Residency Visas with property purchases in Dubai and Ajman

If you own property in Dubai, Ajman, or Ras Al Khaimah then you are probably entitled to apply for a residency visa. There are some conditions and restrictions thoughThe residency visa is only available to the first named owner of the property (consider which name to put first if it's a joint purchase).

The residency visa is not available until after the property is completed.

You can only apply for a residency visa under this scheme if you don't have any other way of obtaining a residency visa.There will be a charge (about 5000 dhs in January 2008) for the residency visa application. For that, the developer makes the application on your behalf. That's not something you have a choice about.

Owning a property does not guarantee successful application for a residency visa. The immigration department decides that, not the property developer.

The residency visa only entitles you to live here, not to work here - you still need to apply for a work permit for employment.

Expat residents can still be deported for the normal deportation reasons.

In early 2008 there was a report that residence visas could be applied for before completion of property but no further information found to confirm that. Treat with skepticism any comments from property agents that indicate you can do this.

In mid-2008, the whole residence visa with property thing was in a state of flux in Dubai, due mostly to property developers and real estate agents misleading customers by advertising a "guaranteed residence visa" with property purchases, when there was no way they could "guarantee" a visa. Some developers have put applications on hold, and some reports say that authorities are no longer issuing residence visas on this basis. Get information from either the DNRD or the master property developer before committing to a purchase if your decision depends on whether or not you are eligible for a residence visa. Treat whatever a real estate agent or developer says (other than the master developer - and even then be careful) with a pinch of salt.

Residency visas have been on hold or suspended since around mid-2008 for most/all Dubai and Ajman property purchases - check with the master developer or the relevant government authority (RERA in Dubai), don't take the word of the real estate agent or property developer as some have been issuing misleading advertisements about the residence visa eligibility. Ras Al Khaimah property purchases may still allow application for a residency visa.

The Federal National Council calls for tightening of sponsorship rules in UAE

Abu Dhabi: The Federal National Council (FNC) on Tuesday proposed increasing the minimum salary requirement to sponsor families of expatriates in the UAE.

According to the proposal, the minimum salary required for an expatriate - without company accommodation - to sponsor a family should be Dh10,000 and an expatriate with company accommodation, Dh8,000. The FNC resumed its session yesterday after National Day and Eid holidays.

An ad-hoc committee of the House also suggested that family-visa applicants should be asked to submit bank statements of six months, detailing salary transfer.

In its first ever open session to discuss the demographic structure of the UAE since its establishment in 1972, the House also suggested that an only an expatriate with a minimum salary of Dh15,000 should be allowed to sponsor housemaids.

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It also recommended increasing the annual fee for sponsoring a housemaid to Dh7,000.

According to a report worked out by the committee, there are 5.5 million foreign workers, including 3.1 million workers registered with the Ministry of Labour and 2.4 million registered with the Ministry of the Interior, while the total population was 6.3 million by the end of last year.

The legislature said the Labour Ministry issued 640,000 work permits over the first four months of this year, an increase of 100 per cent compared with the same period last year.

These include 525,000 work permits for individual workers and 115 group permits.

The House expected that 1.920 million permits would be issued by the end of this year, taking into account the visas issued by the Ministry of Interior.

The House was told that foreign workers account for 90 per cent of the total workforce in the UAE at the end of 2006.

Asian workers represented 87.1 of the labour force, while workers of other nationalities including Arabs account for 12.9 per cent.

An estimated 98.7 per cent are concentrated in the private sector, namely in the construction, agriculture, retail business, and also restaurants, hotels, fisheries, security and guarding and cleaning companies.

Residency Visas - 3 years

Note that you cannot open a bank account, register a car, get a telephone connected, and so on until you have a residency visa or permit.

Usually residents will be sponsored by their employer (or an employed member of their family). The sponsor will normally make the visa arrangements and explain to you what documents you need. For those employed from overseas, the employer is responsible for all costs associated with obtaining your work permit (or labour card) and residency visa.

• If you are sponsoring family members, cost is 300 dhs for each visa, valid for 3 years but it expires if the person is out of the UAE for a period more than 6 months.
• It is possible to sponsor parents but a special request needs to be made. If successful, a deposit of 5,000 dhs (refundable) for each parent is required, visa validity is one year (renewable) and cost is 100 dhs per year.

Residency Visas for free hold property purchases - 3 years

If you own property in Dubai, Ajman, or Ras Al Khaimah then you are probably entitled to apply for a residency visa. There are some conditions and restrictions though.

• The residency visa is only available to the first named owner of the property (consider which name to put first if it's a joint purchase).
• The residency visa is not available until after the property is completed.
• You can only apply for a residency visa under this scheme if you don't have any other way of obtaining a residency visa.
• There will be a charge (about 5000 dhs in January 2008) for the residency visa application. For that, the developer makes the application on your behalf. That's not something you have a choice about.
• Owning a property does not guarantee successful application for a residency visa. The immigration department decides that, not the property developer.
• The residency visa only entitles you to live here, not to work here - you still need to apply for a work permit for employment.
• Expat residents can still be deported for the normal deportation reasons.
• In early 2008 there was a report that residence visas could be applied for before completion of property but no further information found to confirm that. Treat with skepticism any comments from property agents that indicate you can do this.
• In mid-2008, the whole residence visa with property thing was in a state of flux in Dubai, due mostly to property developers and real estate agents misleading customers by advertising a "guaranteed residence visa" with property purchases, when there was no way they could "guarantee" a visa. Some developers have put applications on hold, and some reports say that authorities are no longer issuing residence visas on this basis. Get information from either the DNRD or the master property developer before committing to a purchase if your decision depends on whether or not you are eligible for a residence visa. Treat whatever a real estate agent or developer says (other than the master developer - and even then be careful) with a pinch of salt.

Dubai visa List and fees

Type	Length	Cost	Renew	Effective	Notes
Conference Visit Visa	30 days	Dh100	no	01 Aug 2008
Employment Visa	30 days				employer arranges, not a work permit, entry only
Exhibition Visa					see Conference Visa
Family Visit Visa	60 days	Dh100		*not available	min 3-6k salary requirement, Dh2000 deposit
Friend Visit Visa	30 days			01 Aug 2008	min 10k salary, Dh1000 deposit, not confirmed
Friend Visit Visa	60 days	Dh100		*not available	min 3-6k salary requirement, Dh2000 deposit
Investor Visa	3 yrs	Dh300			invest Dh70k in company with UAE National
Medical Visit Visa	90 days	Dh1000	yes, 1x	01 Aug 2008	renewal Dh500
Mission Entry Visa	14 days	Dh220	no	*not available	only from hotels or companies
Mission Visa	90 days	Dh600	yes, 1x	*not available	renewal Dh1200, need Temporary Work Permit first?
Mission Visa	90 days	Dh200	no	01 Aug 2008
Multi-entry Visa	180 days	Dh1000		*not available	30 day max per visit, company application only
Multi-entry Visa	180 days	Dh2000	yes, ?x	01 Aug 2008	14 day max stay each visit
Parent Visa	1 yr	Dh100	yes	01 Aug 2008	deposit Dh5000, need special FNRD permission
Relative Visa					see Family Visa
Residents Permit					see Residence Visa
Residence Visa	3 yrs		yes		employer should arrange
Residence Visa - property	3 yrs	Dh5000*	yes		*estimated, may vary
Residence Visa - family	1-2 yrs				Dh5000 deposit needed
Student Visa (residence)					ask college or university when applying for entry
Student Visit Visa	60 days	Dh1000	yes, 2x	01 Aug 2008	UAE university registration, renewal Dh500
Tourist Visa	30 days	Dh120	no	*not available	only from hotels and tour operators
Tourist Visa	30 days	Dh110	yes? 1x	01 Aug 2008	only from hotels and tour operators
Transit Visa	96 hours	Dh30	no	*not available	may be free - conflicting information seen
Transit Visa	96 hours	Dh100	no	01 Aug 2008	need outbound ticket, some reports say 14 days
Visit Visa 30 days	30 days	Dh500	no	01 Aug 2008
Visit Visa 30/60 days	30 days	free*	yes, ?x		*see free visit visa nationalities list, may be 60 days
Visit Visa 60 days	60 days		yes, 2x	*not available
Visit Visa 90 days	90 days	Dh1000	no	01 Aug 2008
Visit Visa GCC residents?	30 days	Dh100	yes, 1x	01 Aug 2008	renewal Dh500
Visit Visa GCC nationals*	30 days	Dh100	yes, 1x	01 Aug 2008	renewal Dh200, *visitors with GCC nationals
Visit Visa extension	30 days	Dh500	no	*not available
Work Permit					not a visa, employer arranges after arrival in UAE
Work Visa					see Work Permit or Employment Visa

• This information is correct to the best of our knowledge as of Tuesday 30-Sep-2008
• * in "Effective" column means that visa type is expected to be no longer available after 01 August 2008.
• * Residence Visas available via property purchases are in a state of flux with some reports saying they are not available. Whatever the true story is, no developer can "guarantee" a visa, and never could. They could only ever apply on your behalf to the UAE immigration / residency department, which would make the final decision.
• Nationalities eligible for free visit visas on arrival will continue to be able to receive them after 01 August 2008, according to statements reported on 09 June 2008.
• Visitors from countries which get a visit visa on arrival may still have a 60 day visit visa after 01 August 2008, even though passport will be stamped with a 30 day visa. Ask when you arrive how long it's valid for ... and tell others in the visit visa discussion.
• If "Effective" column is empty, then that visa type will continue to be available as far as we know.
• Most Visit Visas will require a deposit of 1000-2000 dhs to be left with the Naturalisation and Residency Department, refunded after visitor departs the UAE.
• Limitations on renewal for free visit visas supposed to be 2x but many visitors have exceeded that with no problems.
• Employers are required to arrange and pay for employee residence visas and work permits (but not their families).