[ Updated in February 2020 ]
According to the current (as of 2019) rules of the UAE migration policy, it’s practically impossible to obtain local citizenship in Dubai, but there is a good alternative – a residence visa. This visa gives the right to live and work here, learn and do business, receive medical treatment. Besides, you get reliable legal protection; in a word, a residence visa gives you everything you need for a comfortable life here. Depending on its type, this visa is issued for 2 or 3 years, and when this period ends, you can extend your visa almost an unlimited number of times.
There are several ways of how you can get this visa. Here we consider one of those – investing in a local company. In this case you will get an investor visa in Dubai, UAE.
Benefits of the UAE investor visa
So, let's look at the advantages for those receiving an investor visa in Dubai, UAE:
- Tax-free environment for investor visa holders. There are virtually no taxes, both for foreigners with visas and for locals. Besides, the UAE has signed more than 70 double tax treaties with different countries (the UK, France, Japan, Canada, China, Bangladesh, etc.). Thus, having this visa, you are not obliged to pay any taxes at all.
- Developed infrastructure. Despite the fact that the UAE has such a tax regime, as in the classic offshore heavens, expats with an investor visa do not feel a lack of anything. High-quality goods and services transport and communications, free access to all the benefits of Dubai are at the service of a visa holder.
- Security and stability. There are no riots, revolutions, and other negative phenomena In the UAE, typical for the EU countries and the USA. Besides, the crime rate in Dubai and other Emirates is almost zero. You can feel free to walk around the city at night. Those who have committed a crime lose their visa and are deported.
- Reliable legal protection for foreigners with investor visas. Those who have an investor visa in Dubai have almost the same opportunities as the UAE citizens. If the rights of a visa holder are violated, this person can turn to a local court.
So, as you see, there are more than enough reasons to think about getting an investor visa in the UAE.
Who can get a residency visa or citizenship in the UAE?
It is almost impossible to obtain local citizenship in practice, but a resident visa is a good alternative. There are several possible ways to obtain a residence visa in Dubai, UAE:
- A residence visa for an employee. The vast majority of expats have this type of visa. This type of visa is issued to residents with a work contract with a local company. The validity period of this visa in the UAE is 3 years.
- Visa for real estate owners. If you buy a residential property in Dubai, the value of which exceeds AED 1 million, you get a real estate investor visa. The validity period of this visa in the UAE is 2 years.
- Investor visa for entrepreneurs. If you have invested your money and started your business in one of the UAE free zones (or the mainland), you also get a residence visa – investor visa (IMPORTANT! An offshore company does not provide the right to obtain a residency visa). The validity period of this visa in the UAE is 3 years, but in some cases, you can apply for a special visa for 10 years.
By opening your company in Dubai, UAE, you can get a visa not only for yourself, but also for members of your family: spouse, and children. It is not difficult to obtain residence visas for them. Once your investor visa is received, you have the right to apply for a visa for your family. The only additional requirement is to provide proof that you have an apartment where your family can live to the UAE authorities. In addition, to get visas for them, you must provide a certificate of marriage for a spouse and birth certificates for your children. The process of obtaining the investor visa in the UAE for the family members takes about a month.
Once you and your family obtain the UAE investor visas and become a resident in Dubai, UAE, you enjoy all the local benefits.
Obtaining an investor visa in the UAE – rules, requirements and the process
First, you have to get an entry visa from the Department of Immigration and Naturalization of the UAE. By submitting an application and obtaining this permission (entry visa), you can legally enter the country. After completing a company registration process, when you have all the statutory documents, you can apply for an investor visa in Dubai, UAE. To do this, you must collect the following set of documents:
- A copy of the applicant’s passport.
- An applicant’s photo.
- A copy of the company license, copies of passports, and visas of all company shareholders.
- A copy of an immigration card.
- Copy of the company's constituent agreement (for LLC)
- Copy of the partnership agreement (for companies outside free zones)
In addition, = to get an investor visa in the UAE, you must undergo medical examination procedures. To do this, you must complete a special registration. As part of the examination, you will need to undergo an X-ray examination and take a blood test at a certified medical center in the UAE. At most in two days, you receive your result and the permission to obtain an investor visa in Dubai.
The cost of an investor visa in the UAE
How much does an investor visa in the UAE cost? The size of government fees for this visa varies depending on the place of registration (free zones, local companies in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman and other Emirates). But there is a general rule: to get an investor visa of the UAE, an applicant must have shares worth more than AED 70,000, and in addition, make a refundable deposit of AED 10,000. After visa cancellation, this amount is returned to a foreigner. But even if your shares cost less than AED 70,000, you can still claim an investor visa, but your guarantee deposit will be AED 20,000. As for the various government visa fees, the total cost (initial entry visa, medical examination, Emirates ID card, visa stamping) is about AED 3,000.
UAE Golden visa for 5 or 10 years
A new type of investor visa has been introduced recently here in the UAE – Golden Visa. This is also an investor resident visa, but it is issued for a period of 5 years (or 10 in some cases). To obtain such a visa in Dubai, a foreigner must meet the following criteria – make investments of more than AED 10 million in the local economy. This investment can take various forms, such as:
- Deposit of AED 10+ million to a domestic investment fund.
- A company in the free zone or in the mainland of the UAE with a capital of more than AED 10 million.
- The total investment in the above structures is more than AED 10 million.
This invested money should not be borrowed and must stay in the country for at least three years. The above requirements apply to a single person. If there is more than one partner, the total investment of each partner must exceed AED 10 million.
This type of visa is also issued to spouses and children of the applicant. You can find all relevant information on this type of visa on the UAE government official website.
If you have any questions regarding an investor visa in Dubai, UAE, please contact our specialists to get the most detailed consultation on this issue.
