Green visa in the UAE: requirements, costs and process
The green visa gives five years of self-sponsored residence to skilled employees, freelancers and self-employed people who can document their qualifications and income. No employer sponsors you, and no AED 2M asset is needed.
The UAE green visa is a 5-year, self-sponsored residence visa: no employer stands behind it and no AED 2M asset is required. Two main groups qualify. Skilled employees need a valid UAE employment contract at MOHRE skill level 1, 2 or 3, a bachelor’s degree and a salary of at least AED 15,000 a month. Freelancers and the self-employed need a MOHRE freelance or self-employment permit, a bachelor’s degree or specialised diploma, and annual income of at least AED 360,000 over the previous two years, or proof of financial solvency. Holders can sponsor their family and have a grace period of up to 6 months after the visa ends. The income evidence is the part of the file that needs the most preparation.
- Five years of residence that you sponsor yourself, with no employer tie and no AED 2M property behind it.
- Skilled employees need a salary of at least AED 15,000 a month, a bachelor’s degree and a UAE contract at MOHRE skill level 1, 2 or 3.
- Freelancers and the self-employed need a MOHRE permit and at least AED 360,000 a year of income over the previous two years, or proof of financial solvency.
- Holders can sponsor a spouse and children, and have a grace period of up to 6 months after the visa is cancelled or expires.
- A freelance application depends on a documented income record. Income received in cash that cannot be traced is hard to evidence.
What the UAE green visa is
The green visa is a residence permit introduced in the UAE’s 2022 visa reforms. Its defining feature is the sponsor: you sponsor yourself. A standard employment visa ties your residence to one employer, and when that job ends the grace period starts. The green visa is issued for five years, can be renewed, and is unaffected by a change of job, the loss of a client or a company restructure, because none of those is your sponsor. That is the main reason skilled professionals choose it when they want to live in the UAE without tying their residence to one company.
It sits between two better-known permits. Above it is the golden visa: ten years in Dubai (GDRFA; check the issuing emirate), but usually tied to an AED 2M property or a nomination. Below it is the ordinary employment visa. The green visa is the step most professionals can reach on qualifications and income rather than capital, so for many the realistic plan is a green visa now and a golden visa later.
Green visa requirements for employees and freelancers
There are two main routes, and they are evidenced differently. Skilled employees need a bachelor’s degree or equivalent, a valid UAE employment contract classified at MOHRE skill level 1, 2 or 3, and a monthly salary of at least AED 15,000. Freelancers and the self-employed need a freelance or self-employment permit from MOHRE, a bachelor’s degree, specialised diploma or equivalent, and annual income from that work of at least AED 360,000 over the previous two years, or proof of financial solvency. Investors and business partners have a separate green visa route based on their investment and licences.
| Requirement | Skilled employee | Freelancer / self-employed |
|---|---|---|
| Qualification | Bachelor’s degree or equivalent | Bachelor’s degree, specialised diploma or equivalent |
| Legal basis | UAE employment contract at MOHRE skill level 1–3 | MOHRE freelance or self-employment permit |
| Income test | At least AED 15,000 a month | At least AED 360,000 a year over the previous 2 years, or proof of financial solvency |
| Sponsor | Self | Self |
Neither route is a formality. The employee route depends on the contract’s skill classification as much as on the salary. The freelance route depends almost entirely on whether two years of income appear in documents. A freelance permit is the usual first step for the second group, and getting the order right saves time.
Family sponsorship and the grace period
Green visa holders can sponsor a spouse and children, including sons up to the age of 25 and unmarried daughters with no age limit, subject to the usual family sponsorship requirements. If bringing your family is the main reason for the move, check those requirements alongside your own eligibility. The details are on our family sponsorship page.
The second practical benefit is the grace period. When a standard visa is cancelled or expires, you usually have a short period to leave or change status. A green visa extends that to up to six months, which gives you time to arrange the next step without a rushed departure. That matters most for people whose work runs in cycles, such as gaps between contracts, seasonal work or a company being wound down.
Green visa compared with other UAE visas
Compared with an employment visa, the green visa’s advantage is independence: changing jobs does not affect your residence. Compared with the freelance visa, it offers the same independence for five years instead of one to three, in exchange for a stricter income test. Compared with the golden visa, it needs far less capital and runs for half as long. For a professional whose assets are still growing, a green visa first and a golden visa later is a sensible sequence.
Founders should consider it too. A company owner who qualifies can hold a green visa instead of an investor visa tied to their own licence. If the company pauses, restructures or moves to another zone, their personal residence is not affected. The green visa separates where you live from the state of your business.
Documents for a green visa application
On both routes the outcome depends on the documents. For employees these are the attested degree, a contract at the right skill level and a salary that clearly meets AED 15,000. Freelancers have the harder task: two years of income of at least AED 360,000 that a case officer can verify through bank statements, invoices, signed contracts, and tax or accounting records that agree with each other.
How we handle a green visa application
Our service is narrow. We check your eligibility against the documents you hold, arrange the freelance permit first where that is the route, and file the application. The fee is a flat amount and includes a clear answer if you do not yet qualify, with a list of what is missing, so you do not pay for a separate consultation.
If you are also setting up a company, consider the residence and setup questions together. Our relocation page explains how the visa, tax residency and banking fit together, because doing them in the wrong order is a common cause of avoidable delays.
Green visa at a glance
Frequently asked questions
Is the green visa really self-sponsored?
Can I hold a green visa and own a company?
What documents evidence freelance income?
Green visa or golden visa: which should I get?
Can I switch from an employment visa to a green visa?
Does a green visa give me UAE tax residency?
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.