After the Golden Visa, UAE has now announced yet another new visa. The ‘Green Visa’ is the newest visa in the UAE. The new visa comes with a huge benefit. What, you ask? The Green Visa allows residents to sponsor their parents and children until the age of 25. However, with the new visas in place, UAE is witnessing a rise in the number of foreign students. Read on to know more.
What Is The Green Visa In The UAE?
The Green visa is a new visa launched by the UAE. This new type of residency separates a work permit from a residency permit. The green visa allows employees to have their own residencies and will not be sponsored by any company. The Green visa will be available to top talent in the region, investors, business people, exceptional students and experts.
What Are The Benefits Of Green Visa?
The Green visa has several benefits. The visa is different from a regular residency visa as it will allow people to sponsor their parents and children until the age of 25. Once the visa expires, Green visa holders will be given a grace period of 90- 180 days to renew it. A regular UAE residency visa must be renewed within 30 days.
What Are The Other Visas Available In The UAE?
1. 5-Year Multi-Entry Tourist Visa
In a bid to strengthen the UAE’s status as a global economic capital, His Highness approved a multiple-entry tourist visa for all nationalities. The visa permits travelers across the globe visit UAE multiple times, within five years for up to 90 days for each visit. Sheikh Mohammed said the first- of-its-kind visa is aimed at establishing the UAE as a major ‘global tourism destination’ and preparing the country for the next 50 years. At present, UAE welcomes about 21 million visitors each year and this move is expected to provide a boost to the tourism industry and make it easier for residents to invite relatives to the country for visits.
During a cabinet meeting I chaired, we approved a new Remote work Visa that enables employees from all over the world to live and work remotely from the UAE even if their companies are based in another country.. pic.twitter.com/Hyp8HU8T6r
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) March 21, 2021
2. Remote Working Visas
Ever since the pandemic broke out, work from home has become the new norm. Dubai launched a unique new programme that enables overseas remote working professionals to live in Dubai while continuing to serve their employers in their home country. The visa aims to attract employers across the globe to relocate to Dubai. Applicants will be eligible all services in Dubai including mobile phone, internet, utilities, and schooling. Besides, they will also be eligible for tax-free salaries, applicable to all UAE residents.
Applicants must have a passport with minimum 6 months validity. In addition, health insurance with UAE coverage validity is also mandatory. All applicants must submit proof of Employment from current employer with a one-year contract validity, a minimum of US$5,000 per month salary, last month’s payslip and 3 preceding months’ bank statements. In case the applicant is a company owner, proof of ownership of company for one year or more, with an average monthly income of US$5,000 per month, and 3 preceding months’ bank statements
To apply for the annual programme, click here. The programme costs US$287 plus medical insurance with valid UAE coverage and processing fee per person.
3. 10 Year Golden Residency Visa
In a big move, the UAE introduced a 10 year golden residency visa in 2020. These are long term visas that are available to specific individuals within the UAE. All doctors, engineers in the fields of computer engineering, electronics, programming, electricity and biotechnology will be eligible for UAE’s10 year visa. In addition, residents who hold degrees in specialised subjects including artificial intelligence, big data and epidemiology and viruses will also be considered. Here’s a list of who is eligible for the 10-year Golden Visa.
- Investors
- Entrepreneurs
- Professional talents
- Researchers in various fields of science and knowledge
- Outstanding students
We launched a new “Golden Card” system to grant permanent residency to investors and exceptional doctors, engineers, scientists and artists. The first batch of 6,800 investors with Dh100 billion worth of investments will be granted the “Golden Card.”
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) May 21, 2019
4. 5-Year Retirement Visa
In September 2018, the UAE Cabinet approved a law to provide retired residents over the age of 55 a long-term visa for a period of 5 years. The visa may be renewed if the eligibility criteria is met.
For a retiree to be eligible for a 5-year renewable retirement visa, he must fulfill one of the following criteria:
- invest in a property worth AED 2 million
- have financial savings of no less than AED 1 million
- have an active income of no less than AED 20,000 per month.
The visa is valid for 5 years with the possibility of renewing it if they meet the eligibility criteria.
5. Students Can Sponsor Their Families
As per a Cabinet resolution approved on January 24, foreign university students can sponsor their family members as long as they can afford suitable housing. The visa allows foreign university students to invite their family members to come to the UAE, as long as they can afford suitable housing.