As part of the Government’s smart city strategy, the Smart Gates at UAE airports are a great way for residents and registered visitors to speed through immigration without the need to queue at passport control.
An E-gate Card issued by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs is required for access and is easy to use with a simple swipe and fingerprint system.
WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED?
Your documents: Original passport and residency visa (both must be valid for at least six months), and one passport photograph.
Also known as a police clearance certificate, this is occasionally required for tourist visas for other countries, for applications for volunteer programmes, adoptions and real estate investment due diligence.
You will be required to have 10 sets of your fingerprints taken at the police station where you apply for the certificate and must not be involved in any ongoing legal action or process, or possess a criminal record.
The certificate is valid for three months from date of issue.
WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED?
Your documents: Original passport and residency visa (both must be valid for at least six months), and two passport photographs.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS?
GOOD CONDUCT CERTIFICATE – AED 320
Simply follow the same process as for licence conversion with no requirement to present an NOC.
WHICH NATIONALITIES CAN CONVERT THEIR LICENCE?
Australia, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Kuwait, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States.
If you are already licensed in your home country you may be able to directly convert your driving licence (see list of applicable nationalities below). If your country is not on this list then you will be required to take a specified number of driving lessons (with an approved local driving school) and pass the UAE theory and road test to qualify for a licence.
You can only apply to convert a licence if the one issued in your home country is still valid and that you hold citizenship of that country.
WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED?
Your documents: Approved (passed) eye test from any licensed optician/clinic/hospital, no objection certificate (NOC) from your employer, original passport and residency visa, and six passport photographs.
Canadian citizens are required to obtain a letter from the Canadian Consulate to verify licence authenticity. Citizens of Greece, Canada, Turkey, Japan and South Korea are required to present a translation of their driving licence from their consulate or embassy.
To fast track renewal of your family’s visas we recommend going the ‘urgent processing fee’ route to minimise the time required and expedite the process.
As with every residency visa renewal, all family members are required to undergo a medical examination at a registered government approved clinic or hospital. For children under 18 years, a medical examination is not required.
WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED?
Your documents: Passport copy of family sponsor and salary certificate.
Family documents: Original passport of spouse and/or children (passport must be valid for at least six months), and two standard passport size photographs for each family member, taken against a white background, should be provided.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS?
RENEWAL DEPENDENTS VISA FOR 2 YEARS – AED 545
FOR 3 YEARS – AED 645
Congratulations on the newest addition to your family! The first step to legalising your child in the UAE is to obtain a letter from the hospital where you gave birth, confirming your child’s details. This must then be taken to the Ministry of Health in order to have the birth certificate issued (tip: request an Arabic copy in addition to the English original if non-Arabic speaking as this is useful for all future government processes).
The second step is to get the birth certificate attested at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well as with your embassy in order to begin the passport application process.
Once the passport is issued, you are now eligible to begin the residency visa application process. Note: if your baby is on the mother’s passport, a completed visa amendment form is required and your application must be processed before your child is 120 days old.
WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED?
Your documents: Passport copies for both parents and original passport of mother if visa amendment is required and salary certificate.
Baby documents: Passport copy or mother’s passport (passport must be valid for at least six months) and two standard passport size photographs taken against a white background should be provided.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS?
NEW BORN BABY VISA FOR 2 YEARS – AED 545
NEW BORN BABY VISA FOR 3 YEARS – AED 645
Tourist/visit visas are automatically issued on arrival for 60 nationalities currently, however the length of approved stay varies and immigration rules are subject to change. But if your country isn’t included at the moment, you will need to pre-apply for a visit visa.
You can apply for a visit visa for an immediate family member if your salary is above AED 4,000 per month (salary certificate and proof of family relationship required). The visit visa options are 30 days (valid for three months from date of issue) and applicably for family members or friends, or a 90-day visa, for family members only.
Minimum salary requirements may increase for other non-immediate family members, while for friends the minimum salary requirement is AED 10,000. A bank guarantee is also payable, and usually costs around AED 1,000 plus any relevant bank fees. This will be refunded once your visitor exits the country or changes their visa status.
WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED?
Your documents: Passport and residency visa copy, salary certificate, tenancy contract (Ejari), utilities bill, original Emirates ID and contact email/mobile number.
If a spousal visa is required then a Ministry of Foreign Affairs and UAE Embassy attested marriage certificate from your home country is also required, and will also need to be attested again by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in the UAE.
Visitor documents: Passport copy (passport must be valid for at least six months) and a standard passport size photograph taken against a white background should be provided.
A visit visa can be renewed twice, for an additional 30 days on each occasion, with your visitor not required to leave the country. This is not applicable for nationalities residing in other GCC countries, those on special entry permits or special mission permits. A tourist visa can only be renewed via a travel agency.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS?
VISIT VISA ONE MONTH – 1530 (INCLUDING 1000 DEPOSIT)
VISIT VISA THREE MONTH – 1970 (INCLUDING 1000 DEPOSIT)
The UAE has strict laws on the hiring of household help and the hiring of illegal labour can result in a substantial fine, possible jail time and even deportation. There is also a minimum agreed wage structure for most nationalities, endorsed by the UAE Government and country embassies. Your maid must be 18 years old or above.
A yearly round trip ticket home, annual leave, one day off per week, medical insurance and other benefits such as housing also need to be considered.
For expatriate residents, a housemaid visa is valid for 12 months and must be renewed on an annual basis. Sponsorship eligibility is only applicable for the following countries: India, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Bangladesh, Indonesia, and Ethiopia.
You can apply for a housemaid’s visa if you are married and your salary is above AED 20,000 per month (salary certificate and job title details required). A marriage certificate is required if your spouse is not on your visa. A deposit of AED 2,000 is also required and will be refunded upon permanent departure of your housemaid from the UAE.
Once you have found a housemaid either through a registered recruitment agency or locally, you are ready to start the visa application process.
WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED?
Your documents: The sponsor needs to provide a salary certificate, passport copy, tenancy contract (Ejari) for a home with a minimum of two bedrooms, utilities bill, original Emirates ID, affidavit from embassy or consulate of non-relationship if housemaid is from same country, and contact email/mobile number. A marriage certificate is required if your spouse is not on your visa.
Housemaid documents: Passport copy (passport must be valid for at least six months) and a standard passport size photograph taken against a white background should be provided. Once the visa is issued, this needs to be sent to the housemaid via email with the original deposited at an official visa desk at the airport.
Once they arrive in the UAE, they are also required to undergo a medical examination as part of the standard UAE residence visa application process (which is a continuation of the hiring/visa process). This can be done at any government hospital. Once all the legal requirements are completed and a residence visa is issued, they will also receive a Domestic Worker Identity Card.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS?
ENTRY VISA OUTSIDE – AED 2480 (AED 2000 DEPOSIT INCLUDED)
ENTRY VISA INSIDE – AED 3420 (AED 2000 DEPOSIT INCLUDED)
CHANGE STATUS – AED 650 (FOR INSIDE APPLICANTS ONLY)
You can apply for a residence visa for your parents if your salary is above AED 20,000 per month (salary certificate and proof of family relationship required).
If you would like to sponsor your parents-in-law you cannot do this as well as sponsoring your own parents.
A deposit of AED 5,000 is also required and will be refunded upon permanent departure of your parents from the UAE.
Once they arrive in the UAE, they are also required to undergo a medical examination as part of the standard UAE residence visa application process (which is a continuation of the hiring/visa process). This can be done at any government hospital.
WHAT DOCUMENTS ARE REQUIRED?
Your documents: Passport copy, salary certificate, passport copy, attested tenancy contract (Ejari) for a home with a minimum of two bedrooms, most recent utilities bill, original Emirates ID, three months’ bank statements, affidavit from embassy or consulate confirming your obligation as sponsor to financially take care of your parents (this must also confirm number of siblings and their country of residence/work), and contact email/mobile number.
If only sponsoring one parent (in the case of divorce or death), you will also need to provide a divorce or death certificate attested by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in your home country and the UAE.
Parental documents: Passport copies (passport must be valid for at least six months) and a standard passport size photograph taken against a white background should be provided for each parent.
WHAT ARE THE COSTS?
ENTRY VISA OUTSIDE – AED 475
ENTRY VISA INSIDE – AED 1145
DEPOSIT – AED 5000