To live and work in Dubai, you need to have a visa. Indeed, the visa policy is very strict in the United Arab Emirates: without a visa, you cannot reside in the country, let alone work there. Needless to say, a tourist visa is not sufficient to live and work in Dubai. We recommend that you pay close attention to this point, as there are many checks.
If you plan to set up a company in Dubai and wish to reside there for at least part of the year, you will therefore need to find out about visas. The same applies if you intend to bring some of your employees to the United Arab Emirates: they also need a work visa to remain compliant with the law.
The different types of visas for residing and working in Dubai
Depending on your profile, you will need a specific visa. To make things a little clearer, we would like to review the main visas available, allowing you to live and also work in Dubai:- As a partner in a free zone company, you can obtain a 3-year residence visa. This visa can of course be renewed (every 3 years).
- As a partner in a mainland company, you can obtain a 2-year residence visa. This visa can of course be renewed (every 2 years).
- For your employees, a visa is also required (unless you hire them in the United Arab Emirates, of course).
- If you are in the mainland, your employees will have a visa valid for 2 years (renewable)
- If you are in a free zone, your employees will have a visa valid for 3 years (renewable)
- Attention: as the employer, you are responsible for handling all the procedures and covering the visa costs!
- The “Golden Visa” is a brand-new visa. It has existed since 2019 and allows people who invest at least AED 10 million to obtain a visa valid for 10 years. For entrepreneurs, the residence visa is valid for 5 years. For more information about Golden Visas, please follow this article: READ HERE.
Other residence visas in Dubai
If you launch a company in Dubai, you will also need a visa for your family and your employees’ families:- For your husband or wife, you can obtain a residence visa valid for 2 years (mainland) or 3 years (free zone), which can of course be renewed.
- For your employees’ spouses, the residence visa is also valid for 2 years (mainland) or 3 years (free zone), renewable. However, when the employee’s visa is cancelled, the spouse’s and children’s visas are also cancelled.
- In both cases, spouses may work, but an NOC (authorization) from the spouse sponsoring their partner will be required, as well as a work permit issued by MOHRE (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation).
- You can also obtain a residence visa for your children and parents, as well as for those of your employees.
