UAE's new visa policy, tourists will now be able to stay up to 60 days
The UAE has introduced a new visa and entry system for international talent and skilled workers.
According to the UAE Government's Media Office, the new residence visa and entry system offers a new type of residency permit for investors, skilled workers, businessmen and other family members.
The new system was announced at a cabinet meeting on Monday, chaired by UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
According to the UAE government's media office, "major reforms include simplifying entry requirements for all types of visas and offering longer visas that meet the needs of visitors and the purpose of the visit."
The new system includes Golden Residence, Green Residence, new benefits for family members, new system for entry visa, entry visa for job seekers, business entry visa, tourist visa, entry permit to visit relatives and friends, Which temporary work missions include entry permits, education and training entry permits, etc.
The UAE's state-run news agency, Vakala Anba Emirates (WAM), has described the new status of the visa system as follows.
Golden Residence
This long-term 10-year residency is offered to investors, businessmen, exceptional craftsmen, scientists and professionals, highly qualified students and graduates, philanthropists and frontline heroes.
Recent amendments would allow the Golden Residence Holder to sponsor family members, including spouses and children, regardless of their age, and support services (domestic) employees without limiting their number. There is no longer any restriction on the maximum length of stay outside the UAE to maintain the Golden Residence.
The new system for residence visas and entry permits offers new types of residence permits for investors, skilled employees, self-employment and family members. The new types provide customized benefits to each category. pic.twitter.com/7JI8qjMsKm
There are other benefits for family members that allow them to stay in the UAE until the end of the permit period in the event of death of the original holder of the Golden Residence.
Similarly, the Golden Residence for Professionals has been greatly expanded to cover all fields including Medicine, Sciences, Engineering, Information Technology, Business and Administration, Education, Law, Culture and Social Sciences.
Green Residence
Skilled employees within this category are offered five years of residency without any sponsors or employers.
Applicants must have a valid employment contract in accordance with the regulations, and be ranked in the first, second or third professional level according to the UAE Ministry of Human Resources. For this, the minimum level of education should be bachelor's degree or its equivalent, and the salary should not be less than 1500 dirhams.
Freelancers and self-employed people are offered a five-year residency without sponsor or employer. All they have to do is get a permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and their annual income should not be less than 360,000. Similar benefits will accrue to the investor or partner.
However, the new scheme has more benefits for family members. The age of sponsored children has been increased from 18 to 25 years and there is no longer any restriction on the age of unmarried girls.
Holders of green residences are now also allowed to issue residency permits to their close relatives.
Tourist visa
In addition to the regular tourist visa sponsored by the UAE tourism sector, a five-year multi-entry tourist visa has also been introduced.
This type of visa does not require a sponsor and it allows the person to stay in the country for 90 consecutive days, and can be extended for the same period, provided that the entire period of stay is one. ''Not more than 180 days in a year''.
However, from September, in addition to the multi-entry tourist visa, ordinary tourists will be able to stay in the UAE for 60 days. Thus, the Cabinet decision has now doubled the length of stay for tourism in the UAE.
This will benefit those who want to spend long holidays in the UAE or those who think of staying here permanently and thus will have more time to find new employment opportunities.
Increase in tourists
Following the Code 19 crisis in Dubai, the number of tourists is now steadily increasing. According to the UAE's online newspaper The National, 30 million passengers have passed through the terminals of Dubai International Airport in 2021.
''This was more than the airport's target of 28 million but far less than the nearly 85 million passengers who will use it in 2019.''
According to The National, Dubai's airport chiefs have predicted that about 60 million passengers will use the airport this year as traffic and Dubai's tourism industry continue to recover.
According to the UAE's own national airline Emirates website, despite the Code 19 crisis, the airline carried 15.8 million passengers in 2020.