The demand for residential visa for Dubai is increasing day by day as people want to live in the city. Visas should be focused on job, commercial ventures, investment and property related services.
With Dubai being one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, Gulf Visas is a one of a kind immigration consultancy in Dubai who assist you in applying for Visa for UAE. We make sure that your visa application is processed and approved within the fastest possible time.
There are approximately 34,000 expatriates every year who arrive in Dubai with a visit visa and then try to obtain a resident visa through a sponsor. This is a very risky project for the majority of these expats because most of them do not know what the law states about the residence visa and its conditions related to obtaining one. Every year, thousands of expats find themselves unable to obtain the residence visa into Dubai, the largest United Arab Emirates city.
If you are planning a visit to Dubai, you’ll need to purchase a visa. If you’re wondering where to buy a UAE visa from and how much does it cost, we’ll discuss that below.
Residential Visa For Dubai
The United Arab Emirates is one of the rare countries in the Middle East that offer a visa system that facilitates migration by skilled expatriates. The UAE also has an excellent reputation as a safe and stable country, attracting professionals from all over the world who want to take advantage of its economic opportunities.
HOW TO RENEW THE VISA?
UAE residence visa renewal is simpler than getting a new visa, however, you will need to do a medical check and Emirates ID renewal.
You simply need to come to medical screening center 1-2 weeks before your visa expiration date and make necessary tests, after which apply for Emirates ID renewal.
Upon getting the medical report, send it to the immigration office together with the passport and the new visa will be stamped for another period.
HOW TO CANCEL YOUR RESIDENCE VISA IN THE UAE
Who can cancel a residence visa in the UAE?
Usually, it is the duty of anyone sponsoring a residence visa in the UAE to apply for its cancellation. The sponsor could be:
Your employer
While your employer is cancelling your visa, you will still have to sign a certain form to confirm that you have no withheld salary and benefits. If you have worked a considerable number of years in a company, you will be entitled for end-of-service benefit.
Your own company
If you have your own business and a visa under the company, you may cancel it by yourself or hire a PRO or a business consultancy company to do it on your behalf.
Your spouse or parent
If you are on a dependent visa which needs to be cancelled, your sponsor – spouse or parent – will be responsible for visa cancellation.
Usually they can hire a PRO or a business consultancy company, who can process visa cancellation provided they have the original passport of the applicant and original Emirates ID of the sponsor.
Government authority
If you worked for the UAE government authority, then it will be responsible for your visa cancellation.
Visa cancellation in or out of UAE
During the visa cancellation process, the applicant may be in or out of UAE. However, certain rules apply.
In UAE visa cancellation
If you are in the UAE, you need to submit your original passport to the authority which issued the visa and wait for the cancellation.
Out of UAE visa cancellation
If you want to cancel the visa being out of the UAE, you need to be outside for longer than 6 months in order to cancel it without sending the original passport to the UAE.
If you are out of UAE less than 6 months and want to cancel the visa, you will have to send your original passport to your company or a PRO to process your visa cancellation.
Where to apply for UAE visa cancellation?
UAE residence visa has to be cancelled by the same authority which did the visa stamping.
Those authorities are:
- The General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs, Dubai (GDRFAD) – for Dubai Mainland visas. GDRFAD can be represented by Tasheel or Amer.
- Free Zones – for the visas issued in free zone companies.
Three ways to cancel your visa in the UAE
Thanks to the UAE government who made provision for both offline and online cancellation of visas, the residents can follow the process most suitable to them.
Note that these options are only for Mainland visa cancellation (non free zone). So, you can cancel your UAE residence visa through:
- Online services of ICA or GDRFAD
- Any of the approved typing centres near you
- The ICA or GDRFAD mobile application
How to cancel your UAE visa using the GDRFAD online services
- Click here to start the process
- Click on “Cancellation of residency visa”
- At the end of the new page it takes you to, click on “Start service”
- Then it takes you to an individual login page where you will have to provide the necessary details and documents required
- Follow the instructions till you are done with the process
How to cancel your residence visa in the UAE through a typing centre – Tasheel
- Gather all the necessary document to be listed below
- Proceed to any approved typing centre near you
- The required forms will be filled by the centre agents
- Submit the required documents
- The centre continues with the remaining process
How to cancel your UAE residence visa using the ICA or GDRFAD application
- Download the ICA or GDRFAD mobile application
- Login with your accurate details
- Under the listed service categories select “Cancellation of residence visa” or you can simply search it on the search button
- Follow the instructions till you have completed the process just as in the online service
Once your application is done and approved, you will be notified via email or mobile call. After that you will need to submit your passport for the actual cancellation of the visa.
So next, we are going to give you the list of required documents for the cancellation of the UAE residence visa.
Documents required for the cancellation of residence visa in the UAE
- Your original passport
- The original copy of your Emirates ID and labour card
- A copy of the cancellation paper signed by the sponsor of your visa
If your company is sponsoring your visa, be sure to have the cancellation application form containing a clear signature and stamp from them. Your company also has to include a clearance document form the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).
These are the required steps and documents to have ready when it’s time to cancel your UAE residence visa. You will definitely find the process hassle free when you have all the requirements ready.
LONG TERM VISAS
A new initiative from the UAE government allows you to get a 5 or 10-year visa based on your investments in UAE. You should make either 5 mln AED or 10 mln AED investments in real estate, investment funds or business.
More details can be found here:
Long term visas also have a category of talented individuals or researchers, who already have an employment contract in UAE and can prove their input in the specific field of science, medicine or art.
WHERE CAN I LIVE?
Regardless of the authority that issued your visa, you can maintain Dubai permanent residency or live in any other Emirate you prefer.
Any visa, whether it’s obtained from Dubai or another Emirate, makes you eligible for UAE permanent residency in any place. You can rent an apartment and settle your family anywhere.
However, such things as UAE driver’s license need to be applied for in the Emirate your visa belongs to. So if you opened a company in Fujairah free zone, you need to get your driver’s license in Fujairah road and traffic authority accordingly.
Dubai residency tends to be more expensive, but also much more fun! All the largest amusement parks, fashionable restaurants and malls are located here. The infrastructure in general is more advanced: you have a bigger choice of grocery stores, hospitals and clinics, schools and colleges.
Regardless of the Emirate you reside and the type of visa you have, UAE is a great country to live, work, study or run your own business.