UAE visas: Quick guide on the difference between entry permits and residency

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PHOTO BY ARCHIVE

UAE visas: Quick guide on entry permits, residency

ENTRY PERMIT: A document given by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Ports Security of the UAE, which enables foreign nationals to enter and stay in the country legally for a specific amount of time. The document may be printed or stored electronically.

Some nationalities might not need entry permits because they can obtain visas at one of the UAE’s airports upon arrival.

There are numerous forms of entry permits for different uses, including:
-employment
-family visit
-travel/tourism
– humanitarian mission
-attending conferences

Depending on the type, each entry permit has a different duration of stay.

Beginning on October 21, 2018, all visit visas and entry permits can be renewed twice for a 30-day extension without having to leave the country.

The new extension policy, however, does not apply to tourists and visitors who are citizens of GCC nations, to residents who are traveling with GCC nationals, to those with special entry permits, or to those with 96-hour permits for special missions.

RESIDENCE PERMIT: It is issued to the foreigner when he is already inside the country having entered using the entry permit.

The foreigner’s residency visa can only be applied for by sponsors who meet the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs requirements.

For a resident visa, the person being sponsored must:
-undergo a medical examination
-be medically fit
-pass the security inspection

The validity of a stay on a residence visa varies according to its type and the sponsor. It could be for one, two or three years. BKM/ Expat Media

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