Green Visa UAE – Here’s What You Must Know About It

The UAE is one of the most desired locations for entrepreneurs and individuals, as seen in the constitution of its population – the UAE has an expatriate population of approximately 89%! 
By overhauling its visa system and bringing new favourable laws, the UAE is set to progress towards being one of the world’s best places for employment, investment, entrepreneurship, and education. 
One such development here is its new entry and residence system via Green Visa, which came into effect in October 2022. This visa has been primarily introduced to attract skilled workers and make their residence a hassle-free experience!

What is Green Visa UAE?

The Green Visa is a residency visa that allows you to sponsor yourself for 5 years without requiring company sponsorship. This visa has a provision for renewal and also enables you, the visa-holder, to sponsor first-degree relatives and your spouse. Additionally, there is an extended grace period upon cancellation of the visa, which can allow you to remain in the UAE for up to 6 months.

Green visas give you the freedom to live and work in the UAE, invest in properties and other assets, and establish a new business.

The three major types of Green visas are –

1. Green residency for skilled workers,

2. Green residency for self-employed individuals, and

3. Green residency for investors or partners in commercial enterprises.

What are the Benefits of a Green Visa?

Compared to the standard UAE resident visa, the Green Visa UAE offers several exceptional benefits, particularly for the holder’s family.

Given below are some of the key UAE Green Visa benefits –

• A Green visa allows you to stay in UAE for 5 years and more (subject to renewal)

• The lack of sponsorship requirement is one of the best advantages of the Green Visa, if not the best. Unlike a work visa, where your employer needs to procure the work and residency permits, you can independently do so on your own.

• If you hold this visa, you can sponsor your spouse, children, parents, and any first-degree relatives for resident permits. Children with special needs, regardless of age, unmarried daughters, and sons up to the 25 years old (updated from the previous limit of 18 years) are included in this.

• Holders of UAE Green visas are given a flexible grace period of 6 months. Thus, you can continue to reside in the UAE even if the residence permit is cancelled or has expired.

• With a Green visa, you can go anywhere in the world without worrying about your immigration status upon your return.

Why did the UAE Government Introduce the Green visa?

As we saw earlier, the UAE Government introduced the Green Visa with the aim of attracting talented individuals and entrepreneurs. This would be beneficial for the country in terms of progress in various domains.

This visa is equally beneficial for you as well. If you are a highly-trained professional, business owner, student, investor, etc., you can have a prolonged stay in the UAE. You can then grow your career and knowledge while utilising the excellent services and infrastructure of the UAE.

What is the Green Visa UAE Eligibility?

The UAE Green visa is open to applicants in three categories – skilled employees, self-employed individuals/freelancers, and investors/partners. The Green visa UAE eligibility requirements for each category are as follows –

1. Freelancers/Self-employed people

To apply for a Green visa UAE, freelancers and/or self-employed persons must submit the following –

• An authorisation from the MOHRE (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation) to work as a self-employed or freelancer

• Proof of a bachelor’s degree or specialised certificate

• Self-employment income over the past two years totalling at least AED 360,000 or a history of maintaining financial stability while living in the UAE are all acceptable forms of proof

2. Skilled employees

Skilled workers must meet the following requirements to apply for a UAE Green visa –

• You must possess an authentic work agreement and fall within the occupational level as defined by the MOHRE

• You must hold a bachelor’s degree or an equal degree

• You must have a minimum monthly salary of AED 15,000

3. Partners or Investors

Partners or investors in corporations and others must meet the following requirements to apply for a UAE Green visa –

• You must provide proof of approval and investment

• The consent of the local authorities in charge and the applicant’s authorisation to engage in the activity would be required

How Much Does the Green Visa Cost?

There’s no fixed cost of a UAE Green Visa. The general cost of this visa is around AED 2,280, although further charges may apply as well. These expenses can include AED 575 for an ID card, AED 320 for other services, and more.

The total cost of the complete process will vary as per the number of dependents under the visa holder’s sponsorship, the visa holding fees applicable for the category of the individual, and so forth.

What is the Difference Between a Green Visa and a Work Visa in the UAE?

A Green Visa differs from a typical UAE work visa in various ways. Most importantly, if you have a Green Visa, you can sponsor yourself without requiring sponsorship or an employer.

With a Green Visa, thus, you can retain full authority over your work and easily change jobs while staying in the country as long as you want, subject to proper renewals.

What are the Other New Immigration Laws in the UAE?

Here’s a quick overview of the new immigration and visa regulations in the UAE –

• Under the Green Visa, you will be allowed to sponsor yourself for a five-year residence without the help of UAE nationals or their employers. This law includes skilled workers, entrepreneurs/partners, freelancers, and investors.

• If someone has a Golden Visa, their family members are allowed to stay in the UAE as long as the visa is active even after the visa holder dies.

• The holders of Golden Visas may also sponsor their offspring and other relatives

• With the work exploration visa, you will be allowed to seek employment in the UAE without the requirement of a sponsor or host

Key Takeaways

The UAE is a great place to live, work, study, and visit owing to its excellent economy, work opportunities, infrastructure and services, and more. The Green Visa is a way for freelancers, business owners, skilled workers, and investors to avail of these benefits by living and working in the UAE.

The application process for the Green Visa is fairly simple. However, take note of whether you fulfil all the eligibility criteria and have sufficient proof as well as documents for the application so that the process goes smoothly.

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