How To Get Residency in the UAE: A Comprehensive Guide

Capital: Abu Dhabi

Largest City: Dubai

Population: 11,027,129 (2024, 92nd)

Ethic Group: 59.4% South Asian, 11.6% Emirati Arab, 10.2% Egyptian, 6.1% Filipino

Area: 83,600 km² (114th)

Offical Language: Arabic

Currency: Dirham (as of July, 15th, 2025, 1 Dirham = 0.27 USD)

GDP per Captial (PPP): $77,251 (2025 estimated, 14th)

Human Development Index: 0.940  (2023, 15th)

Country Profile:

The United Arab Emirates, a prominent nation in West Asia, is renowned for its wealth and comprises seven distinct emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Fujairah, Umm Al-Quwain, and Ras Al Khaimah.

In recent years, the UAE has strategically pursued economic diversification, with notable success in Dubai, which has blossomed into a global hub for international finance, trade, and tourism. The nation’s attractive free trade zones and state-of-the-art infrastructure have been instrumental in drawing substantial international investment.

Culturally, the UAE is characterized by its vibrant multiculturalism. A significant expatriate population contributes to this diversity, with a remarkable 88% of permanent residents being non-UAE nationa

Visa & Immigration System:

The UAE Visa System: An Overview

The UAE stands out as one of the most open nations in the Middle East. It heavily relies on foreign labor to maintain and operate its various sectors. Furthermore, individual emirates such as Dubai and Abu Dhabi have implemented low-tax policies and fully open visa policies, successfully attracting numerous entrepreneurs and financially independent individuals.

Over the last three decades, the UAE has progressively transformed into a pivotal financial center, commercial hub, and a major global expatriate destination in the Middle East and worldwide.

Compared to other countries, the UAE has three main advantages for long-term residency permits:

1. No residency restrictions: Several mainstream non-employment visas in the UAE do not impose any residency duration requirements on visa holders. You can maintain your visa without entering the UAE for an extended period.

2. Low tax advantage: The UAE does not impose common taxes like inheritance tax, gift tax, income tax, or property tax on tax residents. Currently, Dubai is the only international metropolis in the world that does not impose income tax on residents.

If you establish a company locally with an annual profit of less than 375,000 dirhams (approximately $103,000), you are not required to pay taxes. Only when your company’s profits exceed 375,000 dirhams does the UAE government impose a 9% corporate tax, which is still much lower than in other countries.

3. Convenient living: The UAE, particularly Dubai, is a paradise for the wealthy. Although the cost of living is high, the social security is excellent, and the healthcare and education systems are well-developed.

However, for most foreigners, the UAE can only be a temporary stop in life, not a final destination. You can continuously renew your UAE visa under the original conditions at the time of application, but if you want to apply for citizenship, you need to be proficient in Arabic language and culture and have legally resided in the country for at least 30 consecutive years.

Residence Permits:

The UAE offers several types of residency visas, which include the following:

1. Golden Visa: This is a long-term residency visa system introduced by the UAE government in 2019. It is not only issued to investors in the real estate or business sectors but also allows top talent from various industries, renowned athletes, cultural figures, and even high-achieving graduates from top universities to apply for the Golden Visa.

If you apply for the UAE Golden Visa through investment, the minimum investment requirement is 2 million dirhams, approximately USD 545,000.

The UAE Golden Visa typically has a validity period of five or ten years.

2. Work Visa (Residence visa for working in the UAE): This is the most common UAE visa and is further divided into two main categories.

Green Visa for employment: This is issued to self-employed individuals, freelancers, and skilled workers with a university degree or equivalent professional qualifications. It has a validity period of five years.

Employment Visa: This is the primary means for people to work in the UAE. A significant portion of the UAE’s resident population, including 59.4% of South Asians such as Indians and Pakistanis, and 6.1% of Filipinos, work in low to mid-level jobs under this visa, contributing to the country’s development and sending remittances back to their home countries.