When the UAE first announced visa requirements after international travel was affected by COVID-19, the validity of tourist visas and entry permits was extended until the end of December 2020. However, this was changed in July 2020. However, on November 18, the UAE`s Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) reversed the change. Now, overstayers have a grace period until the end of this year (31 December 2020) to leave the country without paying fines. Upon arrival in Abu Dhabi, the Immigration and Relocation Services Office will continue to assist you in obtaining your residence visa and Emirates ID card. The process after you arrive takes about two more weeks. There are two ways to check UAE residency visa status. If you have a visa for Dubai, you can visit the GDRFA portal and app, while for other emirates, you can visit the website of the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship. For the complete procedure, you can check out our UAE visa status check guide. Please note that there may be delays in updating the correct information after the new announcement. Humanitarian pioneers such as the following can obtain the Golden Visa: For Dubai visas, you can contact the Amer Centres toll-free at 800 5111 if you live in the UAE or dial +971-4-313-9999 if you are outside the UAE.
However, for other emirates, contact the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) at 600-522-222. In addition to the multiple-entry visa, the UAE has resumed issuing 60-day tourist visas as part of the reforms. Once your application has been approved, the GDRFA will affix a residence visa to your passport and you will receive an Emirates ID card valid for the same duration as the visa. In addition to benefits such as 100% ownership of their businesses, the new visa changes also offer other benefits to Golden Visa holders. Whereas previously, those who lived outside the country for six months lost their place of residence, the Golden Visa now remains valid regardless of the time they spend outside the UAE. There is no limit to the number of domestic workers they can sponsor, and the changes will also allow the holder to sponsor family members – including spouses and children of all ages – and allow family members to remain in the UAE even if the Golden Visa holder dies as long as the visa remains valid. It is important to note that you cannot apply for the visa yourself. Only your sponsor has the right to do so. However, if you have an investor visa, you can start the visa cancellation process yourself. To learn more about residency visa cancellation, you can check out our guide to the UAE visa cancellation process.
If you are staying in the UAE on a tourist visa and receive a job offer during your holiday, you can apply for a work permit when leaving the territory of the Emirates. However, you do not have to return to your home country. Some airlines have a Dubai-Oman-Dubai flight option in case you need a fast visa. Your employer could also go through a „change of status” process, which allows you to stay in the UAE through the Directorate General of Residence and Foreign Affairs (GFDRA) in the emirate where the company is based. The residence visas available for foreigners wishing to settle in the UAE are: According to the UAE family visa rule, parents could sponsor their children under the age of 18. From now on, male children up to the age of 25 can be sponsored by their parents. Children with disabilities can also benefit from parental sponsorship under a special permit, and single women can be sponsored indefinitely. However, your sponsor can renew your visa even after it expires if it is within the grace period for the UAE residency visa to expire.
For those whose visa expired after March 1 and wish to leave the UAE, they must cancel their visa by October 10, 2020. They must then leave the country within the grace period indicated on their visa cancellation papers. However, this only applies if your UAE residency visa was cancelled after March 1, 2020. Green residency for investors or partners was introduced to encourage investment. It offers 5 years of residency for investors who set up or participate in commercial activities. In addition, the validity in this category has been increased from the previous 2 years to 5 years now. To qualify for a UAE residency visa, you must fall into one of the following categories: In addition, the age of children has been raised to 25 (from 18 previously) and there is no age limit for unmarried girls. Specified children receive a residence permit regardless of their age. Once you arrive in the UAE, you can move on and get your residence permit. On Friday, July 10, 2020, the Cabinet of the United Arab Emirates announced changes to its recent decisions on the validity of residence visas, entry permits and identity cards for residents inside and outside the country.
Changes to the duration of the tourist visa The new visa system also changed the old tourist visa rule, allowing people with a standard short-term tourist visa to stay in the UAE for 60 days instead of the previous 30 days. This remains subject to the visa application process and PKI approval. Newborns and residents whose visas have been cancelled are not subject to this three-month grace period until further notice.