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There are about a dozen types of residence visa in the UAE. The sponsored types are employment, family, domestic worker and student, and they run 1, 2 or 3 years. The types you hold on your own are property owner, retiree, investor or partner, remote work, green, golden and blue. Green and retiree residence run 5 years. Golden runs 10 years at ICP and GDRFA.
The type matters long after the visa is stamped. It decides how long the grace period lasts, whether the 180-day rule applies to you, and whether you can sponsor your own family.
Every type in one table
| Type | Sponsor | Validity | What decides it | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Employment, private sector | Employer | Usually 2 years | MOHRE work permit | Work visa Dubai |
| Employment, government or free zone | Government body or free zone company | 1, 2 or 3 years | The authority's own permit | Work permit types |
| Family of a resident | Resident spouse or parent | Matches the sponsor's visa | Salary of AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus housing | Family visa Dubai |
| Family of a UAE or GCC national | The national | Set by ICP | Proof of kinship | ICP category |
| Domestic worker | Household employer | 1 year (2 for UAE citizens) | Family income of AED 25,000 a month | Maid visa Dubai |
| Student | University or resident parent | 1 year, renewed yearly | Licensed institution | Student visa Dubai |
| Remote worker | Yourself | 1 year, renewable | USD 3,500 a month from an employer abroad | Remote work visa |
| Property owner | Yourself | 2 years | Completed property; any value for a sole owner | Property visa Dubai |
| Retiree | Yourself | 5 years | Age 55, 15 years of work, plus savings, property or income | Retirement visa Dubai |
| Investor or partner | Yourself | Up to 5 years | Partnership or trade licence | Investor visa UAE |
| Green | Yourself | 5 years | Salary of AED 15,000, freelance income or investment | Green visa UAE |
| Golden | Yourself | 10 years at ICP and GDRFA | AED 2,000,000 investment, AED 30,000 salary, talent or grades | UAE golden visa |
| Blue | Yourself | Not reviewed | See the ICP category | ICP category |
Sources: ICP Issuing Residency Permit card, u.ae visa types pages, GDRFA, MOHRE and DLD service pages, checked .
If you came here for "types of visa in the UAE for working", the answer sits in the first two rows plus green and golden. MOHRE itself has 13 work permit types, from standard and part-time to juvenile and freelance. Those are permits, not residence types, and they sit on top of a residence.
Sponsored types: what ties you
A sponsored residence lasts only as long as the link. When an employee leaves the job, the employer cancels the visa. A family residence cannot run longer than the sponsor's own permit, and the family visas must be cancelled before the sponsor's. A student file depends on enrolment.
That is the main reason people look at the self-sponsored types. Changing jobs or losing one does not touch a green or golden residence.
Self-sponsored types: what you must keep
You sponsor yourself, but the conditions stay. A golden visa on the salary route is cancelled if the salary falls below AED 30,000. Property golden holders cannot sell during the 10 years, because DLD records a lien. Retirees renew on the same terms as the first issue, so the money has to still be there.
Where the types differ after approval
| Rule | Standard sponsored types | Green | Golden |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grace period after cancellation (GDRFA) | 60 days | 180 days | 180 days |
| 180 days in a row abroad | Residence cancelled | Exempt | Exempt |
| Sponsor family | Yes, if the salary rule is met | Spouse, children, first-degree relatives | Spouse, children of any age, parents |
Sources: u.ae general provisions, GDRFA and ICP green and golden pages, checked .
Permit fee by type in Dubai
| Type | GDRFA residence permit fee |
|---|---|
| Employment, family, student, retiree, property owner, investor, green | AED 200, plus AED 10, AED 10 and AED 20 delivery |
| Golden | AED 1,100, plus the same small lines |
| Applying from inside the country | AED 500 extra |
Source: GDRFA residence and golden service pages, checked . DLD sells property and retiree residence as packages instead: AED 10,212.50 for the 2-year owner visa and AED 6,984.75 for retirees. The residence visa cost page lists the medical, Emirates ID and entry permit lines.
How to find your type
- Ask who would apply for you. If an employer, relative or university does, you are on a sponsored type.
- If nobody would, check the money routes: completed property, AED 1,000,000 for retirees, a company share, or AED 2,000,000 for golden.
- Check the salary routes: AED 15,000 for green with a degree, AED 30,000 for golden at MOHRE level 1 or 2.
- Check the nomination routes for golden: talent, science, health, education or top grades.
- Pick the one with the fewest conditions you might lose later.
What you will need on any type
- Passport valid at least 6 months and a white background photo
- Medical fitness result if you are 18 or over
- Health insurance
- Proof for the type: job offer, attested certificate, title deed, bank statement or nomination letter
The full lists are on the residence visa requirements page.
Processing time
GDRFA lists 48 hours for most residence types and 5 days for investor, entrepreneur, talent and student golden files. ICP lists 2 days. DLD packages take 7 to 10 business days.
Common mix-ups
- Filing as a family member while working. A family residence does not give you a work permit. The employer still applies to MOHRE.
- Expecting a 5-year property visa. We found no official 5-year property route. The 5-year option is the retiree route.
- Calling golden "permanent". It is long but renewable. The permanent residency page explains why.
- Assuming a remote work visa is a work permit. It covers work for an employer outside the UAE only.
Official sources
- ICP Issuing Residency Permit: the list of permit categories.
- u.ae residence visa types: family, students, retirees, remote work.
- u.ae investor visa: green visa for investors.
- ICP green residency: green categories.
- ICP golden residency: golden categories and validity.
- u.ae general provisions: validity, the 180-day rule.
Checked .
