The 21st century has been the century of prosperity for business. In particular, Dubai is one of the most outstanding cities in the world to do business. For this reason, it is common for people who do not live in the UAE to want to move to Dubai. As the UAE’s economy grows, more foreigners want to live in this region. To live and work legally, you will need an employment visa in Dubai.
In this article, we will guide you through the different steps of the employment visa process, advice, the required documentation, and the different types of visas. In more detail:
- What are the steps to obtain a work visa in Dubai?
- Which documents are required for applying for an employment visa in Dubai?
- What are other considerations to take into account?
- What are the different types of visas in Dubai?
- How can this agency help you obtain an employment visa?
1. What are the steps to obtain a work visa in Dubai?
An employment visa in Dubai is always necessary if you plan to work and live in Dubai. Although the government of the UAE has facilitated access to the visa, there are still a series of steps to follow.
If you do not fully understand how to follow these steps or it feels like a lot of work, you can hire a legal employment visa service.
1.1 Visa approval
If you are applying for an employment visa in Dubai, the first thing you should do is get approval from the Ministry of Labor. This is essential to enter the UAE for work reasons and your employer must make the approval request for you.
The approval of the Ministry of Labor will depend on several factors. Generally, the Ministry does an investigation to determine whether or not there are unemployed people in Dubai who can fulfill the job.
1.2 Entry permit
Once the Ministry of Labor has approved your visa application, they must assign you an entry permit with which you can stay legally in the country for 30 days. The permit is valid for two months since you can extend it once.
1.3 Start the work permit process
The first step to obtaining your employment visa in Dubai is to ensure that your visa status is correct. If you were not in the UAE at the time of receiving your entry permit, your visa status should change as soon as you enter the country.
If, on the other hand, you were already in the UAE as a tourist, you must request a change of visa status. You can also leave the country and re-enter, in which case your visa status should change automatically.
Connect Business Center, the best employment visa service in Dubai can help you know all the information to change your visa status.
1.4 Obtain an ID card
To apply for an employment visa in Dubai, it is mandatory to have an ID card. The ID card can be obtained at an Emirates ID service center, and you must present your passport and your entry permit. Take into account that medical screening and payment are mandatory for the application.
Your ID card is valid for 2 years. However, remember that with an entry permit you can only stay for a maximum of 60 days in the country. It is important for you to find the best visa service provider to process your work permit as quickly as possible.
1.5 Submit additional documents
Before formally applying for a residence visa in Dubai, your employer must submit additional documents. Among them are a labor contract and proof of medical health insurance. Currently, health insurance is mandatory in the UAE, so your employer must guarantee that it can cover your medical expenses.
If you have doubts about the documentation that corresponds to you and your employer, do not hesitate to contact us.
1.6 Obtaining your residence visa
Once you have completed all the above steps, you can go to the Department of Naturalization and Residency in Dubai. There, you must present all the legal documentation that you have presented before, and they will place a stamp on your passport that guarantees your legal stay in the UAE.
Take into account that you are responsible for completing these steps if you arrive in Dubai without a permanent job. If you arrive at the city with an already established contract, the company that hired you will take care of your visa processing.
1.6.1 Which documents are required for applying for an employment visa in Dubai?
We present a summary of all the documentation that you must have prepared to apply for your employment visa in Dubai.
- Original passport, along with a copy.
- Passport photos.
- A certificate of health.
- An entry permit that is already approved by the Ministry of Labor.
- Proof of payment of the application, as well as a completed form application.
These are the basic documents that you must present in the process, specifically to request your residence visa. However, other documents could be requested, depending on your job or marital status:
- An employment or labor contract with a company in Dubai.
- Birth certificate.
- Marriage certificate, if applicable.
- Proof of residence in Dubai and a copy of the lease agreement.
- Evidence that you have the economic capacity to support yourself in Dubai with the income from work.
Your UAE employment visa service of choice must let you know about any additional requirements.
3. What are other considerations to take into account?
Before applying for an employment visa in Dubai, there may be other considerations that could help you. If you plan to stay in Dubai with your family, you must take into account that the visa processing for your family members is a separate procedure from your visa.
Having an employment visa does not guarantee a visa for your relatives, although it does greatly facilitate the process. In the UAE, the person who has a legal visa is the one who must apply for the residence visa on behalf of their family.
In this sense, you can request a residence visa for your husband or wife if you are married, presenting your marriage certificate. You can also apply for a visa for your children by presenting their birth certificates. Get information from a legal employment visa service to find out how to obtain a visa for your family.
If you do not live in Dubai, it can be confusing to understand the process. With our services, you can access all the information so you can obtain your visa and your family too.
4. What are the different types of visas in Dubai?
There are other visas in the UAE in addition to the employment visa in Dubai. The type of visa you should apply for will depend on your purpose for staying in the country and the length of your stay. We list below the different types of visas in Dubai.
4.1 Tourist visa
The tourist visa is granted to people who are going to visit Dubai for a maximum period of 30 days, without residence or work purposes. Once the 30 days are up, the visa expires and staying in the city is banned.
You can access a tourist visa with the airline you booked your flight with.
4.2 Family sponsorship visa
As we mentioned before, when you hold an employment visa, you can also apply for a residence visa for your relatives, also known as a family sponsorship visa. The relatives who can access a family visa are the children, spouse, and parents of the person who has the residence.
Several factors are reviewed before accessing the family visa. For example, you must show that your income is enough to support your family. If you want to know more about the requirements to obtain a family visa, contact the top employment visa service in the UAE, Connect Business Center.
4.3 Investor visa
An investor visa in Dubai is requested when a person wants to invest in a company in Dubai. It is also requested when the individual plans to register their own company in Dubai. Usually, an investment before arrival is part of this process.
With an investor visa, you can stay in the country for three years on the condition that you stay with the company for which you invested.
4.4 Residence visa
A residence visa is one of the first requirements to obtain an employment visa in Dubai. The process for the obtention of this visa usually implies more requirements and steps than other types of visas. One of the longest steps in the process for a residence visa is the health checks. These include X-rays and tests to rule out diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS.
If you test positive for any of these diseases mentioned above, the residence visa is automatically denied. After successfully passing through the corresponding tests, you must present your health certificate to obtain your residence visa and your employment visa in Dubai.
4.5 Housemaid or nanny visa
If you need help with housework or need someone to look after for your children, and you would like to hire someone from another country, you can submit an application for a housemaid or nanny visa.
This visa is very common for people in the UAE who want their children to learn another language by hiring a nanny from another country.
4.6 Golden visa
The Golden Visa is a type of visa offered by the UAE government since 2019. This type of visa grants residence to investors who make a large investment in a company in the UAE. For investments of AED 5 million, you can obtain a 5-year residency. For investments of AED 10 million, you can obtain a 10-year residency.
On the other hand, there is also a golden visa option for students. The requirements for a golden visa, in this case, are to have obtained some important awards in the area of study. The visa is also granted to scientists or science students who have made important contributions in their field.
5. How can this agency help you obtain an employment visa?
Dubai is quickly becoming the best emirate to do business in the world thanks to its diversified economy. Many business people are interested in moving to Dubai or investing in local companies. To work legally, it is necessary to have an employment visa.
We are the top visa service provider in the UAE. With us, you can get the most excellent and effective assistance for your employment visa process, as well as tourism, or family visas. We also offer our services for investor visas, in case you intend to set up a company instead of working in Dubai.
Would you like to know more about how to obtain an employment visa in Dubai? Call us on +97143316688 if you want to know about our services. If you need help with the process and documentation needed for obtaining your visa, you can also email us at info@connectbusinesscenter.com, and we will send you an answer shortly.
P.O. Box: 58526, Sheikh Zayed Road, City tower-2 9th Floor, Dubai, UAE
