What are the Eligibility Criteria for Green Visa UAE?

With an eye on integrating more global talent and skilled individuals into its workforce, the UAE government has rolled out significant changes to its residence visa policies that can be helpful for you if you wish to work in the UAE.

One of these changes includes the introduction of the Green Visa UAE, which aims to provide self-sponsored residence to applicants for a 5-year period. With this visa, you can stay in the Emirates for a prolonged period and enjoy a high standard of living along with excellent work opportunities.

Let’s quickly cover the major Green Visa UAE eligibility criteria that you must fulfil before you start to apply for Green Visa UAE.

What is the Green Visa?

The Green Visa, as we discussed before, is a new type of residency visa in the UAE that aims to bridge the gap between work visas and residency permits. As per the guidelines of this new visa, you can sponsor yourself for a stay of 5 years in the UAE with this visa.

Unlike other residency visas, you will not have to associate yourself with a company, educational institute, or even a UAE national to apply. Thus, if you are an investor, a skilled employee, or even self-employed, you would be able to apply for this visa provided that you fulfil the Green Visa UAE eligibility criteria.

Benefits of a Green Visa

There are several benefits of a Green Visa, with the most central one being the requirement of sponsorship. Unlike other long-term visas in the UAE which have mandatory sponsorship requirements, Green Visas don’t have any – you can easily get this visa without worrying about securing sponsorship for your stay.

With the Green Visas coming into effect in October 2022, you can apply for one if you are a self-employed talent/freelancer, investor, or skilled employee. The UAE government provides a 60-day entry work permit for those who wish to finish their Green Visa application after arriving in the country. Moreover, these visas offer an extended grace period to give you a window of up to 180 days to renew even after the visa has expired.

The Green Visa provides several added benefits to your family members as well –

• As a holder of the Green Visa, you can easily bring your family members to the country without any hassle. The Green Visa UAE allows you to sponsor the residence of your family members limited to your children, spouse, and first-degree relatives.

• While the age limit for sponsoring the residency of a male child was 18 years earlier, it has increased to 25 years under the Green Visa.

• For Green Visa holder parents who have children with special needs, the government offers them free residency irrespective of their gender and age

As a Green Visa holder, you may also invite your other relatives to the country under special circumstances. However, the duration of the stay of immediate family members already in the UAE will not be impacted by this.

Green Visa UAE Eligibility

Like most long-term visas in UAE, the Green Visa also has certain eligibility criteria for different groups of people. These Green Visa UAE eligibility categories are defined as per their occupation or education.

Let's take a look at the major Green Visa UAE eligibility requirements across different categories –

Skilled Employees

As a skilled employee, you would be required to fulfil the following Green Visa UAE eligibility conditions–

• You should have an employment contract that is deemed valid by the government

• You should be categorised as either a first, second, or third occupational-level employee according to the guidelines laid out by the UAE's Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.

The first level features people at an executive level, while the second and the third comprise professionals and technicians from scientific, technological, and social fields.

• You must have a bachelor's or equivalent degree

• Your monthly salary should be at least AED 15,000.

Self-Employed and Freelancers

If you belong to the category of self-employed individuals or freelancers, you must fulfil the Green Visa UAE eligibility criteria discussed below –

• Self-employment or a freelance permit must be obtained through UAE's Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratization

• You should be a holder of a bachelor's degree or equivalent per the Green Visa UAE eligibility criteria (specialised diploma courses are also accepted in this regard)

• You must have had an annual income of AED 360,000 for the last two years.

Furthermore, you would be required to prove financial solvency during your period of visa in case you fail to present evidence regarding the income.

Green Visa UAE for Investors

With the introduction of Green Visas, even commercial investors or partners can apply for a 5-year stay. This is a marked change from the previous rules, where investors were only allowed to stay for 2 years.

The Green VISA UAE eligibility requirements for investors include the following –

• You need proof of investment to apply for the Green Visa as an investor/partner

• The approval of this proof, along with the investment amount, is required. If you hold more than one business licence as an investor, you will have to submit the total investment capital for investment.

• You must seek approval from the relevant local authorities with regard to your commercial activities

What is the Cost of the UAE Green Visa?

There is no fixed cost for the UAE Green Visa. As per the latest updates, you can expect the costs to be around AED 3,175, with the reported breakdown being AED 2,280 for the visa, AED 575 for ID card, and AED 320 for medical.

Please take note that the costs can vary as per your profile, dependents, and more.

Have a look at some of the most frequently asked questions related to Green Visa UAE eligibility below –

FAQs