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Dubai Visas

 

There are different kind of visas of Dubai for different purposes;

 

TOURIST VISA

This visa is issued through tourist companies and it is valid for 30 days. You cannot renew it or extend it. If the Visa holder of the tourist visa stays more than the 30 days, that person has to pay a fine per day plus some charges for an out pass.

VISIT VISA

This Visa is issued through DNRD. It is stamped for 30 days validity but it is valid for 60 days and can be extended for 30 more days by paying an extra amount. The extension needs to be done before the 60th day. If the visitor stays more than 60 days or more than 90 days (after the extension) they will have to pay a fine per day plus some charges for an out pass.

WORK VISA

These visas are issued for people who want to work or do business in UAE. It is valid for 60 days only, during this the work residence visa has to be processed. If the person delays in stamping the residence he will pay 25 AED fine for each day.

Residence Visa for UAE Property Owners;

 

From 01 June 2009, the UAE will implement a new system of residence visas for UAE property owners which supersedes the old property investor residence visa that was valid in Dubai, Ajman, and Ras Al Khaimah (previously there was no residence visa based on expat property ownership in Abu Dhabi). According to a WAM report on 02 May 2009, a new paragraph will be added to "Article 33 of the executive regulations of the entry and residency law for entry and residency of foreigners", and a new article, number 34, will be included in the by-law specifying the conditions of the new visa.

 

 

  • UAE multi-entry visa valid for 6 months at a time, permits multiple entries to the UAE. Commonly referred to as a residence visa but not clear if that's the official term. The difference in terminology might be significant.

  • Property owner residence visa can be renewed indefinitely but the visa holder must exit the UAE and re-apply. The applicant can apply right away rather than wait for a month outside the UAE, according to information on 05 May 2009.

  • Update 03 August 2009: according to a WAM news report "... when the multi visit visa issued to a property owner expires abroad, his/her visa will be renewed at the airport at arrival."

  • Cost of six-month UAE residence visa is AED 2,000. Renewal cost is the same.

  • Minimum salary requirement of investor is AED 10,000 per month, or equivalent. Not clear if income must be sourced only from outside the UAE - conflicting reports seen.

  • Property value must be at least AED 1 million. Appears to be based on purchase price (evidence needs to be shown) rather than original price or current market value.

  • Medical insurance is required for investor and familiy members applying for residence visa under property ownership scheme.

  • Property must be complete, and title deed in visa applicant's name has been obtained. Joint property owners cannot apply for residence visa (in contrast to the previous system which allowed first named owner to apply).

  • Direct family members (spouse, children) can be included under the property owner's sponsorship. Not clear if primary sponsor must be male, if there is an maximum age limit for children, or if family members can travel in and out of the UAE independently.

  • Property must be of an appropriate size to house family members if applicable i.e. a family of 4 is unlikely to be granted a visa if the property is a studio flat (not that there are many studios over AED 1 million in the UAE).

  • Property residence visa holders under the previous system must change their visa to the new system from 01 June 2009 otherwise they will be regarded as being in breach of UAE immigration laws (bad luck if you just got your 3 year visa in April 2009).

  • Property owners (and family) might be required to have to have a medical test as with other residence visas (visitors with short term entry permits do not have to do a medical test).

  • Unknown if property residence visa holders can apply for UAE driving licences, bank accounts, telephone connections, etc. Other residence visa holders can, and previous property residence visa holders could. If the new visa is a "visit" visa rather than a "residence" visa, then probably not.

 

 

Two-year Residence Visa for Duabi Property Owners;

 

A window for obtaining a two-year residency visa in Dubai has opened for a person who owns a property valued over Dh1 million, "Emirates24|7" has reported.

Informed sources  that owners of property valued over Dh1 million and having no mortgage on it can approach the Dubai Land Department with the title deed along with a passport copy and passport size photograph.

Following the payment of the fees, the Land Department will issue an approval certificate which will allow the property owner to approach the Department of Economic Development, which will then issue a trade license for a fee of Dh2,000 per year.

After receiving the trade licence, the property owner can approach the Immigration counters located in the Land Department, which will issuing a two-year investor visa.

In June 2011, the UAE federal government announced it would extended visa for real estate investors from six months to three years. This website reported that a number of services such as applying for a local driving license, personal loans and getting admission to schools will likely be opened to holders of these visas. So far, no details of the new visa have been issued yet.

A Department of Naturalisation and Residency Dubai call centre employee said they had not received any update on the new visa and were still issuing six-month visa to property investors.

 

 

Report on Dubai visas - September 4, 2014

 

An expanding population is helping to support the widespread property investment in Dubai, with nearly 500,000 new visas issued in 2014.

 

Summary:

  • The DHA issued 478,451 new visas in the first half of the year

  • Dubai’s businesses are keen to expand ahead of World Expo 2020

  • £20.6 billion worth of new property contracts were awarded last year in Dubai

 

Huge numbers of expats continue to move to the UAE, supporting the vast scale of new and existing property investment in Dubai.

The latest figures from the Dubai Health Authority (DHA) show that the emirate processed nearly one million new and renewal visa applications in the first six months of the year.

 

As Dubai’s economy continues to expand, businesses in the region need to attract and relocate more staff, which in turn creates new demand for residential property in Dubai – especially the most desirable regions in the emirate, such as Downtown and the marina.

According to the DHA, of the 992,322 medical fitness tests carried out by its staff so far this year, 478,451 resulted in a new visa being issued.

 

Following the recent World Expo 2020 bid win – an event that is set to boost the emirate’s economy by 1.5% per annum over the next six years – there has been a huge spate of new property investment.

Investors are aware that as well as the rise in demand associated with a burgeoning workforce, buy-to-let property will also benefit from a substantial rise in visitor numbers.

 

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