Dubai: If you are thinking of visiting the UAE, the country offers long-term entry permits as well, with some of these visas allowing you to stay for up to six months.
So, whether you want to visit family or friends, or look for job or investment opportunities, here are all your long-term visit visa options in the UAE.
Visas that are issued in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Umm Al Quwain or Fujairah are managed by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). You can apply for a visit visa online, through the ICP smart services platform – smartservices.icp.gov.ae, or the smartphone application ‘UAEICP’, available for both Apple and Android devices.
2. General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai
If you want to stay in Dubai, you can apply for a visit visa through the website of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai - gdrfad.gov.ae.
3. Amer centre
Amer centres processes immigration applications on behalf of Dubai's GDRFA. If you have a visa issued in Dubai and wish to sponsor your family on visit visas or want to apply for a long-term multiple entry permit, you can visit an Amer centre near you with the required documents. You can find the list of Amer Centres located in Dubai, through this website : https://gdrfad.gov.ae/en/customer-happiness-centers#
4. Typing centres
Immigration authorities in the UAE have authorised several typing centres to process visa applications from individuals and establishments. All you need to do is visit a typing centre with the required documents, make the payment for the visa you are applying for and the typing centre will manage the entire application process. However, going through a typing centre, you will have to pay additional service charges.
You can find the complete list of authorised typing offices in the UAE, through this website: https://icp.gov.ae/en/typing-offices/
1. Three-month visit visa for friends and family
UAE residents planning to invite their friends or family to the country can apply for a 90-day single- or multiple-entry visit visa. The three-month visa is specifically for visitors who have a friend or relative residing in the UAE.
If your family or friend who is sponsoring the visa has a residence visa issued in Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah or Umm Al Quwain, they can apply for entry permit through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). Click here to find out the overall cost, documents, and process. If the sponsor has a Dubai visa, he or she can apply for the visa through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai.
The visa can be issued for a period of 30, 60 or 90 days, and you also have the option to extend the visa for up to three months within the UAE. According to GDRFA Dubai, the extension period should not exceed 180 days.
The extension of the visa can only be done by the sponsor or an authorised travel agent on their behalf.
For a detailed explanation on how to extend this visa for 90 days, click here.
2. Five-year multiple-entry visa
If you frequently visit the UAE for work or to meet family and friends, the longest visit visa available in the UAE is the five-year multiple-entry permit.
You can stay in the UAE continuously for no longer than 90 days in a year. This period may be extended for a similar amount of time as long as the total number of days spent in the UAE in a year is not more than 180 days.
To be eligible for the visa, you must meet all these requirements:
• A passport or travel document valid for at least six months at the time of application.
• A round-trip travel ticket.
• Valid health insurance in the UAE.
• Documentation demonstrating a bank balance of $4,000 (Dh14,689) or equivalent in other currencies over six months before the application is submitted.
If you want to apply for the visa in Dubai, you must apply through GDRFA. Click here for a detailed step-by-step guide.
To find out how you can apply through typing centres, click here.
3. Four-month jobseeker visa in the UAE
If you want to come to the UAE to look for a job, in October 2022 the UAE government introduced a new entry permit that allows jobseekers to come to the country without the need for a UAE-based individual or company to sponsor this visa.
You can apply for a period of two, three or four months. As per the announcement made by the UAE Cabinet when the new visa system was launched, the visa will be granted to:
• Those classified in the first, second or third skill level as per the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE). To find what skill levels are, click here.
• Fresh graduates of the top 500 universities in the world. To find out if your university degree is accepted click here.
• The minimum educational level of the applicant should be a bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
4. Four-month UAE investor visa
If you are looking to invest in the UAE or explore business opportunities, you can apply for a single entry visa to ‘Search for investment opportunities’, without the need for a UAE-based sponsor. The visa allows you to stay for up to 120 days in the country, with options for a two, three or four-month visa.
To find out the cost, documents, and application process, click here for a detailed guide.
