Known as the city of gold, Dubai is indeed a thriving place for business and job opportunities. An employment visa in Dubai is required in order to legally work or start a business in the UAE. An employment visa in Dubai gives foreigners the right to work in the UAE legally. A Dubai job visa or a Dubai work permit determines the longevity of your stay in Dubai. However, there are certain requirements that you must meet in order to become eligible for a Dubai Work Visa.
Documents required
Start your Dubai work visa application with the below documents:
1. Entry permit visa:
Apply for an entry permit, also known as a pink card. It is released by the Ministry of Labor and is valid for two months. This allows the employee to enter the UAE and complete the application for the residence visa in 60 days.
2. Residency Visa and Emirates ID Card:
Then, visit an Emirates ID service center with your passport and pink card to get your Emirates ID. Soon after obtaining your ID, you can begin your residency visa application with the following papers:
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Work Visa Application Form:
Your employer will start your work visa application and pay for all the costs involved.
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Passports and Photos:
At various stages of your application process, you will submit several passport-sized photos, your original passport, and a photocopy.
Pro tip: Make sure you have extra copies of your passport back home.
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Company Validation Documents:
You will also need to provide a copy of a valid company card and a valid commercial license of the company. This is required so you can validate your claim of legal employment and continue your work visa application process. Your new employer can provide these.
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Medical Check and Health Certificate:
Long-term visa applications, such as residence & work visas, always require a valid health certificate.
Therefore, you need to provide a credible medical fitness report from a reputable local health center. This should preferably be a government-run health center.
The fitness report comprises results of tests from your X-ray, blood and fluid tests, and other dangerous medical conditions.
These will include; Hepatitis, HIV, tuberculosis e.t.c.
Make sure to consult your physician and have the tests done at home to eliminate disappointments. Your visa will be disapproved if your health report indicates that you have any of these ailments.
Dubai Employment Visa Requirements
Since you have obtained your entry permit visa, Emirates ID, and residency permit, you now have the key documents to begin your work visa application process. However, you would also require a few more documents.
These are listed below:
- Passport photographs
- Your valid national passport (with a minimum of six months of validity)
- 3 copies of your employment contract or letter
- Certificates of educational achievements and professional qualifications (if available)
- The sponsoring company’s trade license
What is the approval period for a Dubai Job Visa?
It usually takes about 14 days to receive your approved work visa.
Note that all submitted forms and documents must be written in Arabic or translated by a notarized translation service.
You can apply for renewal of your employment visa, upon its expiry. In most cases, the employer usually completes the employment visa renewal process.
The Golden Visa Plan:
In May 2019, the Golden Visa program was introduced in the UAE. This visa offers three types of validity options.
3-year Golden Visa
The 3-year visa plan is for investors who own a residential property in the UAE, with a base value of at least AED 750,000+.
In the case of a mortgaged property, you must deposit 50% of the total value in the bank.
Jointly-owned properties require a share worth of at least AED 750,000
5-year Golden Visa
Five-year visas are for those who invest at least AED 5 million in any freehold property. This property must also not be mortgaged and should also have been retained for a period of a minimum of 3 years.
10-year Golden Visa
10-year Golden Visas required an investment of at least AED 10 million. The investment should be either in real estate, investment funds, or a new or existing company. Real estate can make up a maximum of 40% of this investment.
In addition to investors, people with rare talents are also eligible to apply for a 10-year visa. “Rare or special talents” usually refer to top doctors, specialists, and inventors.