Pro Services in Dubai

It usually takes anywhere between 7 days to two weeks’ time to process a UAE residence visa, and it could be more in some cases. The processing time depends on, if you are applying via a free zone or LLC company. The required documents include the duly-filled application form, official offer letter, salary certificate, labour contract, an attested marriage certificate, the attested birth certificate of your children(if applying for dependant visa), three months’ bank statement and a tenancy contract.

Visa stamping generally takes anywhere between 5 to 7 days. After your visa is stamped, you need to wait to get a message from the Emirates ID office. You would get an SMS mentioning the post office where you need to go to collect the Emirates ID.

To complete the visa stamping procedure, the Immigration Department would need the following documents:

• Original passport
• Original Entry Permit or Employment Visa
• Passport size photographs (x7)
• Original medical certificate (post medical test)
• Applicable residence visa fee
• Completed or duly-filled security form
• Residence visa forms that are duly signed and sealed by the sponsor

Generally, the residence visa is stamped in the Passport within 5 working days and is valid for 2 years or 3 years depending on the applicability.

A residence visa in UAE is mandatory for all other nationalities, excluding UAE and GCC National Citizens. For almost all the expatriates, the company that is employing them would sponsor a UAE residence visa, and provide a labour card or a work permit.

Permanent residency is not available in Dubai as yet. However, there are some ways in which you can get a renewable residency visa in Dubai:

1. Employment in UAE: In case you are employed in the UAE, your firm or company is responsible to give you a Residency Visa which is generally valid for 2 years or 3 year depending wether it si a freezone or LLC company and it should be renewed prior to its expiry.
2. Business in UAE: If you set up your own company or business in UAE, then you are eligible to obtain a UAE residency visa through investor or partner visa, which is valid for 2 years and can be renewed after that.
3. Property Investor: A property holder in U.A.E. is allowed to apply for residency.

The process of applying for the dependent visa, which would be valid anywhere between 1 to 3 years, is quite simple. There are four steps in this process: getting an entry permit, status adjustment, passing the medical fitness test and getting an Emirates ID registration and visa stamping.

Please note that before you apply, the entry criteria for your dependents or people you hope to sponsor should be met.

• To sponsor your spouse or child, you should be earning the salary minimum mandated by each emirate (this amount varies in different emirates).
• To sponsor your parents, you should earn a specified minimum salary which depends on each emirate. You should be renting an apartment or villa that has at least three bedrooms.
• Dependent visas have a validity for different time periods, which depends on your designation. For instance, a visa for a house help or maid is valid only for one year.
• Getting an Emirates ID registration and a medical fitness test is mandatory for everyone who want to reside in the UAE.

Any expatriate resident is allowed to sponsor his/her families in the UAE, if he/she has a valid residency permit. The male residents who are employed in the UAE are permitted to sponsor their immediate family members as per the pre-requisites that include minimum salary of Dh. 4000 or Dh. 3000 in addition to the accommodation.