Dubai: Want to make a new career move by working in the UAE? You can now apply for a ‘jobseeker visa’, which will allow you to come to the UAE and look for potential job openings.
The visa, which is part of the new UAE visa system that came into effect from October 3, 2022, allows jobseekers to come to the UAE for two, three or four months, without the need for a UAE-based individual or company to sponsor this visa.
Here are the details of how you can apply for the jobseeker visa with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP). The ICP is the immigration authority that issues visas in the Emirates of Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain.
How to apply for the visa through ICP
1. You first need to visit the ICP website – www.icp.gov.ae and under the ‘Services’ tab, click on ‘eChannels Residency & Citizenship’.
2. You will find three options for the jobseeker visa:
a. ‘Visa - single entry - search for job 60 days - issue new visa’
b. ‘Visa - single entry - search for job 90 days - issue new visa’
c. ‘Visa - single entry - search for job 120 days - issue new visa’
Select the duration of visa as per your requirement.
3. You will then be directed to a form that you need to fill out with the following details:
• Applicant Information: Here, you will need to enter details like name, mobile number and email address. If you see a section to enter your name in Arabic, simply type your name in English and the system will automatically fill in the name in Arabic.
• Identification information: This includes the UID number, which is optional, and the department from which you want to issue the visa. This refers to the Emirate from which you wish to apply for the visa, so you can select Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm al Quwain.
4. Personal information: Under this section, you will need to provide passport details, details of your educational qualification, and family details.
5. Address: You will be asked to provide your address inside and outside the UAE.
6. Click on ‘Next’. You will then be asked to upload the following documents:
• Passport copy
• Coloured photograph
• Qualification certificate (attested)
Additionally, you may also be asked to submit the following documents:
• Place of residence in the UAE (rent contract or hotel reservation)
• Health insurance that covers the period of stay
• Copy of the return ticket
• Certified account statement
• National ID card for certain nationalities
7. Make the payment.
Once you have made the payment, your application will be complete and sent to the ICP. Once the application has been approved, you will receive the visa via email.
How much does the jobseeker visa cost?
Here is a breakdown of the cost for each type of visa:
60-day jobseeker visa:
Request fees – Dh100
Issue fees – Dh200
Security deposits - Dh1,025
E-services fees - Dh28
ICP fees - Dh22
ADNIC Insurance fee – Dh60
Dhafra Insurance fee – Dh60
Total: Dh1,495
90-day jobseeker visa:
Request fees – Dh100
Issue fees – Dh300
Security deposits - Dh1,025
E-services fees - Dh28
ICP fees - Dh22
ADNIC Insurance fee – Dh90
Dhafra Insurance fee – Dh90
Total: Dh1,655
120-day jobseeker visa:
Request fees - Dh100
Issue fees - Dh400
Security deposits - Dh1,025
E-services fees - Dh28
ICP fees - Dh22
ADNIC Insurance fee – Dh120
Dhafra Insurance fee – Dh120
Total: Dh1,815
