Step-by-step guide to three essential UAE residence visa services, including required documents, processing time and official ICP fees
Dubai: Need to complete your residence visa related services in the UAE? The most commonly used residence permit services can be completed online, through the platforms provided by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP).
The residence visa, also known as a residence permit, is issued by the ICP and whether you are looking to apply for a visa for yourself, or sponsor your family or a domestic worker, the process can be completed either through the ‘UAE ICP app’, which is available for Apple and Android devices or the ICP web portal – www.icp.gov.ae
- Issuance of residence permit
You can use this service if you are applying for a new visa for yourself (residence visa, blue visa, retiree visa or in any of the other categories) or sponsoring a family member.
If you hold a residence visa, or any of the long-term visas, you can sponsor your spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 years old, and children with special needs without an age limit.
To apply for a new residence visa, these are the documents you should keep ready (as digital copies) and the steps you need to follow:
Documents required
- Passport, should be valid for at least six months Personal photo
- Water/electricity bill (to prove you have the required accommodation to sponsor a family) Proof of kinship (when necessary -attested marriage contract, children’s birth certificates)
- Birth certificates to prove children’s ages, or documents proving special needs regardless of age.
- Employment certificate showing family monthly income and housing provision, if any. A copy of the personal identification card (Afghanistan/Iran/Iraq).
- Valid health insurance
The exact list of documents will vary depending on the type of visa you are applying for. For example, if you are applying under the category of a Student Visa, you’ll need to additionally provide a certificate issued by the Ministry of Education or the relevant education authority in your emirate as well. Similarly, for the retirement visa, you will need to provide a work certificate confirming retirement and service period, or a birth certificate verifying your age. The documents required for each category are clearly listed for users, before you start the process.
Steps to follow
- Log in to the ICP website or app using your UAE PASS.
- Under the services category, look for ‘Issuing residency permit’.
- As you have logged in using your UAE PASS a lot of the personal details, like your name, date of birth and nationality will be automatically filled in. Review these details to ensure they are accurate.
- Select the type of visa you wish to apply for and attach the required documents.
- Next, pay the fees as per your visa duration.
- Submit the application.
Once the application is submitted, it will be processed and you will receive a notification on the approval or rejection within two working days.
If the visa is issued, you will then need to follow through with the application of the Emirates ID, which is delivered through authorised courier companies in the UAE.
How much does it cost?
The exact amount you will need to pay will depend on the duration of your visa, and any overstay fines that may have been issued on the visa file. Here is a breakdown of the costs, as per the ICP:
- Application Fees – AED 100
- Issuance fee of the residence permit per year – AED 100
- Green Residence issuance fee for a 5‑year duration, per year – AED 100
- New Golden Residence issuance for a 10‑year duration, per year – AED 100
- New Blue Residence issuance for a 10‑year duration, per year – AED 100
- Smart Service Fees – AED 100
- Financial guarantee for the investor’s family residency, applied per family member, with a maximum amount of AED 15,000 – AED 3000
- Financial guarantee for each individual under humanitarian cases, with a maximum limit of AED 15,000 – AED 5,000
- Guarantee for the recruitment of domestic workers for foreign residents – AED 2,000
- Status adjustment – AED 500
According to Adnan Khan, operations manager at Dubai-based Siddique Haider Corporate Services Provider, the financial guarantees apply to certain categories of visa applications.
“Anyone on an investor or partner visa who is sponsoring a family member needs to pay a financial guarantee of AED 3,000, up to a maximum of AED 15,000. This does not apply to a regular family visa applied for by someone who is on an employment visa. Similarly, if the immigration department approves a visa to be issued under special humanitarian cases, whoever is sponsoring the individuals needs to pay AED 5,000 as a financial guarantee per person, with a maximum limit of AED 15,000. This is a refundable deposit, so when the sponsored individual cancels their visa to exit the UAE, the sponsor can apply for a deposit refund through the immigration department,” he said.
- Renewal of residence permit
You can also apply for your or your family’s visa renewal through the UAE ICP portals.
Documents required
- Application Fees – AED 100
- Issuance fee of the residence permit per year – AED 100
- Green Residence issuance fee for a 5‑year duration, per year – AED 100
- New Golden Residence issuance for a 10‑year duration, per year – AED 100
- New Blue Residence issuance for a 10‑year duration, per year – AED 100
- Smart Service Fees – AED 100
- Financial guarantee for the investor’s family residency, applied per family member, with a maximum amount of AED 15,000 – AED 3000
- Financial guarantee for each individual under humanitarian cases, with a maximum limit of AED 15,000 – AED 5,000
- Guarantee for the recruitment of domestic workers for foreign residents – AED 2,000
- Status adjustment – AED 500
Steps to follow
- Log in using your UAE PASS.
- Under the services category, look for ‘Renewal of residency permits’.
- As you have logged in using your UAE PASS a lot of the personal details, like your name, date of birth and nationality will be automatically filled in. Review these details to ensure they are accurate.
- Attach the required documents.
- Next, pay the fees as per your visa duration.
- Submit the application.
Once the application is submitted, it will be processed and you will receive a notification on the approval or rejection within two working days.
If the visa is issued, you will then need to follow through with the application of the Emirates ID, which is delivered through authorised courier companies in the UAE.
- Modification of permit data
At any point if there are details related to your personal or professional status that have changed, you are legally required to update your details with the ICP within 30 days.
Whether it is a new passport, a marital status change or even a name change, these details must be amended on your visa file as well.
To complete the process, follow these steps:
- Log in using your UAE PASS.
- Under the services category, look for ‘Amendment of Residency Permit Data’.
- As you have logged in using your UAE PASS a lot of the personal details, like your name, date of birth and nationality will be automatically filled in. Review these details to ensure they are accurate.
- Attach the required documents to match your data request change.
- Next, pay the fees for the service.
- Submit the application.
Once the application is submitted, it will be processed and you will receive a notification on the approval or rejection within two working days.
How much does it cost?
Fee for replacing the Emirates ID card to update the displayed information – AED 150 Smart services fees – AED 100
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