Residence visas in the UAE
There are several routes to UAE residency, and each has its own eligibility rules, duration and sponsor. This page compares them, with the typical costs and the dates you need to keep. Pick a route below, or ask us which one fits your case; there is no charge for that first answer.
The main UAE residence routes are the employment or partner visa (2 years, sponsored by your company), the golden visa (10 years in Dubai under GDRFA rules, self-sponsored, with property of AED 2M or more as the best-known route), the green visa (5 years, self-sponsored, income-tested), freelance permits and family sponsorship. Every route ends with the same steps: entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and issue of the residence visa. The routes differ in eligibility, duration and who sponsors whom. A missed renewal date can mean fines or a cancelled visa, so we price each step upfront and keep every renewal on a calendar.
- A standard residence visa lapses after 180 days outside the UAE. Golden visa holders are exempt from this rule (GDRFA).
- A company-sponsored visa costs about AED 5,500 all-in and is issued for two years, while the trade licence renews every year. If the company closes, the visas it sponsors are cancelled; a golden or green visa continues only where you qualify on your own route.
- Family sponsorship needs a salary of AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation, and costs roughly AED 4,200 per dependant plus a refundable deposit.
- The medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics must be done in the UAE, so no residence visa can be completed entirely from abroad.
- Eligibility is set by published rules. No agent controls quotas or can guarantee approval.
The main residence routes at a glance
Employment or partner visa through your own company: the standard 2-year route for founders and staff. Golden visa: 10 years in Dubai for property owners (AED 2M or more), investors, entrepreneurs, skilled professionals and other talent categories. Green visa: 5 years, self-sponsored, for skilled employees, freelancers and investors who meet the income or investment tests. Freelance visa: a permit plus residency without a full company. Family sponsorship: spouses, children and, if your income allows, parents.
Two further routes sit alongside them: a remote-work visa (one year, for people employed by a company abroad) and a retirement visa (five years, for people aged 55 and over who meet the work-history and financial criteria). The right choice depends on who can sponsor you, how long you plan to stay and whether your residency needs to continue if a company closes or a job ends. We settle that question first.
Steps every visa route shares
Whatever the route, the process ends in the same five steps: entry permit, change of status (or an in-country amendment), a medical fitness test, Emirates ID biometrics and issue of the residence visa. The medical test and the biometrics require you to be in the UAE, so no residence visa can be completed from abroad.
The real difference between routes is who sponsors whom. A company sponsors its owners and staff; golden and green visa holders sponsor themselves on the strength of their assets or income; a resident sponsors their family. Once the sponsor is clear, the order of the paperwork follows from it, so we confirm the sponsor before any form is filed.
Residence visa routes compared
| Route | Duration | Sponsor | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Employment / partner | 2 years | Your company | Founders and staff of a UAE entity |
| Golden visa | 10 years (Dubai) | Self | AED 2M property, investors, specialists, high earners |
| Green visa | 5 years | Self | Skilled employees, freelancers, investors meeting income tests |
| Freelance | 2 years | Self (via permit) | Solo professionals invoicing in their own name |
| Family | Follows sponsor | A resident | Spouse, children, income-permitting parents |
| Remote work | 1 year | Self | Employees of a foreign company living here |
The two long-stay routes each have their own page, worth reading before you commit: the golden visa for applicants who qualify on assets, investment or salary, and the green visa for skilled workers and freelancers who meet the income test without buying property.
Company-sponsored or self-sponsored visa
The practical difference is durability. An employment or partner visa costs about AED 5,500 all-in on top of the licence and is quick to issue, but it depends on the company: if the company closes, the visa is cancelled too, and it cannot be renewed while the licence has lapsed. The visa is issued for two years; the licence renews every year.
Golden and green visas are self-sponsored when you qualify on your own route, such as property you own or documented freelance income. In that case they continue through a company closure or a break in trading. A visa granted on an employment-based route still depends on the job that qualified you, so check the conditions of your route. For a founder planning to stay long term, the usual sequence is a company visa now, to run the business, and a self-sponsored route later, once a qualifying asset or income level exists for its own reasons. Buying an asset only to obtain a visa rarely makes sense.
Family sponsorship costs and requirements
A resident can sponsor a spouse and children and, if their income allows, parents. The minimum salary is AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation (u.ae). Parents need a much higher income (in Dubai, AED 20,000 a month), each dependant needs health insurance, and a refundable deposit is held for each one.
Budget around AED 4,200 per dependant plus the deposit (estimates). Sons can be sponsored up to the age of 25, unmarried daughters with no age limit, and children with special needs as well (u.ae). We keep each family member on the same tracker as the sponsor, so no dependant’s expiry date is missed. See family sponsorship for the documents, and relocation if the whole household is moving at once.
Visa rules that often cause problems
Most of the trouble comes from a handful of rules. The 180-day absence rule is the best known: a standard residence visa is cancelled if the holder stays outside the UAE for more than six continuous months. Golden visa holders are exempt (GDRFA). For employees, wages must be paid through the Wage Protection System (WPS), and an employer that does not comply can have its visa services frozen. Then there is the end-of-service gratuity, which accrues from the first day of employment and is paid out on cancellation, so it belongs in the budget from the start.
Days spent in the UAE also count towards the tax residency tests, so the same calendar that keeps a visa valid can support an application for a Tax Residency Certificate. It makes sense to plan the two together.
How we handle visa work
We quote a set fee per person, with government fees passed on at cost, and keep a shared tracker with every family member and expiry date. The order of work depends on the route: the company comes first if the company is the sponsor, and income evidence comes first if the route is self-sponsored. You can run the numbers in the visa calculator before committing, and our PRO services cover the counter work (typing, translations, attestations) that otherwise takes up your time.
Eligibility for every route is set out in the rules, and no agent can guarantee a golden visa or sell a larger quota. What we do is check which route you qualify for before you pay anyone, and prepare a complete file so it is not returned for missing documents.
Duration and sponsor by route
Frequently asked questions
How long does a residence visa take?
Can I hold a UAE visa without living in the UAE?
What does a visa cost all-in?
What is the difference between an employment visa and an investor or partner visa?
Which government body issues UAE residence visas?
Can I switch from an employment visa to a golden visa?
This is general information on UAE rules. It is not legal, tax or immigration advice for your situation. Rules and government fees change; we confirm the position for your facts in writing before you act.