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A UAE residence visa has no single price. You pay an entry permit or a status change, a medical test from AED 270 in Dubai, the Emirates ID at AED 100 per year plus AED 100, and the residence permit itself: AED 200 plus small lines at GDRFA, or AED 100 a year at ICP. A spouse from abroad on 2 years costs about AED 1,020 in government lines, before insurance.
The part that changes most is the route. A work visa adds MOHRE fees that only the employer pays. Property, retirement and golden files through DLD centres come as fixed packages. Below are the lines in the order you meet them.
Stage by stage: the government lines
| Stage | Dubai (GDRFA and DHA) | Other emirates (ICP) |
|---|---|---|
| Entry permit from abroad | AED 200 plus 5% VAT | AED 100 application, AED 100 issuance, AED 100 smart services |
| Or status change inside the UAE | AED 500, plus AED 10 and AED 10 | AED 500 |
| Medical fitness test | AED 270 (24 hours), AED 700 (6 hours or Smart Salem), AED 1,020 (2 hours) | Not on the ICP card; check the local health authority |
| Residence permit | AED 200, AED 10, AED 10 and AED 20 delivery | AED 100 application, AED 100 per year, AED 100 smart service |
| Emirates ID | AED 100 per year of residence plus AED 100 smart fee | Same |
Sources: GDRFA entry permit and residence service pages, the ICP Issuing Residency Permit card, the ICP Emirates ID card, and Dubai Administrative Resolution No. 66 on medical fitness charges, checked .
GDRFA adds AED 100 a year for a residence over two years. So a 3-year residence costs more than a 2-year one, but only by a small amount.
A worked example from the official lines
A wife or husband sponsored from abroad on a 2-year Dubai family visa: entry permit AED 210 with VAT, residence permit with its small lines, medical AED 270 and Emirates ID AED 300 for two years. That comes to about AED 1,020. Health insurance, typing and the attestation of a foreign marriage certificate (AED 150 per document at MOFA) are extra. The family visa cost page covers children and parents.
Route by route: what changes
| Route | Extra cost that route brings | Paid by |
|---|---|---|
| Employment | MOHRE work permit by company category | Employer, by law |
| Family | Attestation of foreign certificates; parents need a AED 5,000 guarantee per request | The resident sponsor |
| Domestic worker | ICP domestic worker guarantee of AED 5,000 | The household sponsor |
| Property, 2 years | DLD package of AED 10,212.50 for the owner | You |
| Retirement via DLD | DLD package of AED 6,984.75 | You |
| Golden | GDRFA permit fee of AED 1,100, or the DLD property package of AED 9,884.75 | You |
Sources: u.ae labour rights page, GDRFA humanitarian and golden pages, ICP Issuing Residency Permit card and the DLD service pages, checked . Work permit categories are on the employment visa cost page.
What Dubai agencies charge
These are published prices and cost guides from Dubai providers, checked . They are market ranges, not our price.
| Route | Published range | Based on |
|---|---|---|
| Employment visa, 2 years, all in | AED 3,500 to AED 8,000 per employee | 4 setup and PRO providers |
| Spouse visa, first issue, all in | AED 2,000 to AED 6,500 | 4 Dubai firms |
| Property owner, 2 years | AED 7,000 to AED 12,000 | 3 providers, including a DLD centre |
| Retirement visa | AED 4,240 to AED 12,870 | 2 providers |
| Investor or partner | AED 10,000 to AED 18,000 | 2 providers |
| Medical test alone | AED 270 to AED 1,020 | 2 Dubai centres |
The spread is wide because some quotes include insurance, typing and status change, and others do not. Ask any provider which lines are inside the figure.
Health insurance
GDRFA, ICP and DLD all list health insurance among the documents for residence in Dubai. None of the official pages we read sets a premium. Get a quote from a licensed insurer before you budget, and check the policy covers the full residence term. The health insurance for residence visa page explains the cover.
Ways to keep the bill down
- Come in on the residence entry permit. Entering on a visit visa and switching later adds the AED 500 inside the country line.
- Book the 24-hour medical unless you are short of time. The faster slots cost AED 700 or AED 1,020.
- Attest certificates once. Each personal document costs AED 150 at MOFA. Get the right copy done the first time.
- Watch the 60 days. If you enter on an entry permit and miss the 60 days, overstay fines of AED 50 a day start.
Documents for the fee stage
- Passport copy and a white background photo
- Entry permit or current visa page, so the right fee line is used
- Medical result, once done
- Insurance certificate
- Sponsor's UAE Pass login, if you file online yourself
The full list by route is on the residence visa requirements page.
Processing time
Paying the lines does not slow the file. GDRFA lists 48 hours for the residence permit and ICP 2 days. The medical takes from 2 hours to 24 hours by the speed you pay for. DLD packages take 7 to 10 business days.
Why fees get paid twice
- The application was filed under the wrong category and had to be cancelled and filed again.
- The medical result expired before the residence was stamped.
- A certificate was attested in the wrong order and had to be redone.
- The 60 days after entry ran out, so a fine came on top.
How it works with us
On WhatsApp or through the form on this page, send your passport copy, the route you have in mind and whether you are in the UAE now. A visa adviser lists each government line that applies to you, the medical speed you need and any deposit. You then get one total price, confirmed on WhatsApp before you pay, with the government fees shown apart from our service. Our team files the application, books the medical and biometrics, and follows the file until the residence is out. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. GDRFA or ICP approves or refuses the residence.
A refused file does not get its government fees back from the authority. Your adviser confirms in writing, before payment, what part of our total, if any, comes back after a refusal.
Official sources
- ICP Issuing Residency Permit: application, issuance, smart service and status adjustment fees, guarantees.
- ICP Emirates ID renewal: AED 100 per year plus the smart fee.
- GDRFA family entry permit: AED 200 plus VAT.
- GDRFA family residence: permit fee lines and delivery.
- Dubai medical fitness charges: the three medical speeds.
- DLD investor residence: the 2-year property package.
- MOFA FAQs: attestation fee.
Checked . Check the official page before you pay, as fees change.
