The first step of UAE residency is choosing the right visa and obtaining an Emirates ID. The dashboard above is the 5-second read; the sections below walk through each route, the actual process, costs, and the mistakes that trip people up.
Visa types in one line each
- Tourist (30 / 90 days) — issued on arrival for 70+ nationalities (length depends on passport). No employment, no residency. See
tourist-visa. - Employment (2–3 years) + EID — the standard resident path. Your employer sponsors; family can follow once you hold it.
- Green Visa (5 years, self-sponsored) — for skilled workers (skill levels 1–3 earning AED 15,000+/month), freelancers, and self-employed. No employer tie, and you can sponsor family.
- Family / Dependent (2–3 years) — sponsored by a working resident. Sponsor salary roughly AED 4,000+/month (or AED 3,000 + accommodation).
- Golden Visa (5–10 years) — long-term, self-sponsored if you qualify: AED 2M+ property, AED 2M+ bank deposit, AED 30K+/month salaried professional, or talent nomination. Detailed guide.
The employment visa process, step by step
Most people arrive on an employer-sponsored visa. The employer drives it, but knowing the sequence tells you what to chase:
- Offer + work permit (MOHRE) — your employer applies to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. The permit itself now issues in up to ~5 working days under the "Work Bundle" scheme, provided the company has visa quota.
- Entry permit — lets you enter (or change status if you're already in the UAE on a tourist visa).
- Medical fitness test — within 14 days of activation (see below).
- Emirates ID biometrics — fingerprints + photo at an ICP centre. See
emirates-id. - Residence visa issued — GDRFA stamps it (most 2026 visas are digital e-visas now).
End to end, budget 2–4 weeks from signed offer — longer if your degree needs attestation or the file needs a status change.
Medical screening (required for residence visas)
- Conducted at government-approved Dubai Health Authority (DHA) or Abu Dhabi Department of Health (DoH) centres.
- Blood test (HIV, hepatitis B/C, syphilis) + chest X-ray (tuberculosis). Results in 24–48 hours.
- Positive results for certain communicable diseases can lead to visa refusal — if you have any concern, screen at home before you commit to the move.
- An express ("VIP") medical lane exists at most centres for an extra fee.
Health insurance is mandatory
Since 1 January 2025, valid health insurance is required to issue or renew any residence visa in all seven emirates. Your employer must cover you (minimum AED 150,000 of annual cover in Dubai; Abu Dhabi requires the employer to also cover spouse + up to three children). Budget for dependents' cover where it isn't employer-provided. See /guides/healthcare/overview.
Costs to expect (employee, employer usually pays)
- Work permit + entry permit + visa stamping: roughly AED 3,000–7,000 combined, varies by free zone vs mainland.
- Medical test: ~AED 320 standard, more for express.
- Emirates ID: AED 100/year of validity + service fees.
- Attestation of foreign degree/marriage certificate (if needed): varies by country; arrange before you fly.
Common pitfalls
- Don't overstay your tourist window waiting for the employment visa — convert via a status change in time, or you'll pay daily fines.
- Attestation is the usual bottleneck. Degree and marriage certificates often need home-country + UAE embassy attestation; start early.
- The 180-day rule: a standard residence visa can lapse if you stay outside the UAE for more than 6 continuous months (Golden Visa is exempt).
- Track everything by File Number on the ICP app — status is real-time.