business

The new visa rules also offer new opportunities to young specialists and entrepreneurs. For example, graduates from the world's 500 top-ranked universities and young professionals are eligible for a job exploration visa that does not require a sponsor or a host. This visa allows them to seek employment in the United Arab Emirates as long as they have a minimum of a BSc or equivalent degree and the qualification of the first three skill levels.

In addition to welcoming skilled professionals and promising talent, the country’s authorities have been continuously introducing various policies facilitating foreign investments in local industries and businesses. Another step in this direction is the business entry visa which also comes with no sponsorship requirements and is aimed at foreign or expat entrepreneurs and investors willing to engage in business or investments in the UAE.

Visa and permit validity periods

In a move aimed at decreasing the financial burden on residents, the Federal National Council of the UAE has approved the extension of work permits, changing their validity period from two to three years. The residency visas of children of Emirati women and expatriates were also extended, their validity period now being 5 years instead of 3.

The Green Visa provides a five-year stay for entrepreneurs, investors, freelancers, and skilled specialists in various fields. Designed to enhance the influx of skilled workforce to the UAE and encourage investments in the country’s economy, the Green Visa is available to individuals without a sponsor or employer sponsorship and includes a half-year grace period after the expiry or termination of the permit.

Furthermore, the changes have also affected the UAE Golden Visa program. The Golden Visa now has a 10-year validity period for all who satisfy the eligibility criteria, which includes researchers, scientists, skilled specialists, and people with extraordinary talent. In addition to real estate, business, and start-up investors, the eligibility list includes outstanding students, doctors, nurses, humanitarian pioneers, and creative professionals over the age of 25. Another benefit of the Golden Visa program is the opportunity to sponsor your parents for a 10-year residency visa as well.

Online visa management

As the UAE authorities place a great emphasis on the overall digitization of state services, they introduce online platforms such as ICA Smart Services or the GDRFA website that facilitate the management and processing of visas and relevant documents. For example, Emirates ID has replaced the physical stamps in residency visas, and visa holders are now allowed to change visa-related information online.

You can also use online services for other related activities, such as monitoring and calculating your overstay fines in case of visa expiry.

UAE golden visa rules for 2024

As today’s purpose of the Golden Visa program is in no small part to attract young and outstanding talent to the UAE, its eligibility criteria now cover a much wider range of people. This includes recent graduates from the world's top 100 universities (approved by the UAE Ministry of Education), students and athletes with outstanding achievements, entrepreneurs with innovative projects, humanitarian work pioneers, frontline heroes, doctors, scientists, and researchers.

The UAE Golden Visa offers its holders an array of privileges, from sponsorship opportunities to better education and healthcare, the Esaad discount program, tax benefits, freehold property ownership, and others. For example, you can sponsor your family members and domestic helpers for residency visas, get discounts on a range of services, convert your foreign driving license without additional training, or enjoy lower interest rates with bank loans and mortgages.

In line with the country’s overall digitization effort, the processing of applications for the UAE Golden Visa has been updated. Applications can now be submitted through either of four 24/7 functioning channels: Customer Happiness Centers, the UAEICP platform or smartphone application, and licensed typing offices. The document requirements for the application are minimal – only a colored personal photo and a passport valid for at least six months. The visa fee is AED 350, which comprises all the included expenses and services. Applicants may apply for a one-off extension of 60 days if the visa is not used within the specified period.

UAE green visa rules for 2024

Essentially, the Green Visa is a self-sponsorship program enabling highly skilled professionals, exceptional students and graduates, entrepreneurs, and investors to obtain a UAE residency. Introduced in 2022, the Green Visa has a validity period of 5 years and does not require a local UAE sponsor, which is perfect for self-employed professionals, freelancers, and skilled specialists in different fields seeking to reside in the UAE.

The preliminary approval of candidates is carried out by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai, after which they can enter the UAE and complete the mandatory visa-related procedures. Currently, the entry permits can be managed online through a personal account on the ICP platform.

The eligibility criteria for skilled specialists are having a valid employment contract, a bachelor’s degree, and a minimum monthly wage of AED 15,000. Their eligibility must be approved by the UAE’s Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. The ministry also issues permits for self-employed professionals and freelancers, the eligibility requirements for which include a BSc or an equivalent diploma, evidence of the total annual income of AED 36,000 over a 2-year period, and proof of their financial solvency for their proposed residency period in the UAE. The criteria for investors and partners is a minimal total investment of AED 1,000,000, which can be drawn from different licenses and has to be approved by the local government.

Apart from the 5-year visa validity and no sponsorship requirement, the advantages of the Green Visa program include easier residency sponsorship of family members, which facilitates long-term planning of the future, and an extended half-year grace period for leaving the UAE in case of visa expiry or termination. The visa fee amounts to AED 2,280, which includes application, issuance, and digital services, but excludes additional expenses, such as medical services and the ID card.

Overview of new changes to UAE visa rules

1. All tourist visas can be extended by an additional 30 days. Keep in mind that the maximum allowed length of stay in the UAE under such visas is 120 days.
2. With a 90-day visitor visa, you can apply for a 90-day visa extension, which basically doubles its validity period.
3. Visas can now be managed online using government websites, platforms, and mobile applications, making the process much more convenient.
4. Visa extension comes with a fee that depends on the visa type and is carried out by the same authority or agency that issued the visa initially.
5. Multi-entry visas are now available with a validity period of 5 years.
6. The Golden Visa program has extended its eligibility criteria to the list of available benefits, including 10-year visa validity for all visa holders.
7. The Green Visa has a validity period of 5 years for all its holders and now has an extended half-year grace period.
8. The validity period of work permits has been increased to 3 years, and residency visas of children of Emirati women and expatriates are now valid for 5 years.
9. Male children can now be sponsored by their parents until the age of 25, while unmarried daughters are eligible for sponsorship without any age limits.
10. Children with disabilities can also be sponsored for an unlimited amount of time, making the new family sponsorship rules more inclusive.

Conclusion

The new UAE visa rules and the changes made reflect the country’s most recent steps in its long-term strategy of digitization, simplification, and inclusivity. The UAE Government has a clear vision of the country’s future and a strong understanding of what needs to be done to make it even more appealing to tourists, professionals, investors, and entrepreneurs from all over the globe.