Top 6 Ways to Get Residence and Free zone Visa in the UAE 

Created on Nov 15, 2022
Last updated on Mar 05, 2026

By Shibi Joseph (Author) | Reviewed by Divya R Nair On Nov 15, 2022

Top 6 Ways to Get Residence and Free zone Visa in the UAE 

A UAE residence visa is a permit that allows foreign people to live in this country for a long period of time. The visa can be valid for 2-3 or even 10 years and maybe renewed as many times as a person needs. Many international families have been living in the Emirates for generations, just keeping on renewing their visas regularly. UAE permanent residency does not exist as such.

What is a Residence Visa? 

Being a UAE permanent resident simply means having a visa stamp in your passport and constantly living in this country. Once a business in UAE Free Zone is running properly, the business owner can apply for a residence visa. The person can also apply for UAE visas for their family members or those they hire for their household like maids, drivers, etc.  

 Key Points to Remember for Getting a UAE Residence visa

  1. A UAE Residence visa is mandatory for other nationalities except for the UAE and GCC National citizens.
  2. For more expatriates, the company that employs them will sponsor a UAE residence visa along with a labor card or work permit.
  3. A residence visa is required to open a bank account, obtain a driving license, register for a car, apply for a mobile plan, etc.

Procedure Of Getting UAE Residency Visa

The step by step procedure of getting a residence visa are as follows:

1. Legalization of documents

The first step towards the procurement of the employment residence visa process is the attestation of the university certificate through the UAE embassy in the country of issuance. Depending on the country the timeline could vary between 2-6 weeks.  

2. Entry Permit

Once the entry permit application is lodged with the authorities, the employment entry permit is issued within 6-9 working days. Some applications may be selected for additional review and screening which may increase the processing timeline. After final evaluation, the application is either processed or rejected as per the deduction of the Immigration department.

3. Change in Status  of Visa

Once the entry permit is approved, the foreign national is eligible to enter UAE legally. This is valid for internal applicants who are not required to leave the country. As the validity of the entry permit is only 60 days from the issuance date, the entry should be registered through any of its entry points within this timeframe. Another way to take this step is to leave the country and re-enter using the issued entry permit.

4. Medical examination 

All foreign nationals aged 18 and above are required to undergo medical checks as a mandatory part of the UAE immigration process. The medical examination includes blood tests for HIV / AIDS, as well as a chest X-ray for tuberculosis screening. The medical report processing time is approximately 1-4 working days.

5. Emirates ID registration and biometrics

Anyone above age 15 will be required to attend a biometric appointment, which involves fingerprinting, a digital signature, and a photograph at an approved government Centre. In the case of the Emirates ID renewal, there will be no need for biometric processes. The time taken to issue ID cards is about 14 days, which depends on the approval of residency and the issuing of a visa.

6. Stamping of residence visa on the passport

After doing a medical test if the report is normal, the residence permit application will be lodged at Immigration and the residence visa will be stamped on the passport. The Government processing time usually takes 5-7 working days. At this stage, the person does not need to carry any documents, as all required documents are already in the system authorities.

7. Receiving Emirates ID card

The Emirates Id would be processed after the visa has been approved by the authorities. The EID Authority issues the ID after it receives official confirmation from immigration. The total time taken to complete the procedure is about 7 business days.

Conclusion 

If you are planning to get a residence and free zone visa in UAE and need assistance with entry into the country, reach out to Danburite Corporate. Our team of business consultants will assist you, For more information Contact Us.

✎ Author

Shibi Joseph
Shibi Joseph is a UAE-based Legal and Operations/Administration professional with extensive experience in corporate services, company formation, and regulatory compliance. Currently serving as Operations Manager & Legal Advisor at Danburite Corporate Services in Dubai, he advises clients on mainland and free zone company setup, corporate governance, contract drafting, and regulatory matters across the UAE.

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