A UAE residence visa lets a foreign national live in the UAE; since April 2022 the Emirates ID card, not a passport sticker, is the proof of residence. Sponsored visas run 1, 2 or 3 years, unsponsored golden and green visas up to 5 or 10 years (u.ae, updated 13 July 2026). Most people need one of three sponsors: their own company, their employer or a resident family member. ICP issues the visa, or GDRFA in Dubai; free zones file for their own companies. Five steps follow: entry permit or change of status, a medical test at 18 or over, Emirates ID biometrics, the residence permit, the Emirates ID card. You need a passport, photo and your sponsor’s documents.
WhatsApp Amir with your visa route for a written quote
By First Idea Consultant. Reviewed by Amir Aslam, Founder. Updated September 2026.
Who can sponsor you, and which route fits
A residence visa is tied to whoever applies for it. Most people need one of three sponsors; a few visas need none.
| Your situation | Who sponsors you | What the authority says | Read next |
|---|---|---|---|
| I own or am starting a company | Your own company, once it holds an establishment card | Sponsored visas run 1, 2 or 3 years (u.ae general provisions) | Free zone visa |
| I have a job offer | Your employer | “The employer must apply for the standard work visa” (u.ae work visa page) | The requirements table below |
| My spouse or parent lives here | That family member | A minimum salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation (u.ae family visa page) | Family visa UAE |
| I want 5 or 10 years without a sponsor | Nobody: you apply yourself | The golden visa is “valid for 5 or 10 years” (u.ae golden visa page) | Golden visa services |
What a UAE residence visa costs: who charges what
If you want your residence visa through your own company, the company packages that include one visa are on our free zone visa page.
For every other route, the cost is a set of charges made by different authorities, and the table prints a figure only where the authority publishes it. In Dubai, GDRFA issues residence permits; ICP says the residence and Emirates ID applications share one form in every emirate except Dubai.
| Item | Who charges it | ICP published fee | GDRFA Dubai published fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Residence permit issue | ICP, GDRFA or your free zone | Application AED 100, plus AED 100 for each year of residence, plus AED 100 smart service | AED 200, plus Knowledge Dirham AED 10 and Innovation Dirham AED 10; GDRFA adds AED 100 a year when the residency runs over two years |
| Change of status inside the UAE | The same authority | AED 500 status adjustment | AED 500 fee inside the country |
| Emirates ID card, first issue | ICP | AED 100 for each year of residence, plus AED 100 smart service | Issued by ICP |
| Medical fitness test | An approved medical fitness centre (Dubai Health centres in Dubai) | Not an ICP fee | Not a GDRFA fee. The centre shows the fee for each service tier |
| Health insurance | Your insurer or your employer | Listed for family visas at issue, and for work and family permits at renewal (ICP) | No figure |
| Establishment card (company route only) | GDRFA or your free zone | Not shown here | Not shown here |
| First Idea Consultant LLC’s professional fee | First Idea Consultant LLC | On quotation | On quotation |
These are the authorities’ own fees, not First Idea figures and not a total: the route, the emirate, the visa term and a change of status each change the sum.
Send your visa route and the number of visas you need on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Types of UAE residence visa
u.ae’s index lists ten visa names. These are the routes for living in the UAE.
| Visa | Who sponsors it | Validity, as the authority states it | Does First Idea Consultant LLC handle it | Read more |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Partner or investor visa through your own company (free zone or mainland) | Your company, once it holds an establishment card | “1, 2 or 3 years on a sponsored visa” (u.ae); the issuing authority sets the term on your file | Yes, with a new or existing company | Free zone visa |
| Employment visa | Your employer, which “must apply” (u.ae) | “Valid for two years and renewable” (u.ae); GDRFA Dubai states two years, renewable, for private sector workers | Yes, for employers adding staff to their own licence; not for job seekers | Free zone visa |
| Family visa (spouse, children, parents) | A resident family member earning AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation (u.ae) | Follows the sponsor: ICP says family residence matches the sponsor’s permit and cannot exceed it | Yes, quoted in writing | Family visa UAE |
| Golden visa | None | “Valid for 5 or 10 years” depending on the category (u.ae) | Yes | Golden visa services |
| Green visa | None. For skilled workers, freelancers, the self-employed, investors and partners | “A renewable residence visa valid for 5 years” (u.ae). ICP’s residence permit service still lists a green residence category on 21 September 2026 | No. Apply through ICP or GDRFA | u.ae green visa page |
| Property owner visa | Yourself, through a property you own | ICP publishes no term; it requires a completed, registered property owned in full and AED 10,000 a month income or proof of solvency | No. The golden visa by property is on our golden visa page | Golden visa services |
| Freelance visa | The free zone or authority that issues your freelance permit | As the issuer states it | Ask us first; the permit comes before the visa | Types of trade license in Dubai |
| Retirement, student, remote work and blue visas | Yourself, a university, or remote employment abroad | As ICP or u.ae states it for each | No | u.ae visa types |
A visit visa, or a “business visa” for meetings, is not a residence visa. See our note on visit visa rules.
Looking for a UAE business visa?
In the UAE, “business visa” means one of two things: a visit visa to attend meetings, which does not let you live here, or a residence visa as a partner or investor in your own company. The second needs a company first, because the company is your sponsor. Our free zone visa page covers it end to end.
Golden visa or a standard residence visa
| Standard sponsored visa | Golden visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Sponsor | Needed | None |
| Validity | 1, 2 or 3 years | 5 or 10 years |
| More than 180 days in a row outside the UAE | The visa is nullified automatically, with the exceptions u.ae lists | May stay outside longer than the usual six months |
| Who applies | The sponsor | The applicant, through the golden visa route |
How to get a UAE residence visa, step by step
Before you start: your sponsor must be ready
Your sponsor’s own papers come first. For your own company, that is the trade licence and the establishment card, the company’s immigration file. An employer subject to the Labour Relations Law needs a work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE); an exempt employer gives the employment contract and proof of Wage Protection System payment instead (ICP, checked 21 September 2026). A family sponsor needs a valid residence permit, proof of income and housing. The requirements table below lists each route’s documents.
| # | Step | Authority | What happens | Time the authority states |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Entry permit (you are outside the UAE) or change of status (you are already inside on another visa) | GDRFA in Dubai, ICP elsewhere, or your free zone | Your sponsor applies. You enter on the permit, or change status without leaving | ICP gives 60 days from entry to complete the residence procedures |
| 2 | Medical fitness test | An approved medical fitness centre; Dubai Health centres in Dubai | Everyone 18 and over. Blood test and chest X-ray (dubai.ae) | Results “typically available within 24 hours” (dubai.ae, last modified 10 January 2026) |
| 3 | Emirates ID biometrics | ICP | Fingerprints and photo at the ICP centre appointment you book (ICP; dubai.ae) | At your appointment |
| 4 | Residence permit issued | ICP, GDRFA or your free zone | Issued electronically, linked to your Emirates ID application | ICP: 2 days. GDRFA Dubai: 48 hours |
| 5 | Emirates ID card delivered | ICP | The card is your proof of residence and arrives by courier | ICP: 5 days (New Identity Card Issuance) |
| 6 | After the visa | Banks, your landlord, the RTA | Personal bank account, tenancy, driving licence | Not published |
After step 5, you can open a personal account; see our guide to opening a bank account in Dubai for expats. For a company account, see our bank account opening assistance. Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next.
Entry permit or change of status
If you are outside the UAE, your sponsor applies for an entry permit and you travel on it. If you are already inside on another visa, you can change status instead of leaving, once the previous residence permit is cancelled: ICP lists AED 500 for a change of status, and GDRFA Dubai an AED 500 fee inside the country. Either way, ICP says the residence procedures must be finished within 60 days of entry, or overstay fines apply.
Visa stamping today
People still say “stamping” for the last step, but there is no stamp. ICP stopped issuing the residence sticker from 11 April 2022, announcing on 5 April 2022 that the Emirates ID card “will serve as an alternative to prove his residence”. The final step today is the Emirates ID card, delivered by courier.
UAE residence visa requirements
The documents depend on who sponsors you. Everyone needs the first group; each route adds its own.
| Document | Everyone | Own company | Employer | Family |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passport “valid for no less than 6 months” (ICP) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Recent personal photo (GDRFA asks for a white background) | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Medical fitness result, 18 and over | Yes | Yes | Yes (ICP lists a medical report) | Yes |
| Emirates ID application | Filed with the residence application | Yes | Yes | Filed by the sponsor for family members (ICP) |
| Valid health insurance | Where the emirate requires it | Yes (ICP) | ||
| Trade licence and establishment card | Yes | The employer’s | ||
| MOA or share certificate naming you as shareholder or manager | Yes | |||
| Office lease or flexi desk agreement | Yes, because the visa quota follows the office | |||
| Employment contract or appointment decision | Yes (ICP) | |||
| MOHRE work permit | Where the employer is subject to the Labour Relations Law (ICP) | |||
| Sponsor’s passport and valid residence permit | Yes (ICP) | |||
| Proof of kinship: attested marriage contract, children’s birth certificates | Yes (ICP) | |||
| Employment certificate showing monthly income and housing | AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation (u.ae) | |||
| Water and electricity bill, and a lease | Yes (ICP); Ejari in Dubai |
Missing or unattested documents are the usual reason a file stops, so First Idea checks your list against the authority’s current requirements before anything is submitted. Family certificates issued abroad normally need attestation first.
How long it takes
The total depends mostly on whether your sponsor is ready: the licence and establishment card for a company, the work permit for an employee, the income papers and attested certificates for a family.
Once the file is in, each authority states its own time per step, as in the step table: 48 hours at GDRFA Dubai or 2 days at ICP for the permit, and 5 days at ICP for the card. These are not a total. Attestation abroad, appointment availability and a file returned for amendment all add time. Your file’s timeline is in the written quote.
Getting your residence visa through your own company
Your company sponsors you in two parts: first the establishment card, which is the company’s immigration file, then your own residence visa. That is why a company visa comes with the company, and why there is no price for the visa on its own. Our free zone visa page sets out the company and visa together.
How many visas a company can sponsor, its visa quota, follows the office type, and each free zone sets its own rules. The free zone visa page explains the quota for the zones we file in, including Meydan free zone and IFZA free zone.
The packages that bundle a company with one visa are on our Dubai company setup packages page and on our page on the cost of setting up a business in Dubai. The one most founders ask about is Premium at Meydan or IFZA: company, one residence visa and business bank account opening assistance. Send your business activity and visa count on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next.
0% personal income tax. Corporate tax is 9% only on profit above AED 375,000, and registration is included in every package from Standard upward.
Renewing a residence visa
When. u.ae says renewing one to six months early for travel needs “special permission and approval from ICP” first (u.ae general provisions, updated 13 July 2026). ICP’s Emirates ID renewal opens when less than six months remain on a resident’s card. Both authorities renew on the conditions the permit was first issued under.
What repeats. The medical fitness test for anyone 18 and over, the Emirates ID, which expires when the visa does (u.ae), and valid health insurance, which ICP lists among the renewal documents for work and family permits alike.
| Item | ICP published | GDRFA Dubai published |
|---|---|---|
| Renewal fee | Application AED 100, plus AED 100 for each year of residence, plus AED 100 smart service | AED 200, plus Knowledge Dirham AED 10 and Innovation Dirham AED 10; AED 100 more a year for a term over two years |
| Fee inside the country | Not listed on the renewal page | AED 500 |
| Completion time | 2 days | 48 hours |
| Overstay fine after the grace period | AED 50 per day | Not stated on the card |
Grace period. u.ae says grace periods “reach up to 6 months (according to resident category)” after a permit expires or is cancelled. ICP gives the split, and GDRFA Dubai states 60 days on its private sector issuance, renewal and cancellation pages.
| Who | Grace period (ICP) |
|---|---|
| Golden, green and blue residence holders and their family members; widows and divorced women of residents; students who have finished their studies; foreign passport holders who are relatives of UAE citizens | 180 days |
| Skilled workers in levels 1 to 3, and property owners | 90 days |
| Residence permits issued with a guarantor or host | 60 days |
| All other categories | 30 days |
Fines. After the grace period, the overstay fine is AED 50 per day (ICP, checked 21 September 2026; u.ae says overstay fees are “standardised at AED 50 per day”). A late Emirates ID renewal costs AED 20 per day, capped at AED 1,000 (ICP Identity Card Renewal, checked 21 September 2026).
The sponsor goes first. A visa through your company renews only while the trade licence and establishment card are valid, so renew those first; see trade license renewal Dubai. That concerns the licence, not your visa. No professional service fee on licence renewals; government and authority fees still apply. Residence visa renewal is quoted separately in writing. A family visa renews only while the sponsor’s own visa is valid.
Status check. You can check a visa’s status on ICP’s website or app, or on GDRFA’s in Dubai.
Send your visa type and expiry date on WhatsApp and you get an itemised written quote.
Emirates ID and medical test
Emirates ID
ICP issues the Emirates ID with your first residence permit, and it expires when the visa does (u.ae). Residents renew it through ICP’s website or app, or a service centre.
| Item | New card (ICP) | Renewal (ICP) |
|---|---|---|
| Card fee | AED 100 for each year of residence | AED 100 for each year of residence |
| Smart service or smart application fee | AED 100 | AED 100 |
| Late renewal fine | Not applicable | AED 20 per day, not exceeding AED 1,000 |
| Completion time | 5 days | 5 days |
Both services need a medical examination with a “fit” result, and at renewal ICP asks residents aged 15 and over to give fingerprints and a signature at a service centre.
Medical fitness test
Applicants aged 18 and over take a medical fitness test at a Dubai Health medical fitness centre in Dubai (dubai.ae, last modified 10 January 2026), and GDRFA Dubai’s renewal card asks for it again at renewal. It typically includes a blood test and chest X-ray (dubai.ae Residency page, last modified 3 February 2026), and results are typically available within 24 hours by email and SMS. The centre shows the fee for each service tier; dubai.ae prints no figure, so none is printed here.
Leaving the UAE and cancelling a visa
The 180-day rule
A standard residence visa is nullified automatically if you live outside the UAE for more than 180 days in a row (u.ae general provisions, updated 13 July 2026). u.ae lists exceptions, including students at universities abroad, residents sent abroad for medical treatment with an approved report, investors holding a valid residence visa, and the foreign wife of an Emirati citizen. Golden visa holders may stay outside longer than the usual six months (u.ae golden visa page, updated 28 July 2026).
If your visa lapses this way, you can apply from abroad for a permit to enter the UAE again, with a valid reason for the absence; u.ae states a fine of AED 100 for every 30 days or less spent outside (u.ae general provisions, checked 21 September 2026).
Cancelling a residence visa
“Normally, only the sponsor can cancel your residence visa” (u.ae), through GDRFA, ICP or the free zone, and the Emirates ID linked to it is cancelled with it (ICP). For an employment visa, u.ae says the employer first cancels the labour contract with MOHRE; for a visa through your own company, the company files the cancellation. A new permit follows the cancellation of the old one. See our section on cancelling a partner visa.
ICP’s cancellation service charges an AED 50 application fee plus AED 100 smart services, with an AED 100 exceptional cancellation fee in some cases, and takes 2 days. GDRFA Dubai charges AED 100 plus the Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams of AED 10 each, asks private sector employers for a MOHRE work permit cancellation, and takes 48 hours (both checked 21 September 2026). The grace period that follows is in the renewal section above.
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a UAE residence visa?
A sponsor applies for you: your own company, an employer, or a family member who lives in the UAE. If you qualify for a golden or green visa, you apply without a sponsor. Then come five steps: entry permit or change of status, the medical fitness test, Emirates ID biometrics, the residence permit, and the Emirates ID card. For a visa through your own company, the company is set up first; see our free zone visa page.
What is a residence visa in the UAE?
It is the permit that lets a foreign national live in the UAE, tied to a sponsor or to a category that needs none. ICP issues it, or GDRFA in Dubai, for 1, 2 or 3 years when sponsored and up to 5 or 10 years when unsponsored (u.ae, updated 13 July 2026). The Emirates ID card proves it, and the card expires when the visa does.
How long does a UAE residence visa take?
Each authority states its own time for its step: GDRFA Dubai gives 48 hours and ICP 2 days to issue a residence permit, dubai.ae says medical results typically come within 24 hours, and ICP gives 5 days for a new Emirates ID card (checked 21 September 2026). The total depends on whether your sponsor’s file is ready; for a new company, the licence and establishment card come first. Your file’s timeline is in the written quote.
How much does an Emirates ID cost?
For residents, ICP charges AED 100 for each year of residence plus an AED 100 smart service fee, both for a new card and for a renewal. A late renewal costs AED 20 per day, capped at AED 1,000 (ICP New Identity Card Issuance and Identity Card Renewal, checked 21 September 2026). The card is issued with your residence permit, whose own fees are in the table above.
Is a medical test required for a residence visa in Dubai?
Yes, for applicants aged 18 and over, at a Dubai Health medical fitness centre, and GDRFA Dubai asks for it again at renewal. The test typically includes a blood test and chest X-ray, and results are typically available within 24 hours (dubai.ae, checked 21 September 2026). The centre shows the fee for each service tier.
When can I renew my UAE residence visa, and what if it expires?
Renewing one to six months early for travel needs ICP’s approval first (u.ae). After expiry the grace period depends on your category: ICP lists 30 days for most and 180 days for golden, green and blue residence holders, and GDRFA Dubai states 60 days for private sector permits. Then the overstay fine is AED 50 per day (ICP and u.ae, checked 21 September 2026). The medical test and Emirates ID repeat, and your sponsor’s licence or visa must be valid first.
How do I cancel a UAE residence visa?
Only the sponsor can normally cancel it (u.ae), through GDRFA, ICP or the free zone, and the Emirates ID linked to it is cancelled at the same time. For a visa through your own company, the company files it. A new permit follows the cancellation of the old one. See our section on cancelling a partner visa.
Can I open a bank account before getting my residence visa?
Some banks offer personal accounts to non-residents, usually on narrower terms; see how to open a UAE bank account without residency. For a company account, see our bank account opening assistance. Bank account opening is subject to each bank’s KYC, compliance review and final approval. We prepare the file, pre-check it against the bank’s requirements, and if one bank declines we apply to the next.
Tell us who your sponsor is and how many visas you need. Amir comes back with the route, the steps for your case and a written quote, and we reply on WhatsApp within a couple of hours.
WhatsApp Amir about your UAE residence visa
First Idea Consultant LLC, since 2015. Office 812, ParkLane Tower, Park Regis, Business Bay, Dubai. Call or WhatsApp +971 56 500 6694. Reviews of First Idea Consultant LLC are on our Google Business Profile. Reviewed by Amir Aslam, Founder.
