Visa & Immigration
Your visa decides almost everything else about a move to the UAE: when you can start work, whether your family can join you, whether you can open a bank account or sign a lease. It is also the subject where the internet is most confidently wrong.
[OFFICIAL] means the figure is on a government page. [MARKET] means a reputable secondary source. [REPORTED] means widely reported but not confirmed officially. [VERIFY] means do not act on it until you have checked with the authority.
Boxes headed "Check before you rely on this" mark the numbers most likely to move or to be applied differently at the counter.
Relocate2UAE is an independent information platform, not a law firm, an immigration adviser or a government body. This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice, and we accept no liability for decisions made in reliance on it.
Rules change with little notice and can be applied differently between emirates and between officers; the authority handling your file has the final word. Where your situation is unusual, or the answer is unclear, speak to a licensed UAE lawyer before you act. Davidson & Co., our legal partner, is the firm we suggest.
The full notice is under Important information at the end of this guideMost expats arrive on an employment entry permit arranged and paid for by their employer, then complete a 2-year residence visa within 60 days of landing. OFFICIAL
You can sponsor a spouse and children on AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 plus employer accommodation. Job title no longer matters. OFFICIAL
Sons can be sponsored up to 25, unmarried daughters at any age. OFFICIAL
The Golden Visa is 10 years and self-sponsored. The main routes are AED 2 million in property or investment, or a skilled role paying AED 30,000 a month. OFFICIAL
The Green Visa is 5 years and self-sponsored: a degree and AED 15,000 a month as an employee, or AED 360,000 a year as a freelancer. OFFICIAL
The remote work visa needs USD 3,500 a month from an employer outside the UAE. OFFICIAL
Sponsoring a live-in domestic worker needs household income of AED 25,000 a month. REPORTED MoHRE via WAM
Health insurance is mandatory for residence in all seven emirates. OFFICIAL
Overstay fines are AED 50 a day. LAW
There is no published approval rate for any UAE visa. Anyone quoting one is guessing or selling.
Read this first if you have researched UAE visas before. Dates are the effective dates we could confirm.
| Change | Effective | What it means | Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Visa property route: the 50% paid-up rule is gone | February 2026 | DLD's service terms ask for a bank no-objection letter stating the amount paid and the balance. Mortgaged and off-plan units qualify on a value of AED 2 million | OFFICIAL |
| Dubai 2-year property investor visa: AED 750,000 minimum removed | 29 April 2026 | Sole owners of a completed Dubai property can apply at any value. Joint owners need a share of at least AED 400,000 each | REPORTED |
| Overstay fine unified at AED 50 a day | Reported 11 February 2026 | The old 10-day tourist grace period is gone | LAW REPORTED |
| Airspace-closure overstay waiver closed | Final deadline 9 July 2026 | Visitors exempted during the regional flight disruption had 30 days to regularise or leave. Standard fines apply again | REPORTED |
| Entry permit for holders of Western and Asian residency widened | 25 June 2026 | Nationals of Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Kenya and South Africa join Indian nationals. Qualifying residency now includes Singapore, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and Canada as well as the US, UK and EU | REPORTED |
| New visa issuance suspended for three Ebola-affected countries | 6 June 2026 | Nationals of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and South Sudan. May be extended | REPORTED |
| Dubai tourist visas approved within 48 hours | Mid 2026 | Single-entry 30 and 60-day visas through authorised tourism offices | REPORTED |
| Dubai residency services linked to Dubai Police | 2026 | Expect to be asked to settle outstanding traffic fines when renewing or cancelling a Dubai visa | REPORTED |
| Remote work visa: six months of bank statements | 27 January 2026 | Was three months. Income floor unchanged at USD 3,500 | REPORTED |
| Four new visit visa purposes and sponsor income tiers | 29 September 2025 | AI specialist, entertainment, events and cruise visit visas. Sponsoring a friend to visit needs AED 15,000 a month | OFFICIAL |
| Health insurance mandatory in all seven emirates | 1 January 2025 | No residence visa is issued or renewed without a policy | OFFICIAL |
Also announced but not yet a route you can apply for: Dubai's "smart medical visa" for patients travelling for treatment, under an agreement between GDRFA and the Dubai Health Authority. REPORTED
Knowing which body holds your file saves a lot of wasted calls.
Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security. Issues entry permits, residence visas and Emirates ID for Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.
Handles the residence job for Dubai only, online or through Amer centres. Emirates ID is still an ICP product in Dubai.
Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Issues the work permit behind every mainland private sector job, and regulates domestic workers. Free zones issue their own equivalent.
Attests foreign documents once they reach the UAE.
A residence visa and a work permit are separate permissions. A Golden, Green, family or property visa lets you live here. Working for a UAE employer still needs a work permit issued for that employer.
Interactive tool
Answer a few questions and it shows which routes your answers clear, what each costs, how long it takes, the official place to apply, and which numbers to double-check. Nothing you enter leaves your browser.
| Your situation | Route | Validity | Who sponsors you |
|---|---|---|---|
| You have a job offer from a UAE employer | Employment residence visa | 2 years | Employer |
| You want to interview in person first | Jobseeker visit visa | 60, 90 or 120 days | Nobody |
| Employed, degree, AED 15,000+ a month, want independence from your employer | Green Visa | 5 years | Yourself |
| Freelancer earning AED 360,000+ a year | Green Visa, freelance route | 5 years | Yourself |
| Freelancer below that level | Freelance permit plus residence through a free zone, or a MoHRE permit | 1 to 2 years | The free zone or yourself |
| Employed by a company outside the UAE, USD 3,500+ a month | Remote work residence visa | 1 year | Yourself |
| Setting up a company | Investor or partner visa on the licence | 2 years typically | Your company |
| AED 2 million in property or investment, or a AED 30,000 skilled role | Golden Visa | 10 years | Yourself |
| A completed Dubai property under AED 2 million in your sole name | Dubai 2-year property visa | 2 years | Yourself |
| Aged 55+, retired, with income or assets | Retirement visa | 5 years | Yourself |
| Joining a spouse or parent who lives here | Family residence visa | Matches the sponsor | Family member |
| Studying at a UAE university | Student residence visa | 1 year, renewable | University or parent |
| Being hired as a nanny, housekeeper or driver | Domestic worker visa | 1 to 2 years | The household or a licensed centre |
If two routes fit, the order of preference for most people is: Golden, then Green, then employment. The longer, self-sponsored visas survive a job loss. The employment visa does not.
This is how most expats arrive, and the route where you do the least paperwork.
Your employer submits your signed offer and contract to MoHRE (mainland) or the free zone authority. Under Article 6 of Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021, the employer must obtain the permit and may not recover recruitment or visa costs from you. LAW
ICP or GDRFA issues an employment entry permit. Once you land, you have 60 days to finish the residence steps. If you are already in the UAE, this becomes a change of status with no exit required. OFFICIAL
Usually in your first week.
Your Emirates ID is the proof. Passport visa stickers ended in 2022.
You can lawfully start work at this point, not before.
No. The UAE has no general statutory minimum wage for expatriates and no salary floor to obtain a work visa. You will often see AED 4,000 quoted as a work visa minimum. That figure is the family sponsorship threshold, not a work visa requirement.
What matters is which thresholds your salary clears for other purposes:
Family sponsorship is assessed on the salary in your registered contract, and authorities commonly look at the basic line, not the total. Say your offer is AED 12,000 a month: AED 3,500 basic, AED 6,000 housing allowance, AED 2,500 transport. That can fall short of the family threshold on paper.
Ask the employer's PRO how the contract will be registered before you sign, and negotiate the split, not just the total. In doubt? Davidson & Co., our legal partner, can advise on your specific case.
If you set up a mainland or free zone company, the licence lets the company sponsor you as an investor or partner. This is the route most consultants and founders use.
Licence and visa package prices are set by more than 40 free zones and change often. Any figure on a setup agent's website is a lead, not a source. Get the fee schedule from the authority itself.
Our UAE Business Setup Guide covers licence choice properly. Creative Zone, one of our partners, handles the licence and the linked investor visa as one process. We name partners where a reader is likely to need the service; it does not change what we write about the rules.
Creative Zone is a trusted partner helping entrepreneurs establish their companies in the UAE, from free zone to mainland.
A five-year, self-sponsored residence. You can change jobs, freelance or take a break without your visa being cancelled, and you can sponsor your family, including first-degree relatives. OFFICIAL u.ae and ICP
A UAE employment contract, a role at MoHRE skill level 1, 2 or 3, a bachelor's degree, and at least AED 15,000 a month.
A MoHRE freelance or self-employment permit, a bachelor's degree or specialised diploma, and evidence of annual income from self-employment for the previous two years of at least AED 360,000, or proof of financial solvency.
In a UAE commercial activity.
Indicative all-in cost is AED 3,700 to 4,900. MARKET If you already hold an employment visa and meet the test, ask your employer to support the switch.
The official wording is "annual income from self-employment for the previous two years amounting to not less than AED 360,000". Some advisers read that as AED 360,000 in each year, others as the total across two years. VERIFY
If your income sits between the two readings, confirm with ICP or GDRFA before you apply. In doubt? Davidson & Co., our legal partner, can advise on your specific case.
"Freelance visa" is not one product. It is a permit to trade in your own name plus a residence visa, and there are three ways to get the pair.
A free zone freelance permit. Dubai's GoFreelance scheme (media, tech, education and design activities) is the best known; Abu Dhabi has twofour54 for media and a freelancer licence from the Department of Economic Development; Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Ajman and Fujairah zones offer cheaper versions. The zone then sponsors your residence.
A MoHRE freelance or self-employment permit, often used by people who already hold residence through a spouse, a Golden Visa or a Green Visa and only need the right to work.
The Green Visa freelance route above, once your income reaches AED 360,000 a year.
We have deliberately not printed a freelance permit price. We could not confirm one on a government or free zone authority page, and the figures on setup agents' websites contradict each other by a wide margin. VERIFY
Ask the free zone authority for its current tariff, and remember the permit is only one line: the establishment card, residence visa, medical, Emirates ID and insurance come on top.
Two things freelancers miss. Your permit lists specific activities, and invoicing outside them is a breach. And residence gives you the right to live here, while the permit gives you the right to work; you need both in date.
Officially the residence visa for working outside the UAE. It is for people employed by a company abroad who want to live here for a year. OFFICIAL ICP and GDRFA
Many pages still quote USD 5,000. That figure dates from the visa's launch in 2021 and is out of date.
Budget AED 1,500 to 1,700 in Dubai for government and service fees. MARKET
A 10-year, self-sponsored, renewable residence. You can stay outside the UAE for more than six months without losing it, sponsor your spouse, children and parents, and change jobs freely. OFFICIAL u.ae, ICP and DLD
| Category | Main requirement | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Property investor | Property valued at AED 2 million or more in your name. One or more properties can be combined. Mortgaged property qualifies with a bank no-objection letter | 10 years |
| Public investor | AED 2 million in an accredited UAE investment fund, or AED 2 million in company capital, or a company paying AED 250,000 a year in tax | 10 years |
| Entrepreneur | Project valued at AED 500,000 or more with approval from an accredited incubator | 5 years |
| Skilled professional | Employment contract at MoHRE level 1 or 2, bachelor's degree, salary of AED 30,000 a month | 10 years |
| Doctors, scientists, specialists in priority fields | Approval or nomination from the relevant ministry or council | 10 years |
| Creatives and athletes | Letter from the emirate's culture authority or sports council | 10 years |
| Outstanding students | High school top performers: 5 years. University graduates with a high GPA: 10 years | 5 or 10 years |
| Humanitarian pioneers and frontline workers | Recognition or length of service | 10 years |
Older guides list a AED 10 million bank deposit or public investment, a "5-year Golden Visa" for skilled workers, or retirees with AED 1 million as a Golden Visa category. None of those matches current published rules. The investment threshold is AED 2 million, skilled professionals receive 10 years, and retirement is a separate 5-year visa covered below.
Official pages state a salary of AED 30,000. Secondary sources disagree on whether that means basic salary or total salary including allowances, and practice has differed between emirates. VERIFY
If you are near the line, confirm with ICP or GDRFA before you apply. In doubt? Davidson & Co., our legal partner, can advise on your specific case.
u.ae's summary table has shown "5 years" for real estate investors, while ICP and the Dubai Land Department's own service page state 10. We follow ICP and DLD.
DLD publishes a full fee schedule for the 10-year investor permit. OFFICIAL checked 2 October 2026
| Item | AED |
|---|---|
| Medical examination | 700 |
| Emirates ID (10 years) | 1,153 |
| Residency permit (10 years) | 2,856.75 |
| Dubai Land Department fees | 4,020 |
| Administrative fees | 1,155 |
| Total, main applicant | 9,884.75 |
| Each family member, 10 years | 5,774.50 |
| Family file opening | 318.75 |
DLD states a service time of 7 to 10 business days from a complete file. You must be inside the UAE to finish the process.
Be wary of any site quoting a single low "Golden Visa fee" or a "success rate". No authority publishes approval rates, and the real cost depends on the category and emirate.
Emirate-level bodies can nominate people in categories that have widened through 2025 and 2026: long-serving nurses and educators, digital creators, e-sports professionals, and donors to Dubai's endowments foundation among them. REPORTED These run through the nominating body, and the criteria are published by that body rather than by ICP. Treat anyone offering to sell a nomination as a scam.
For nomination-based and investor cases with a company behind them, a licensed lawyer earns their fee. Davidson & Co., our legal partner, is the firm we suggest speaking to.
The Blue Visa is a 10-year residence for people with a documented record in environmental protection and sustainability, applied for through ICP or by nomination. OFFICIAL
This is the subject where wrong numbers do the most damage, because people turn down jobs over them.
or AED 3,000 plus accommodation
Any resident, employer or employee, can sponsor family at that level regardless of job title. OFFICIAL u.ae, checked 2 October 2026
You will still see AED 10,000 quoted for Dubai and Abu Dhabi and AED 8,000 elsewhere. There is no such federal rule.
With an attested marriage certificate
Unmarried, at any age
Up to the age of 25. Beyond 25 if they are in full-time higher education on a course of at least a year OFFICIAL
Apply for the residence visa within 120 days of birth. Fines of AED 50 a day apply after that OFFICIAL
Subject to conditions, on one-year renewable visas OFFICIAL
On visas granted one year at a time regardless of the length of your own OFFICIAL
The idea that sons must leave at 18 is out of date and has not been the rule for several years.
Entry permit for each family member through ICP or GDRFA, or a change of status if they are already here.
Medical fitness test for everyone aged 18 and over.
Emirates ID for everyone, children included.
Residence visa issued. You have 60 days from their entry to complete it. OFFICIAL
You will need your Emirates ID, salary certificate or contract, a registered tenancy contract (Ejari in Dubai, Tawtheeq in Abu Dhabi), health insurance for each dependant, and attested, Arabic-translated marriage and birth certificates.
Your dependants' visas are tied to yours. If yours is cancelled, theirs must be too, but they get a six-month grace period to find a new sponsor or residence route. OFFICIAL The common claim that a divorced spouse "must leave" is wrong on the same basis; widows and divorcees also have their own residence routes.
The federal page confirms parents can be sponsored on yearly visas but gives no salary figure. u.ae cites Dubai practice, via Amer, of AED 20,000 a month. Amer centre guidance and press reports add a discretionary humanitarian route at about AED 10,000, a refundable deposit per parent, a consulate dependency letter, and a requirement to sponsor both parents together. MARKET
Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates process through ICP with their own practice. Ask the authority in your emirate before you promise your parents anything.
In doubt? Davidson & Co., our legal partner, can advise on your specific case.
The current federal sponsorship page is gender-neutral on the AED 4,000 test, and notes that a mother can sponsor her children in special cases approved by ICP. Older official content, now archived on u.ae, describes a higher bar: AED 10,000 a month (or AED 8,000 plus accommodation), limited in Abu Dhabi to listed professions, and in Dubai subject to special permission. Counter staff still apply versions of this. VERIFY
If you are a woman planning to sponsor your husband, get written confirmation from GDRFA or ICP before he resigns.
In doubt? Davidson & Co., our legal partner, can advise on your specific case.
For schools, housing and the rest of a family move, see Moving to Dubai With a Family and Moving to Abu Dhabi.
A five-year renewable residence for people aged 55 and over. This is the one route where two government sources give different numbers.
At least 55 at retirement and at least 15 years of work inside or outside the UAE, plus one of:
The same page says that to apply from Dubai, annual fixed income must be at least AED 240,000.
OFFICIAL checked 2 October 2026
Aged 55 or over, plus one of four options:
OFFICIAL checked 2 October 2026
u.ae says AED 240,000 a year for Dubai applications. Dubai's own page says AED 180,000. Both are government sources. VERIFY
Until one is corrected, confirm with GDRFA before you structure a pension drawdown around either number.
In doubt? Davidson & Co., our legal partner, can advise on your specific case.
The retirement visa does not permit salaried work. If you can put AED 2 million into property instead, the Golden Visa is longer and more flexible.
Three different visas get lumped together under this heading.
| Visa | Where | Threshold | Validity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Visa, property route | Any emirate | AED 2 million in value | 10 years |
| Dubai property investor visa | Dubai only | No minimum for sole owners of a completed property since 29 April 2026. Joint owners AED 400,000 each | 2 years |
| Retirement visa, property option | See above | AED 1 million, with conditions | 5 years |
For the Dubai 2-year visa, apply through the Dubai Land Department. Off-plan property does not qualify for this visa, though it can for the Golden Visa. REPORTED on the April 2026 change; the DLD platform was updated without a published decree
The removal of the AED 750,000 minimum is confirmed by Khaleej Times and Fragomen but not, at the time of writing, by a decree we can cite. If your purchase decision depends on the visa, get DLD's confirmation in writing first. We could not confirm an equivalent low-threshold property visa in Abu Dhabi. VERIFY
In doubt? Davidson & Co., our legal partner, can advise on your specific case.
A property visa is a reason to buy only if you would buy anyway. Our expat property buying guide and Dubai vs Abu Dhabi property comparison cover the purchase itself.
A student residence visa is not a work permit. Part-time work and internships need a separate permit from MoHRE or the free zone, and agents quote differing hour limits. VERIFY Ask the university's student affairs office what applies on your campus.
If you plan to employ a live-in nanny, housekeeper, cook or driver, you are the sponsor and the employer, with legal duties under Federal Decree-Law No. 9 of 2022 on domestic workers. LAW
Household income of at least AED 25,000 a month to sponsor directly. Families who need a carer for medical reasons qualify at AED 15,000. REPORTED MoHRE statement via WAM
Use a MoHRE-licensed domestic worker centre (the service many people still call Tadbeer), where the centre is the sponsor and you pay a monthly or package fee.
Applications run through MoHRE-licensed centres, then entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and residence as for any other visa.
A registered contract in the MoHRE standard form, wages paid on time, health insurance, a weekly rest day, annual leave and a return ticket at the end of the contract. Keeping the worker's passport is unlawful.
Cost: Gulf News, quoting a licensed centre, puts a two-year domestic worker visa at AED 8,500 to 17,000 depending on the package. MARKET The worker's salary, insurance and flights are on top.
Press reports differ on whether expatriate sponsors receive a one-year or two-year domestic worker visa. VERIFY Confirm validity, total cost and refund terms with the licensed centre and on mohre.gov.ae before paying anything.
Short, because these are not relocation routes, but they are how many relocations start.
Government fees are lower than people expect. Totals climb because of the medical, Emirates ID, insurance, typing and status-change fees.
| Item | Indicative cost (AED) | Tier | Who pays on an employment visa |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry permit, applicant outside the UAE | 1,000 to 1,150 | MARKET | Employer |
| Change of status, applicant inside the UAE | 650 to 700 | MARKET | Employer |
| Medical fitness test, Dubai standard | 250 | LAW | Employer |
| Medical fitness test, Dubai Smart Salem fast track | 700 | LAW | Employer |
| Emirates ID card | 100 per year of validity, plus 40 online or 70 at a typing centre | OFFICIAL | Employer |
| Residence visa issuance | 500 to 600 | MARKET | Employer |
| Health insurance, federal basic package | From 320 a year | OFFICIAL | Employer for the employee |
| MoFA attestation | 150 per personal document | OFFICIAL | Usually you |
| Unemployment insurance (ILOE) | 60 to 120 a year | OFFICIAL | Employee |
| Standard 2-year residence, all-in | 3,000 to 7,000 per person | MARKET | |
| Family member, each | 3,000 to 5,500 | MARKET | Sponsor |
| Green Visa | 3,700 to 4,900 | MARKET | You |
| Golden Visa, Dubai property route | 9,884.75 | OFFICIAL | You |
Fees differ between ICP and GDRFA, between applying inside and outside the country, and between typing centres. Each authority's portal shows the exact fee before you pay. Treat the ranges here as a budget, not a quote.
If an employer asks you to pay for your own work visa, that breaches the Labour Law and can be reported to MoHRE.
If an agent's price is far above these ranges, ask for an itemised government-fee breakdown.
For the wider budget, see the UAE Cost of Living Guide 2026.
The Emirates ID is your residence visa in physical form. It is issued by ICP in every emirate, including Dubai, and you will use it for banking, tenancy, phone contracts, healthcare and airport e-gates. Our government services guide covers day-to-day use.
It is unlawful for an employer or landlord to hold your Emirates ID. OFFICIAL
Required for every residence applicant aged 18 or over, at first issue and at renewal. OFFICIAL
The list of conditions screened and the consequences of a positive result vary by visa category and profession, and are set out on u.ae's page on health conditions for a residence visa. If you have a relevant medical history, read that page and take advice before you apply, not after.
In doubt? Davidson & Co., our legal partner, can advise on your specific case.
Health insurance is mandatory for residence in all seven emirates since the rules were completed on 1 January 2025. You cannot be issued a residence visa, or renew one, without a policy. OFFICIAL
For a proper comparison, see our health insurance guide for expats.
Working from a complete, paid file, for a family of four on an employment visa.
| What | Working days | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Work permit and entry permit approval | 3 to 10 | Longer if a professional licence is needed |
| Medical fitness test | 1 to 4 | Same-day or 30 minutes at a Smart Salem centre |
| Emirates ID biometrics | 1 to 2 | Walk-in at most ICP centres with an appointment |
| Residence visa issuance | 2 to 5 | Electronic, no passport sticker |
| Emirates ID card printing and delivery | 5 to 10 | Digital version usable immediately |
| Everything else for the family | 2 to 4 weeks | Dependants are a separate file each |
| Golden Visa, Dubai property route | 7 to 10 business days | DLD's stated service time |
| Dubai tourist visa approvals in 2026 | 48 hours | Through authorised tourism offices |
Realistic planning: allow 2 to 3 weeks from landing to holding the Emirates ID for a single applicant, and 4 to 6 weeks for a whole family. Ramadan, Eid, and any change to typhoid vaccination requirements add delay.
Ten steps, in the order you will meet them.
Employer or free zone applies to MoHRE for the work permit.
ICP or GDRFA issues the entry permit. You travel, or change status in-country.
Medical fitness test at an approved centre.
Emirates ID biometrics.
Residence visa issued electronically. Work permit activated.
Health insurance confirmed and registered.
Attest and translate marriage and birth certificates for the family file.
Entry permits for spouse and children, or change of status if they are already here.
Medical, Emirates ID and residence for each dependant.
Register the tenancy, open the bank account, enrol the children. Deadlines here are covered in UAE Banking Guide for Expats and Schools in Dubai.
Foreign certificates only count once they have been legalised. This is the step that most often delays family visas and degree-dependent jobs.
Notarisation or certification in the issuing country
Legalisation by that country's foreign ministry
Attestation by the UAE embassy or consulate in that country
Attestation by MoFA in the UAE
Certified Arabic translation, where the receiving authority requires it
OFFICIAL MoFA, checked 2 October 2026
Which documents. Degree certificates for skilled roles and the Green, Golden and jobseeker visas. Marriage certificates to sponsor a spouse. Birth certificates to sponsor children.
A police clearance, English test results and home-country bank statements are often listed online as "essential documents". None is a general requirement for a UAE residence visa. Some employers and regulators ask for a police clearance; ask before you pay for one.
Fees and turnaround for steps 1 to 3 are set by your home country and the UAE mission there, and vary widely. We have seen three to six weeks per document quoted. MARKET Check the UAE embassy page for your country, and start before you resign.
The pre-arrival checklist sequences attestation with everything else.
The law is federal. The counters, portals and some practices are not.
| Item | Dubai | Abu Dhabi |
|---|---|---|
| Residence authority | GDRFA Dubai | ICP |
| Where you go in person | Amer centres | ICP customer happiness centres and typing centres; TAMM for emirate services |
| Emirates ID | ICP | ICP |
| Medical fitness | Dubai Health centres, Smart Salem fast track | Disease prevention and screening centres |
| Tenancy registration for family visas | Ejari | Tawtheeq |
| Health insurance for dependants | Sponsor's responsibility | Employer covers spouse and up to three children under 18 MARKET |
| Low-value property visa | Yes, 2 years, through DLD | Not confirmed VERIFY |
| Retirement programme | Own four-option programme | Federal rules through ICP |
| Golden Visa channels | GDRFA, DLD for property, Dubai Culture for creatives | ICP and the Abu Dhabi Residents Office |
| Freelance permit | GoFreelance and other free zones | twofour54, Department of Economic Development licence |
| Traffic fines and visa services | Linked since 2026 REPORTED | Not reported |
A visa issued in one emirate lets you live and work across the UAE, subject to your work permit. But your file stays with the issuing authority, so a Dubai visa is renewed through GDRFA even if you live in Abu Dhabi. If you are choosing between the two, see Which UAE Emirate Is Right for You?
Start here, not at a search engine. Lookalike "visa service" sites pay to appear above the real ones.
| What you need | Where to go |
|---|---|
| Rules for every visa type, in plain English | u.ae: Visa and Emirates ID |
| Applications outside Dubai; Emirates ID everywhere | ICP Smart Services and the UAEICP app |
| Applications in Dubai | GDRFA Dubai and the GDRFA Dubai app, or an Amer centre |
| Work permits, contracts, domestic workers, complaints | MoHRE |
| Document attestation | MoFA and the UAE MOFA app |
| Golden Visa and 2-year visa through Dubai property | Dubai Land Department |
| Dubai retirement programme | Invest in Dubai: retirement residency |
| Federal retirement rules | u.ae: residence visa for the retired |
| Family sponsorship rules | u.ae: residence visa for family members |
| Abu Dhabi government services | TAMM |
| Medical fitness in Dubai | Dubai Health |
| Questions to ICP | Call 600 522222 |
All government portals accept UAE Pass once you have an Emirates ID.
A guide can tell you what the published rules say. It cannot tell you how those rules apply to your contract, your family or your history. For most employment visas you will not need anyone: your employer's PRO does the work. Take advice before you act if any of these apply.
| Your situation | Why it needs a professional | Who we suggest |
|---|---|---|
| Any box in this guide marked VERIFY decides your move | Official sources conflict or are silent, so the answer depends on current practice | Davidson & Co. |
| A woman sponsoring her husband, or anyone sponsoring parents | Practice varies by emirate and is partly discretionary | Davidson & Co. |
| Golden Visa by nomination, or through property held with others or through a company | Eligibility turns on documents and structure, not just a number | Davidson & Co. |
| A previous overstay, visa refusal, absconding report or travel ban | These can block a new application and need resolving first | Davidson & Co. |
| A dispute with an employer over visa costs, cancellation or a labour ban | Employment law and immigration status are linked | Davidson & Co. |
| A relevant medical history before the fitness test | The consequences of a result depend on category and profession | Davidson & Co. |
| Setting up a company to sponsor your own visa | The licence, visa quota and structure must line up | Creative Zone |
| Health cover for dependants your employer does not insure | Plans, networks and exclusions differ widely | Pacific Prime |
Davidson & Co. is a UAE law firm and Relocate2UAE's legal partner for immigration and employment questions. You can reach them through our partners page or ask us for an introduction on WhatsApp. Any advice they give you is their own, under their own terms of engagement, and is a matter between you and the firm.
Whoever you use, ask for government fees to be itemised separately from service fees, and be wary of anyone who guarantees an approval. Nobody outside the authorities can.
As a Chartered Accountant who went through this process recently, I cannot stress enough the importance of proper documentation and understanding the financial implications. The UAE visa process is systematic and predictable if you follow the requirements precisely. My advice: invest in proper document attestation and don't cut corners on required procedures. The initial investment in doing it right saves time, money, and stress later.
Paul Phillips FCA, Abu Dhabi
Most of these are avoidable with one phone call before you act.
People read AED 10,000 for Dubai, assume they cannot bring their family and reject the offer. The federal threshold is AED 4,000. Check the rule for your case, not a forum post from 2019, before you say no.
A total package figure is not the same as registered basic salary. Ask the employer's PRO how the contract will be filed and how it affects family sponsorship, a Green Visa or Emirates ID renewal.
You need AED 2 million in value, the right documents, and a bank no-objection letter where the property is mortgaged. A AED 1 million apartment does not get you a Golden Visa.
The old 10-day tourist grace period is gone and the fine is AED 50 a day. Sort out your status before the visa expires, not after.
No authority publishes approval rates for any UAE visa. Anyone quoting a percentage is inventing it. A reputable adviser will describe your case, not a figure.
Marriage and birth certificates must be attested at home, then by MoFA, and translated into Arabic. Getting that wrong can add weeks to a family move.
A visit or tourist visa never permits work, paid or unpaid. Getting caught risks a ban and affects your employer too. Change status properly.
Some conditions, and some professions, have specific screening rules. Reviewing them before you pay for a file is free. Finding out later is not.
Keeping your documents is unlawful. If it happens, and it is not resolved internally, you can ask MoHRE or the relevant authority to intervene.
Beyond the Emirates ID late fee, an expired residence visa exposes you to overstay fines and blocks travel back in. Diary the date 60 days before it expires.
Golden Visa (AED 2 million, 10 years, off-plan possible) and the Dubai 2-year property visa (no minimum for sole owners of a completed unit) are different products with different platforms. Applying for one when you qualify for the other wastes months.
No one can guarantee a government decision. A legitimate adviser charges for preparation and representation, and tells you the honest constraints of your case.
Most delays we see do not come from the authorities. They come from documents that were never attested, an offer where the salary split was never checked, or a flight booked before the entry permit was confirmed. Spend an hour on those three things before you commit to anything else.
Where a figure is not on a government page we say so, and name where it comes from. We use established UAE lawyers and compliance firms, the established national newspapers of record, and the news agency of the UAE. We do not use setup agents' marketing pages, relocation companies' price lists, or recruitment firms' guides as the source of a legal requirement.
This guide is general information about UAE residence and entry rules as at the review date shown at the top. It is not legal, immigration, tax or financial advice, and it does not create a professional relationship. Relocate2UAE is an independent information platform: we are not a law firm, not a licensed immigration adviser, and not affiliated with any government body.
Immigration and residence rules change frequently, are applied differently between emirates and between individual officers, and depend on facts specific to you. We make no warranty and accept no liability for any loss arising from reliance on this guide. Before you act, confirm the position with the relevant authority, or take advice from a licensed UAE lawyer. The authority handling your application has the final word.
Nothing on this page is an offer to provide legal services or to obtain a visa on your behalf. Where you need representation, we suggest Davidson & Co., our legal partner, or another firm of your choosing.
Partners and disclosure. Some links on this page go to Relocate2UAE partners, including Creative Zone, which may earn us a commission. That does not affect what we write about the rules, and no partner reviews this content before publication.
Corrections. If you believe something here is wrong or out of date, tell us via the contact page and we will correct it and note the change.
Answers we get asked for repeatedly, with the source tier shown so you know how firm each one is.
The visa is the first logistics problem. These cover the rest of the move.
The full relocation walkthrough, from offer to settled.
Read guideHow the capital differs on housing, schools and licensing.
Read guideMainland, free zone and offshore, and the visa quota each carries.
Read guideOpening an account, transferring money and avoiding salary-transfer pitfalls.
Read guideFreehold areas, mortgages, fees and the visa implications.
Read guideWhat rent, schooling, healthcare and transport actually cost.
Read guideLast verified 2 October 2026. Next scheduled review 1 December 2026, and we re-check sooner where an authority announces a change. Spotted something out of date? Tell us.
So you can judge each figure for yourself, and so the next person to review this guide knows what was checked and when.
Dubai retirement income figure; basic versus total salary for the Golden Visa; female-sponsor practice; Abu Dhabi dependant insurance cost share; freelance permit prices; domestic worker visa validity for expatriate sponsors; student part-time work limits; Abu Dhabi low-value property visa; the reading of the Green Visa freelance income test. On any of these, confirm with the authority or speak to a licensed UAE lawyer such as Davidson & Co. before you act.
Setup agents, typing centres' marketing pages, free zone blogs and visa resellers. Where the only figures available came from those, we have left the figure out and said so.
Rules change without much notice. The official pages linked above outrank anything written here. If you spot something that has moved, tell us on WhatsApp and we will fix it.