A major attraction of studying or travelling abroad for work is the opportunity to gain permanent residency (PR) across different countries. Similarly, gaining a PR in UAE is one of the more attractive options for travelling and studying in the country.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been one of the popular and favourite destinations among Indians for several reasons, including living a tax-free life. Thousands of individuals, especially business persons, choose to live as permanent residents and carry out their businesses in UAE.
Primarily, the UAE offers short-term residency visas, or PR in UAE to foreign nationals looking to study or work in the country. The validity period for the short-term visas can range from 1, 2 or 3-year visas. However, the UAE also offers long-term residency visas to foreign nationals that can be renewed an unlimited number of times as well, ranging from 5 to 10-year residency visas as well.
However, much like in other countries, different requirements should be satisfied to get a PR in UAE. In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about getting a PR in UAE after your higher studies in the country.
How to Get PR in UAE?
One of the benefits of choosing the UAE as the country you wish to get a permanent residency is the multiple PR pathways. It should be understood that the UAE, technically, does not offer any sort of permanent residency, however, it does offer residency options which are renewable without a restriction on the number of renewals.
To get a residency visa in UAE, foreign nationals need to find themselves a sponsor, who can apply for the PR in UAE. For instance;
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For those on a UAE work visa, the sponsor will be the UAE employer who has hired them.
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For those on a UAE student visa, the school or university will become the sponsor of the candidates.
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For those on a UAE family visa, a family member will become the sponsor for your PR in UAE.
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Those choosing to enter the country by buying property in UAE can apply for residency yourself, wherein your company or property will serve as the sponsor.
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Once your sponsor has been determined, candidates will be able to apply for PR in UAE by completing the following steps.
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Applicants need to get an Entry Permit, which the sponsor must apply for. They can do so by one of the following methods.
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The federal authority for Identity and Citizenship either via the ICA eChanel portal or the mobile applications for IOS and Android phones.
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The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs - Sponsors can apply online or in person.
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GDFRA
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After the candidates have entered the country, the sponsor will have to apply for a residency visa in UAE on your behalf at the GDFRA of the respective emirate where you intend to live.
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The sponsor will be responsible for paying the residency visa fees in UAE as well. The fees will be dependent on the validity of the visa.
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After approving your application, the GDFRA will stamp a residency visa on your passport. Subsequently, you will also receive an Emirates ID that will remain valid for the same duration as that of your visa.
If you are interested in understanding how to get a PR in UAE, then let us first understand the different pathways available to foreign nationals to get residency in UAE.
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What are the PR Pathways in UAE?
The UAE offers several pathways for foreign nationals to apply for PR in the country. However, before candidates can apply for permanent residency, there are a few standard residency options that will allow foreign nationals to stay in the country and live their lives legally.
As per current regulations, any one of the following standard residency options will allow foreign nationals to live in the country for a period of two years. However, these standard residency options are renewable without a limit. To maintain a valid residency visa, individuals will be required to enter the UAE every 6 months, failing which will lead to an immediate cancellation of the visa.
Listed here are some of the PR pathways in UAE that foreign nationals can choose to get their PR in UAE.
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Purchasing Real Estate: Any foreign national who is capable of buying real estate valued at above 1 million AED will be able to get a residency visa valid for 2 years.
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Employment Visa Path: Getting a job in the UAE is one of the more popular and best ways to get a UAE PR. Candidates must get a work visa if they plan on working with a UAE-based company or the Emirati government.
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Here, candidates will be given an entry permit which is valid for 2 months. You will be required to convert the entry permit into a residency permit for a longer duration of validity.
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Registering a Company: Another way to receive a UAE PR is by registering a company in the Emirates or the free zones. Here the visa is valid for 3 years and can be renewed multiple times.
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Studying in UAE: Here the university will apply for your residence visa under the name of the university. Students with a CGPA of 3.75 on a scale of 4 will also be eligible to apply for the University Student Pathway to UAE PR.
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Family Visa: This option has been provided for foreign nationals who wish to bring their immediate family members, such as their parents, spouses and children, with them into the country. In this case, the immediate family members can apply for the Family Visa
It should be noted that foreign nationals must legally live in the UAE to receive a residency visa before they are eligible to apply for a UAE PR. Since the time frame to receive a PR in UAE varies individually, i.e. it can take anywhere from 1 -10 years to get a PR if an individual enters the country without a sponsor, choosing one of these pathways will allow the individuals to remain in the UAE and carry out their businesses.
Documents Required for PR in UAE
As is tradition with every permanent residency process, interested candidates are required to submit several documents required for PR in UAE. The documents required for PR applications in UAE can have been listed below:
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Two Passport-size photographs of the applicant.
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The original passport of the applicant.
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An entry visa with the correctly filled-out application form.
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Proof of health insurance policy taken out in the name of the applicant.
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Proof of good character and health of the applicant must also be submitted.
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Those entering the UAE on a family visa must provide proof of family ties, such as a birth or marriage certificate.
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Those entering the country on a work visa will be required to provide proof of work contract, trade license and firm documents.
In addition to these documents, candidates may be required to provide additional travel documents which a UAE official may inform them of in advance. Candidates are also advised to visit the official website of the UAE embassy and check out the document requirements for UAE PR before applying for the document.
PR Fees in UAE
To complete the PR IN UAE application process, candidates will also need to pay the application fees as well. According to regulations, the PR fees in UAE will change as per the validity period of the visa that has been issued to the foreign national. However, for a visa, candidates need to pay AED 100 as resident visa fees in UAE.
In addition to this, the processing fees for the PR in UAE will also determine any additional charges that the applicant may incur. For instance, those applying for a residency visa in UAE via the online platform need to pay AED 50, whereas, those applying for a residency visa in person will need to pay AED 70.
It should be noted that there may be additional fees such as health insurance and medical exam fees. In addition to this, the UAE resident visa fees are subject to change at the discretion of the UAE federal government.
Expiration and Renewal of PR in UAE
As stated above, the type of residency visa issued will determine the expiration and renewal of PR in the UAE. Candidates who have received their visa for one will be required to renew their visas before the expiration date, to avoid incurring late fees and fines. Regardless of the validity period, all residency visas in UAE are renewable.
Renewing UAE Residency Visa Before Expiration
Similar to applying for a residency visa after entering the country for the first time, your sponsor will be responsible for renewing your residency visa before expiration. Your sponsor will also be able to apply for the PR renewal in UAE after the visa has expired as well.
Regardless, the process of UAE residence visa renewal will include applying for the renewal at the respective GDFRA of the emirate where you are living.
UAE Visa Expiration Grace Period
All foreign nationals living in the UAE under a residency visa are eligible for a grace period of 30 days after the expiration of their visas. All foreign nationals will be permitted to live in the UAE within this grace period but will be required to apply for the renewal of their visas within these 30 days to avoid incurring fines for overstaying.
Why Apply for PR in UAE?
When it comes to deciding on whether you should apply for a residency permit in the country, there are several reasons to reflect upon. Listed below are some of the reasons why applying for PR in UAE is the better option for many foreign nationals looking to settle down abroad.
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From healthcare to financial benefits, foreign nationals on residency visas in UAE can enjoy a range of benefits.
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They will be able to live, study and work in the country like everyone else.
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They will also be eligible for tax breaks and better-paying jobs than anywhere else.
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UAE also offers compensation for illnesses, that foreign nationals on UAE PR will be eligible for.
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All foreign nationals on residency visas can also open private or business accounts in the country.
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They will also be able to sponsor their families, including their children, spouse and other members.
In addition to these benefits, applying for PR in UAE also opens up a range of opportunities including staying in the country without many interruptions. Candidates will also be able to travel to different countries across the globe without facing too many restrictions as well.
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UAE Five-Year Residency Rules
Apart from the 1, 2, and 3-year residency visas, candidates can also apply for a 5-year PR in UAE, which is also renewable upon expiration. Here is a list of the UAE PR visas that foreign nationals can apply for, to gain the 5-year residency rules.
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Outstanding Students: Candidates who meet the following criteria can apply for the 5-year residency visas:
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Those enrolled in a university in UAE and have a CGPA of 3.75 on a scale of 4.0
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Those applying for visas under this category will also be able to include their family members.
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Entrepreneurs: Those with a project with approval from a UAE-based incubator or an AED 500,000 capital in an existing idea will be able to apply for the 5-year visas.
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Property Investors: Those with a property valued at AED 5 million in the least, which they have not bought via loan and have held on to for a period of 3 years can apply for the 5-year residency visa.
Apart from the five-year visas, another PR in UAE that foreign nationals can apply for is the 10-year residency visa. However, the requirements and guidelines for the visa are far more demanding and strict.
Regardless of the long-term residency visas in UAE, the ability to renew your short-term visas without a restriction on the number of times you can renew opens up a range of opportunities for skilled and qualified professionals from around the world. Furthermore, the lack of taxes also makes UAE an extremely attractive option for prospective students and workers alike.
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