The fact that the UAE is becoming a commercial power for some economic sectors makes it an attractive destination for expats who wish to seek a new life with new financial and employment opportunities. 

In addition to this, the architectural beauty that highlights a modern aspect in its infrastructure attracts the attention of thousands of people around the world, since this country becomes a very complete destination to form a new life. 

In another article we have already talked about the advantages of living in the UAE, but some of them are: 

-High salaries, especially in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. 

-The safest country in the Middle East (less crime rate than cities like London or Rome). 

-Modern infrastructure 

-Growing employment opportunities 

-Diversity in its citizens which makes it easier to communicate to each other

However, in order to enjoy the benefits that this country offers, it is necessary to be up to date with the paperwork, and in this case we will talk about citizenship and residency. 

What is a UAE’s Residence Visa? 

This document allows the person to settle within the country for a relatively long period of time, it can be from 2 to 10 years depending on the type of visa, and it can also be renewed as many times as the individual needs according to the requirements that can be met. It can be said that there are several foreign families who live within the country and renew this document constantly.

There is no permanent residency, as the next level would be to obtain citizenship to achieve that goal. With a residency you can do several things in the country, have facilities, especially the financial ones, which before obtaining this document are not possible. These benefits are: 

-Getting an employment

-Make investments

-Open a bank account 

-Apply for a driving licence 

-Accessing health services and governmental insurance

-Register children in public and public schools

-Travel to some countries without any restriction whatsoever

In this country there is no such thing as a residence permit, but a residence visa is practically the same thing. There are three main ways to obtain a residence visa, either by obtaining a contract with a company within the UAE (offshore companies are not requesting residence visas), by investing in real estate or by opening a company in the country. 

The most common way to apply for this visa is by obtaining an employment contract with a company operating in one of the emirates, as it does not require as much capital as investing in real estate or opening a company. 

These visas are usually given for a period of 2 to 3 years, and in case the contract with the company is terminated, the individual will have one month to renew the visa (get another job) before it is revoked. 

Residence Visa Process 

First of all, the individual will need to open an immigration file, and an e-channel registration, and then move on to submitting the relevant documents and applying for an entry permit to enter the country. It should be noted that an entry permit is valid for 60 days from the time it is issued. 

The third step is to enter the UAE to obtain this document, which usually takes no more than 5 working days to be delivered. During this process the individual must undergo medical tests (x-ray, blood test) and biometric tests (retina and fingerprint). 

In some cases of medical anomalies, the applicant may be denied a visa (HIV positive for instance).

Finally, a UAE ID card, which is the last official document, is obtained after the residence visa but can be issued later if the applicant wishes. 

Documents required 

It depends on what type of visa is being issued, but in general matters the documentation required by UAE authorities is as follow: 

-International passport 

-3.5 x 4.5 colour photos with a white background 

-Entry permit 

-Employment contract 

-Depending on the profession, the individual may be required to provide a copy of the university degree translated into English and legalised in UAE. 

Citizenship

At the beginning of 2021, UAE legislation regarding the granting of citizenship to some expats underwent some changes, allowing some specific categories of immigrants to obtain this document, along with their partners and children. 

In the past, under no circumstances did UAE law allow an individual to obtain UAE nationality without renouncing their original one, but with the new amendments certain conditions apply for some of the categories to retain their original nationality. 

These categories are investors, doctors, specialists, inventors, scientists, intellectuals and persons with creative talents. 

These are the conditions for each category of candidates:

-An investor must own property within the territory of the UAE.

-A specialist must be certified and specialised in a scientific area for which there is considerable demand in this country, and have at least 10 years' experience and scientific contributions.

-Scientists must have an active life in a university, research centre or in the private sector, with at least 10 years of practice as above, and must have a letter of recommendation from a recognised institution in the country. 

-Intellectuals must be established in their field and also have a letter of recommendation from related governmental entities. They must also have won an international award.

As you may notice, applying for citizenship is somewhat difficult, so most expats end up simply opting for a residency visa with its respective renewals. 

However, we can notice that in the past, UAE didn’t like to issue citizenships to foreign individuals, but that has changed in the last few years as they want to attract investors and the most talented people from all over the world by being more flexible in regards to their citizenship demands. 

Step by step, the UAE is going to be more open-minded when it comes to receiving foreigners into their territory and letting them to stay in the country for whatever those expats want to do within their territory, but something is being very clear, the UAE is turning into a more liberal country with these type of things, and it’s nothing to be surprised for, as their intentions is to make a statement in the international field by attracting all kind of people. 

In Mundo, we can give you the best assistance and advice about all the needed paperwork for your residence visa application or any other further documentation if you need it, do not hesitate to contact us for more detailed information.