If you are a highly trained and skilled professional looking for great job opportunities, Dubai could be the place for you. The UAE is host to some of the best companies in the world, and they come here to find top talent. In this article, we take an in-depth look at how to obtain a work visa in Dubai.

There are numerous ways to get a visa for Dubai. Some visa is easy to pre-arrange however many visas require you to get a sponsor and other documents from your employer. This visa guide helps you understand the process for getting a visa for Dubai without sponsoring your visa from your employer. We will base our discussion today on – Dubai Visa For Engineers. But, other resources which you can find on our website include some frequently asked questions such as: dubai visa fees for 2 years 2022 and engineer visa uae benefits

Dubai Visa For Engineers

Dubai is a beautiful city and it has attracted millions of tourists for years. Dubai houses many world-famous buildings. It is a land of recreation, with restaurants, malls and so much more to do. Also, there are countless activities you can indulge in when you visit Dubai.

Emirates of application

First of all, you need to know which emirates you want to apply for the golden residency. The application processes for Dubai and Abu Dhabi are different.

• Abu Dhabi: ICA processes applications
• Dubai: GDRFA processes applications

I applied through Abu Dhabi because when I applied back in September 2021, Dubai did not fully implement the process for software engineers. I submitted an online application with Dubai’s GDRFA but got rejected because of this reason “Certificate equivalency and certificate attestation Does not meet the requirement — Profession.” If you are thinking of applying with Dubai’s GDRFA, this guide might not be beneficial to you (Hint: feel free to stop reading from here and check on Reddit r/dubai as people also share info there)

Steps for golden visa application with Dubai’s GDRFA

If you are thinking of applying with Dubai’s GDRFA, here’s an excellent article by Mudassir Shahzad

Steps for golden visa application with Abu Dhabi’s ICA

(Reminder: Do not consult this part of the guide if you want to apply for Dubai)

My background information: When I applied for the golden visa, I had Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, and I already had it attested in the UAE. I have been working in Dubai as a software engineer for three years. (If you are applying while not being in the UAE, you will need to apply for another entry visa as well. Check ICA for more info.)

Here are the things I did to apply for the golden visa in Abu Dhabi

1. First, I applied for a nomination request on this ICA link with the category under “Specialists in the fields of engineering and science — computer engineering” (fee: 50AED). I submitted these documents: attested degree certification, salary certificate, CV, college transcript, and a job offer. The attested degree certificate is probably the essential document. Once you apply, remember to check the web page from time to time since it might not send you any notifications of updates.
2. Once I got approval for the nomination request, I canceled my current work visa. (fee: 0AED) (You might want to consult your employer about this step. There is no guarantee that everyone will get a golden visa even if they already have the nomination request approved. You might also need to cancel your medical insurance or sign an end-of-service letter.)

1. Once my employer canceled my previous visa, I received an email from ICA smart system that asked me to submit a Change Status request via a link in the email. (fee: 559AED).
2. I also submitted an Issue New Visa request on ICA (VISA — GOLDEN RESIDENCE — PERSONS WHO ARE TALENTED — ISSUE NEW VISA) (Fee: 305 AED). This step gave me a temporary e-visa with two months validity to have enough time to finalize the golden residency.
3. While I submitted the Change Status request, I also submitted a request to apply for Emirates ID on ICA. (fee: 1054 AED). You might need to log in to the ICA smart service web application for this step and the following ones to see the option to submit these requests. My Emirates ID application was on pause until ICA approved Step 7 of the Issue Residence request.
4. I also needed to do a medical test, which I booked an appointment at the Capital Health Screening Centre in Al Jazira Abu Dhabi. (fee: 350 AED)
5. Once ICA approved my Change Status request, I submitted this request on ICA “GOLDEN RESIDENCY (10 YEARS) — PERSONS WHO ARE TALENTED — ISSUE RESIDENCE” (fee: 1218 AED). Once I received this approval, I could “Print The Approval” on the ICA webpage. This approval showed me that the validity of my residence is ten years.
6. Once Step 7 was clear, my application for the emirates ID (Step 4) also resumed automatically. Now here is the last step: stamping the residency visa on my passport (fee: < 100 AED. I don’t remember exactly.) To do this, I needed to print the Approval for Issue Residence on ICA from Step 7 (be careful here as it’s the approval, not the receipt). Then I brought the approval with my passport to Emirates Post on Al Falah Street for visa stamping. For this, the passport is handed over to the respective immigration office.
7. After step 8, wait for 2–4 business days, and Voilà you will receive your passport stamped with the 10-year golden visa!
8. I received my new Emirates ID by delivery around one month afterward.
9. This additional step is probably wouldn’t apply for most people, but just in case someone is in the same boat as me. My previous work visa was on my old passport, but I applied for a golden visa using my new passport info. However, somehow the golden residency falls under my old passport. I had to visit a typing center in AD to request “MOVE RESIDENCE TO A NEW PASSPORT.” (fee: 160 AED). After I finished this step, I continued with Step 8 to stamp the residency on my passport.

Timeline for me

The following is a timeline of my applications on ICA. It seems pretty fast (one and half months, if I did everything correctly from the beginning), but you should probably budget more time for it.

• Day 1: Submitted golden residency nomination request on ICA
• Day 3: Got approval for golden residency nomination request on ICA
• Day 32: Had my employer canceled my previous visa successfully
• Day 32: Applied for Change Status and got it approved instantly
• Day 32: Re-submitted for Issue New Visa and got it in 10 minutes
• Day 32: Applied for Renew Emirates ID
• Day 33: Did medical test for Emirates ID
• Day 34: Got approval for Golden Residency — Issue Residence
• Day 36: Sent my passport to Emirates Post for stamping
• Day 40: Received my passport back with my residency stamp
• Day 44: Received my new Emirates ID

Pros and Cons of a golden visa

Following is my take on the golden visa:

Pros:

• Your residency is not tied to your employer, as you technically sponsor your visa. It offers excellent stability for people that consider the UAE home.
• You can sponsor your family, including parents
• Your residency is ten years and would automatically renew
• You get some discounts

Cons:

• The visa will nullify if you live outside the country for more than six months, the same as other visas. This condition is printed on my residency stamp, but I have not confirmed if it works like that. I would appreciate it if anyone had more information about this.
• The total cost is around 4K AED for me. If you are applying for your family, then multiply that by the number of members. It is a bit expensive, albeit amortized cost is relatively low for ten years.
• The application itself is complicated and time-consuming. There were multiple times when I faced weird bugs on the ICA website due to my new passport and some other random issues. I had to inspect the website’s code to fix the problem. (Sometimes, I joked that it was a test to see if I was a genuine software engineer or not, LOL).

In the end, whether you apply or not depends on your personal preferences. I finished the entire application because I was halfway through and decided to complete it. However, if I had all this information beforehand, I might think twice about whether and when I would apply.

That’s it. I hope this guide is helpful to you. Good luck!

How To Get UAE Residency Visa 2022

How To Get UAE Residency Visa 2022

Dubai is increasingly becoming an attractive place to live. As such, the demand for a Dubai residence visa is increasing. Besides the beautiful weather and beaches, Dubai offers an excellent infrastructure and a myriad of magnificent skyscrapers. The city hosts some of the world’s largest malls, the tallest buildings, most elite restaurants, and nightlife spots. This makes the UAE residency visa so attractive. 

There are several ways in which you can obtain a UAE residency visa. Read till the end to know everything you need to know about a Dubai residency visa.

What Are the Types of Dubai Residence Visa? 

Your residence visa depends on the purpose of your stay in Dubai. Currently, UAE offers 5 kinds of residence visas and they are as follows:  

• The UAE Investment Visa (long-term residency) is for foreigners who make a significant investment in the UAE. This visa is valid for a longer period than other resident visas (up to ten years) and does not require a sponsor if you qualify. 

• The UAE Family Visa for close family members of UAE citizens/international residents. The UAE does not yet recognize same-sex marriages. Besides the minimum salary requirements, males can sponsor their wives, sons, daughters, parents, and stepchildren; women can sponsor their husbands and children. 
• UAE Work Visa for foreigners who have found work in the UAE and secured a Work Permit. For a work visa, the minimum age of the employee should be 18. Furthermore, there are 3 categories – Category 1 for individuals with at least a bachelor’s degree; Category 2 for those with a post-secondary diploma; Category 3 for individuals with a high school diploma

What Documents Are Required to Apply for a Dubai Residence Visa?

• Original passport
• Two passport-sized photographs, following UAE visa photo criteria
• Entry Visa (Entry Permit)
• Documents such as birth/marriage certificates if applying for a family visa.
• Extra document related to your travel purpose

Who Will Sponsor Your UAE Residence Visa?

UAE residence visa necessitates a sponsor. These sponsors change depending on your residence visa type. However, under certain circumstances, you can be your sponsor.

The following will be your sponsors:

• If you have investments or have brought property, you can apply yourself; your company or property will serve as a sponsor
• For a family visa, your family member will be your sponsor

What Are Residence Visa Fees for Dubai?

The fees for your Dubai residence visa depend on the duration of your visa. The UAE residence visa fee for a year is approx. AED 1000. 

The mentioned fees are exclusive of medical exams and health insurance.

How Long Can You Stay in Dubai?

A Dubai residence visa allows you to stay for 2, or 3 years depending on the purpose of your travel. However, if you are on an investment visa or a retirement visa, you can stay up to 5-10 years. All of these visas are renewable. 

Your sponsor must renew your visa within 30 days before its expiry. It is also possible to renew an expired visa if it is in its grace period. The grace period is for 30 days, starting after the expiry. However, if you stay beyond 30 days with an expired visa, you will be fined AED 25 for every day for the first 6 months; AED 50 every day for the next 6 months, and AED 100 per day after a year.

Benefits of having a UAE residence visa

• Open a bank account.
• Access financial facilities.
• Apply for a driving license.
• Access government health services and health insurance.
• Register his/her children in government schools and in private schools.
• Work and invest.

UAE Family Residence Visa Renewal Fees 2022

If you are an expat living in Dubai with your family for a long time then with this blog you can easily learn all the latest news about UAE family residence visa renewal fees 2022 as well as UAE residence visa renewal fees 2022

The population of UAE, especially its workforce, majorly consists of expatriates. They have resided along with their families in the UAE for decades, renewing their residence visas on a constant basis because the UAE does not grant permanent residency visas to expats.

Most people visit the UAE as tourists and continue to stay in the country even after their visa expires. In such cases, they are charged an amount as an overstay fine. They must renew their visa before the due date to avoid these penalty fees. If they want to renew their visa again, they will have to go back to their country of residence and return, apply for the visa again, and return after a month.

In this article, you will also learn all there is to know about UAE residence visa rules and regulations in 2022.

What are UAE Family Visa Rules 2022?

Following is a list of UAE family visa rules in 2022:

1. Both employers and employees with a valid residence visa and a minimum salary of AED 4,000 or AED 3,000 plus accommodation can sponsor their families.
2. The type of profession is no longer a criterion for a family visa in UAE.
3. If the father is residing in the UAE and is able to sponsor his children, then the mother is not allowed to sponsor them.
4. A UAE family visa is issued depending on the nature of work and the labor contract.
5. Resident sponsors have 60 days’ time to apply for their dependents’ residence visas after they enter the UAE.
6. In order to obtain your family visa in UAE, the applicant aged 18+ should undergo a medical fitness test at government-approved health centers in the UAE.
7. You need to submit an authenticated marriage certificate to sponsor your wife. The certificate must be duly translated into Arabic by a certified translator.
8. In certain strict cases, Muslims are permitted to sponsor two wives, only if they meet all the necessary conditions.
9. Residents can only sponsor their daughters if they are unmarried.
10. Residents can sponsor their son up to the age of 18. If your son is studying he can be sponsored till the age of 21.
11. An expatriate resident can sponsor their stepchildren subject to GDRFA’s guidelines.
12. An employee can sponsor both parents. To do so, you must submit a guarantee for each parent stipulated by the respective immigration department.
13. A woman can sponsor her family if she holds a residence visa with a monthly salary not less than AED 8000 plus accommodation.
14. The resident woman should be an engineer, nurse, teacher, doctor, or any other professional related to the medical sector.

What is the UAE Family Visa Cost 2022

Resident visa cost in Dubai or UAE is based on some important factors like the place of the applicant, duration of their residence, insurance required for the family members, etc. Based on those factors below is a specified list of (approximate) Dubai family visa fees 2022 and UAE residence visa fees 2022:

1. 2 year Dubai residency visa fees 2022 for applicants in Dubai without insurance will be approximately AED 3500.
2. Same for an applicant in Dubai with insurance will be approximately AED 5272.
3. For a 2-year, UAE family visa cost of 2022 for applicants out of Dubai without insurance will be approximately AED 2200.
4. Same for an applicant out of Dubai with insurance will be approximately AED 3972.
5. 3-year Dubai residence visa cost 2022 for applicants in Dubai without insurance will be approximately AED 3700.
6. Same for an applicant in Dubai with insurance will be approximately AED 5472.
7. 3-year residence visa Dubai cost for applicants out of Dubai without insurance will be approximately AED 2400.
8. Same for an applicant out of Dubai with insurance will be approximately AED 4172.

How to Renew your UAE Family Residence Visa?

The sponsors must renew their family residence visa before it expires the grace period of 30 days to stay in the UAE. Remember to get it renewed before the end of the grace period to avoid incurring fines and easily pay your UAE family residence visa renewal fees 2022 or Dubai residence visa renewal fees 2022.

However, if need be, you can easily get it renewed two months before its expiry date. In special cases, it is a must to take permission from the GDRFA authorities to renew it before six months of the expiry date. 

What are the Requirements for UAE Family Residence Visa Renewal?

Before your get to know UAE family residence visa renewal fees 2022, below is a list of requirements for the renewal process:

1. A resident employed in the UAE can renew the visa of their family members, subject to conditions that include the minimum salary of AED 4000 or AED 3,500 plus company accommodation.
2. The approved medical test report is necessary for those above 18 for each sponsored.
3. To renew the residence visa, you must renew your Emirates ID first.
4. Health Insurance is mandatory in Dubai. Family members should at least have basic health cover.

What are the UAE Family Residence Visa Renewal Fees 2022?

If you are an Indian national and hold a normal passport (Valid for 6 months) from the arrival date,  you will easily be issued a visa on arrival for a maximum stay of 14 days. The cost for an arrival permit is 100 UAD.

The same goes for those who hold a USA green card (valid for 6 months), UK residency visa, or EU residency visa. However, Only Indian and USA residents are allowed to extend their visit visa once, for up to 14 days. The UAE family residence visa renewal fees 2022 for Indians and USA residents are 250 AED and 20 AED is charged for service.

Dubai residency visa fees 2022

If you are an expat and want to renew your visa, you can get in touch with the legal advisors at Shuraa India to know more about Dubai residence visa fees 2022 or UAE family residence visa renewal fees 2022. They will assist you throughout the UAE visa renewal process along with handling all the paperwork. All you have to do is contact us and we will take care of the rest!

Click here to book a free consultation with our experts and know more about Dubai residence visa or call at +91 8010990022. For email assistance, mail your query at info@shuraa.in.

Get Your UAE Residence Visa With Shuraa

Now that you know all the necessary information about the Dubai Residency visa, what are you waiting for? Dubai is a great place to spend your days and enjoy your nights. Though the process is simple, to avoid any mishaps with the documentation, we suggest you take assistance from the experts. You can connect with Shuraa India Branch who will guide you at every step, help prepare all the documents, and acquire required permissions and approvals. All you need to do is call us and tell us your business requirements, and we will take care of it all.