Which UAE visa is right for you?
The UAE runs 13 visa types, from 30-day tourist entries to the 10-year Golden Visa. This guide compares all of them in one place, kept current as the rules change.
Free · answers from this guide · any language · not legal advice
The 13 UAE visa types at a glance
Every UAE residence path in one table. The three long-term visas — Golden, Green, Blue — are federal programs issued by ICP; the rest are the standard entry and residence routes.
| Visa | Duration | Who it's for |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Visa | 10 yrs | Investors (AED 2M), AED 30K+ earners, and nominated talent — self-sponsored |
| Green Visa | 5 yrs | Skilled workers (levels 1–3, degree, AED 15K+/month — all required) and MOHRE-permitted freelancers — self-sponsored |
| Blue Visa | 10 yrs | Environmental and sustainability contributors — by nomination only |
| Property investor | 2–3 yrs | Property owners from AED 750,000 — below the Golden threshold |
| Employment | 2 yrs | Employees sponsored by a UAE company — the most common visa |
| Freelance permit | 1–5 yrs | Self-employed professionals with a UAE freelance license |
| Remote work | 1 yr | Employees of foreign companies earning ~USD 3,500+/month |
| Retirement | 5 yrs | Age 55+ with AED 1M in savings/property or AED 180K annual income |
| Student | 1 yr | Students at accredited UAE institutions, renewable |
| Family | Linked | Dependants of residents meeting the sponsorship income floor — confirm the current figure with GDRFA/ICP |
| Job exploration | 60–120 days | Job seekers from qualifying categories — no sponsor needed |
| 5-year tourist | 5 yrs multi-entry | Frequent visitors — not a residence visa |
| Tourist / visit | 30–90 days | Short stays |
Already a resident? The card you actually use every day is the Emirates ID — renewal window, fines, and what happens to it when your visa ends.
Not sure where to start?
Free, nothing stored, and the rules it checks are shown openly.
Compare and decide
Golden vs Green →
10 years at a high bar, or 5 years at half the bar.
AED 750K vs AED 2M property →
What the extra capital actually buys.
Freelance vs Remote work →
One question decides it: do UAE clients pay you?
What AED 2M actually buys →
Registered DLD sales across 23 districts — not listings.
What does rent really cost? →
Registered contracts, not asking prices — and why moving costs more than staying.
Is there permanent residency? →
No — and what the UAE offers instead, honestly compared.
What changed recently →
Confirmed rule changes, newest first — dated.
By nationality
The UAE rules are the same for every passport. What differs is the paperwork at home — so each page splits the move into what the UAE decides and what your own government decides, and names the office that owns each answer. One trap catches every nationality: an apostille is not enough for the UAE. Korean speakers: 한국 제도 쓪 절차.
Indian nationals →
Routes plus the MEA attestation chain that sets your timeline.
Pakistani nationals →
Routes plus MOFA attestation and realistic buffer time.
Filipino nationals →
The UAE side, plus the Philippine exit requirements guides skip.
Bangladeshi nationals →
Which steps belong to Dhaka rather than Dubai — and who to ask.
Nepali nationals →
Nepal runs its own foreign-employment system. That part is not a UAE matter.
Sri Lankan nationals →
Degree verification sits ahead of attestation. Start it first.
Start from your situation
I can invest AED 2M, or earn AED 30K+ →
The Golden Visa: four routes, real costs, and what changed in 2026.
I'm a freelancer or skilled worker →
The Green Visa: 5 years, self-sponsored, half the Golden bar.
I work remotely for a foreign company →
The 1-year remote work visa, income thresholds included.
I'm planning retirement in Dubai →
The 5-year retirement visa: property, savings or income routes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the easiest UAE visa to get long-term residence with?
For most people it is the employment visa (a job offer handles it) or, without an employer, the Green Visa. Note that the Green Visa conditions are cumulative, not alternatives: the skilled route needs occupational levels 1–3 and a bachelor's degree and AED 15,000+/month. The Golden Visa has higher bars but removes sponsor dependence for 10 years.
What's the difference between the Golden, Green and Blue visas?
All three are long-term, self-sponsored federal visas. Golden (10 years) targets investors and top talent; Green (5 years) targets skilled workers and freelancers; Blue (10 years) is nomination-only for environmental contributors and cannot be applied for through normal portals.
Can I convert a tourist visa into a residence visa?
Status change inside the UAE is possible for several visa types without exiting the country, but the rules depend on the visa and current regulations — confirm the current procedure with ICP or GDRFA.
Sources & verification. Each page lists the official pages its figures come from, and carries the date we last reviewed it (2026-10-04). Where we could not confirm a figure against a primary government source, the page says so instead of asserting it. against UAE government portals (u.ae, ICP) and current legal-advisory publications. This site is an independent guide by Growtoday Holdings FZE, Dubai — not a government website and not legal advice. Requirements vary by emirate, nationality and case; confirm with ICP/GDRFA or a licensed advisor before making decisions.
The AI assistant points you to which office decides and what to confirm, from this guide's content — it does not rule on individual eligibility.
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