October 4, 2026

Residence Visa Dubai 2026: All Residence Visas at a Glance

If you want to live in Dubai for longer, you need a residence visa. It is the basis for almost everything that follows: Emirates ID, bank account, tenancy contract, driving licence, a school place for your children. Which visa suits you depends on whether you set up your own company, are employed, work location-independently or are retiring.

This article gives you a complete overview of UAE residence visas, their requirements and the rules on renewal, grace periods and time abroad. As of October 2026. At federal level the responsible authority is the ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security); in Dubai it is the GDRFA.

Key points at a glance

A residence visa is a time-limited residence permit. Depending on the type it runs for one to five years; the Golden Visa usually runs for ten years.
For entrepreneurs the direct route is the investor or partner visa through their own free zone or mainland company.
The Green Visa, remote work visa, retirement visa and Golden Visa do not require an employer.
A regular residence visa lapses if you spend more than 180 consecutive days abroad. The Golden Visa is exempt.
After expiry or cancellation, a grace period of one to six months applies depending on the category. After that an overstay fine of AED 50 per day is charged.

What a residence visa enables

With the residence visa you receive the Emirates ID, your identity card and proof of residence in the UAE. Only then can you in practice open a personal bank account, register a tenancy contract (via Ejari in Dubai), convert your driving licence, sign a mobile contract and enrol your children at a school. In Dubai, health insurance is mandatory for every resident.

The visas at a glance

Visa	For whom	Validity	Sponsor
Investor/partner visa	shareholders of their own company	usually 2 years, longer in some free zones	own company
Standard work visa	employees	usually 2 years	employer
Green Visa	freelancers, skilled employees, investors	5 years	self
Freelance visa	self-employed with a freelancer permit	usually 2 years	self
Remote work visa	remote workers with an employer or clients abroad	1 year	self
Retirement visa	aged 55 and over	5 years	self
Student visa	students	usually 1 year, renewable	university or parents
Family visa	spouse, children, in some cases parents	linked to the sponsor's visa	family member
Golden Visa	investors, entrepreneurs, talents	usually 10 years	self

Work visa and investor visa through your own company

Investor or partner visa

If you set up a company in a free zone or on the mainland, you can sponsor yourself as a shareholder through your own company. The prerequisites are a valid licence, an establishment card (the company's immigration file) and an available visa quota. In many free zones the number of visas depends on the office or flexi-desk package booked. The visa usually runs for two years and is renewed as long as the licence is active. We explain how it works in practice on our Dubai Residency page.

Standard work visa

As an employee, your employer applies for the visa on your behalf. On the mainland, the work permit and employment contract go through the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE); in a free zone through the zone authority. Separate rules apply to domestic workers.

Green Visa

The Green Visa is a five-year residence visa on which you sponsor yourself. After expiry or cancellation you have a grace period of up to six months. You can sponsor sons up to the age of 25 and unmarried daughters without an age limit. There are three routes:

1. Freelancers and the self-employed

freelance or self-employment permit from MOHRE
bachelor's degree or equivalent specialised diploma
self-employment income of at least AED 360,000 in each of the two previous years, or proof of sufficient financial means for the stay

2. Skilled employees

valid employment contract in the UAE
MOHRE occupational level 1, 2 or 3
at least a bachelor's degree
monthly salary of at least AED 15,000

3. Investors and partners

Investors and partners in UAE businesses can obtain a Green Visa if the competent authority approves the investment. The ICP has not published a fixed minimum amount, so we assess the requirements case by case.

Freelance visa

With a free zone freelancer permit you work under your own name without setting up a company with share capital. On this basis a self-sponsored residence visa is issued. This suits consultants, creatives and developers with a lean setup. If you want to hire staff or trade more broadly, your own company is the better fit. More in our glossary entry Freelance visa / freelancer permit.

Remote work visa

The remote work visa is aimed at people who work from Dubai for an employer abroad or run their own business outside the UAE. It is valid for one year and can be renewed. The main requirements:

monthly income of at least USD 3,500 or the equivalent
proof of employment or of your own company abroad
passport valid for at least six months
health insurance with UAE coverage

Note: the visa alone does not end your tax liability in Germany, Austria or Switzerland, and your foreign employer may create a permanent establishment in the UAE. Clarify this beforehand.

Retirement visa

From the age of 55 you can apply for a five-year retirement visa. You generally need at least 15 years of work experience inside or outside the UAE and must meet one of the following financial requirements:

property in the UAE worth at least AED 1 million
savings of at least AED 1 million
regular monthly income of at least AED 15,000 or AED 20,000, depending on the emirate

Bank statements for the last six months are part of the usual evidence.

Student visa

Students are sponsored either by their university or by their parents resident in the UAE. The visa usually runs for one year and is renewed for the duration of the studies. You need an admission or enrolment certificate stating the expected duration of studies and must meet the general residence requirements. Outstanding students may be eligible for the Golden Visa.

Family visa

With a valid residence visa you can bring your family. According to the official government portal u.ae, you need a monthly salary of at least AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus provided accommodation. You can sponsor:

your spouse
sons up to the age of 25
unmarried daughters without an age limit
children with disabilities without an age limit

Parents can only be sponsored under additional conditions, in particular a higher income. Typical documents are attested marriage and birth certificates, a registered tenancy contract and health insurance for each family member. Family members aged 18 and over must take the medical test. The family visa is linked to your own visa: if yours is cancelled, the family visas must be transferred as well. Certificates from the DACH region must be attested for the UAE; see our page on document attestation.

Golden Visa

The Golden Visa is the long-term alternative: usually ten years, no sponsor, no six-month limit on time abroad and extended family sponsorship. The most common route for DACH entrepreneurs is property worth at least AED 2 million, since 2026 also for off-plan and mortgaged properties without a minimum down payment. All categories and costs are in our article Golden Visa Dubai 2026, our support on the Golden Visa Dubai page.

How the application works

Entry permit if you are still abroad, or change of status if you are already in the UAE on a visit visa.
Medical test at an approved centre, in Dubai via the Dubai Health Authority (DHA): blood test and chest X-ray.
Biometrics for the Emirates ID: fingerprints and photo.
Health insurance, mandatory in Dubai.
Visa issuance. Since 2022 there is no visa sticker in the passport; the Emirates ID is your proof of residence.

Renewal, grace period and overstay fines

Your sponsor, i.e. your company, employer or family member, applies for renewal in good time before expiry. The Emirates ID expires with the visa; both are renewed together.

After expiry or cancellation a grace period applies during which you can apply for a new visa or leave the country. Depending on the category it lasts between one and six months, up to six months for the Golden and Green Visa. If you stay longer, the ICP charges a standardised overstay fine of AED 50 per day. The different rates for tourist and residence visas that used to apply no longer do.

More than six months abroad

A regular residence visa loses its validity if you spend more than 180 consecutive days outside the UAE. To return you can apply for a re-entry permit, in Dubai via the GDRFA, otherwise via the ICP. The usual conditions:

application from abroad, at the earliest after 180 days of absence
a valid reason for the long absence
at least 30 days of remaining visa validity
entry within 30 days of approval
in addition to processing fees, a fine of AED 100 for every 30 days or part thereof spent abroad

Approval is not automatic, so plan longer stays abroad in advance. More in our glossary entry 180-day absence rule.

Cancelling your visa

If you leave the UAE permanently, your visa must be formally cancelled. Your sponsor arranges this. For mainland employees the work permit is first terminated with MOHRE, then the visa with the immigration authority. In a free zone both go through the zone authority. As a shareholder you cancel your investor visa through your own company. Family visas must be cancelled first. Also think about your bank account, tenancy contract and any loans before you leave.

How much does a residence visa cost?

There is no flat fee. Costs are made up of government fees for the entry permit or change of status and visa issuance, the medical test, the Emirates ID and health insurance. For the investor visa, the company's licence and establishment card come on top; in many free zones the visa is part of a formation package. We calculate the specific costs for your case in the initial consultation.

How Danho & Partner supports you

Danho & Partner is a German-speaking business advisory firm in Meydan Free Zone, Dubai. For more than 7 years and over 1,000 company formations we have supported entrepreneurs from the DACH region from company formation through the residence visa to the Emirates ID and family sponsorship. We check which visa suits you, prepare the documents, coordinate appointments and keep track of deadlines for renewal and time abroad.

Want to know which visa is the right route for you? Book an initial consultation, in person in Dubai or by video.

FAQ

How long can I stay in the UAE on a residence visa?

One to five years depending on the visa, usually ten years with the Golden Visa. Investor and work visas usually run for two years and are then renewed.

Can I spend more than six months outside the UAE?

On a regular residence visa only with a re-entry permit; otherwise the visa lapses after 180 consecutive days. The Golden Visa has no such limit.

What happens when my visa expires?

A grace period of one to six months begins, depending on the category. After that a fine of AED 50 per day applies until you leave or obtain a new visa.

Do I need health insurance?

Yes. In Dubai it is mandatory for all residents and a prerequisite for issuing the visa.

Does the residence visa make me tax resident in the UAE?

Not automatically. What matters is whether you still have a residence or your habitual abode in Germany, Austria or Switzerland. You evidence UAE residence with the Tax Residency Certificate. We address the tax side together with our network of German tax advisers.

Legal notice: This article is for general guidance only and does not replace individual advice. UAE visa rules and fees can change at short notice. The information published by ICP and GDRFA at the time of your application is decisive.