TYPES OF VISA

Obed Suhail of ServiceMarket outlines the five types of long-term residential visas:

Investors

A 10-year residency visa can be obtained by investors who invest Dh10 million, out of which 60 per cent should not be in real estate. It can be a public investment through a deposit or in a business. Those who invest Dh5m or more in property are eligible for a five-year residency visa. The invested amount should be completely owned by the investors, not lent, and retained for at least three years.

Entrepreneurs

A five-year multiple entry visa is available to entrepreneurs with a previous project worth Dh500,000 or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.

Specialists

Expatriates with specialised talents, including doctors, scientists, inventors and creative people in the field of culture and art are eligible for a 10-year visa, given that they have a valid employment contract in one of these fields in the country.

Outstanding students

A five-year visa will be granted to outstanding students who have a grade of 95 per cent or higher in a secondary school, or those who graduate with a GPA of 3.75 from a university.

Retirees

Expatriates who are 55 years old can obtain a five-year retirement visa if they invest Dh2m in property, have savings of Dh1m or more, or have a monthly income of Dh20,000.