The UAE has announced a series of updates in relation to visit visa rules, including four new visa categories and amending the conditions for various permits.
The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security (ICP) has also set a minimum monthly income requirement for UAE residents who want to sponsor a visitor.
Salary Requirement
The salary requirement is part of a change aimed at increasing transparency and economic diversification in the UAE. The rules are as follows:
- Residents have to earn a minimum of Dh 4000 per month to bring over immediate family members to the UAE.
- Sponsoring second or third-degree relatives requires a minimum monthly income of Dh 8000.
- Expats have to earn a minimum monthly income of Dh 15,000 to sponsor a friend.
Visa Duration and Extension
The new rules lay out the duration and extension powers for visit visas, listing six types of permitted stays. The changes will help applicants get through visa-related procedures quickly.
Four New Visit Visa Categories
The new regulations grant visit visas to experts in artificial intelligence, entertainment, events, cruise ships, and leisure vessels.
The rules also allow for a humanitarian residence permit to be issued for a year with the possibility of extension by the authorities.
The decision will also allow widows and divorced women from other countries to obtain residence in the UAE without a sponsor.
Lastly, the amendments include a business exploration visa, contingent upon financial solvency, to set up a company or ownership in a company outside the country.
Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director General of the ICP, stated that these amendments will help improve the quality of life, enhance trade, and strengthen the UAE’s economic position.