The visa policy establishes the visa requirements for different countries to travel to the UAE, which can differ depending on the traveller’s nationality, the purpose of the visit and the expected amount of time spent inside the United Arab Emirates. Currently, the visa law of the UAE grants almost all citizens of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries free movement across their borders, with the exception of Qatari passport holders. Nationals of Israel are currently banned from entry to the UAE and cannot obtain a visa for the Emirates. At the moment citizens of around 40 countries across the globe do not need an approved visa for the UAE for varying periods of permitted stay, according to Emirati visa law. Of these visa-exempt countries, 4 are GCC countries like the UAE itself. All nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, and Saudi Arabia are currently permitted freedom of movement in the UAE if they simply present a valid National ID Card or driving license upon entry.
‘Green Visa’ holders will be able to work without company sponsorship, can sponsor parents and childrenForeigners in the UAE usually have renewable visas valid for only a few years tied to employment. “Green Visas” will allow expatriates to apply for work without being sponsored by an employer, targeting investors and highly skilled workers as well as top students and graduates. Green visa holders will be able to sponsor their parents and children up to the age of 25 on their permits.
A couple of years ago, the United Arab Emirates had also launched the Golden Visa in an attempt to attract wealthy individuals and skilled workers to invest in the economy of the country. The golden visa is valid for 10 years. Other Middle Eastern countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia also launched similar programmes.
The Green Visas have been launched to attract high-skilled workers including investors, entrepreneurs, top students and graduates to come and work in UAE.
UAE’s Green Visa: Know all Benefits
•The Green Visa holders will be able to sponsor their parents and children up to the age of 25 on their permits.
•It will provide residency rights to family dependents.
•The new visa has increased the age for dependents up to 25 years of age from the earlier ceiling of 18 years.
•The Green visa holders will be given a 90- 180 days grace period when the visa expires. This will allow them to work uninterrupted by the need to deal with visa-related issues. The current scheme visa rules only allow 30 days’ grace period.
•The Green visas will allow Indians working in the UAE to take their elderly parents there.
•It will allow Indian ex-pats who have lost their job in the UAE to stay up to six months and look for a new job, instead of being forced to leave the nation in 30 days.
