The UAE announced, on Monday, amendments that will come into effect next month, related to the entry and residence of foreigners, and the duration of their stay within the country following the expiry of their residency or its cancellation.
Quotes Agency Emirati news, on the authority of Khamis Al Kaabi, Director General of Support Services at the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, that the new executive regulation for the entry and residence of foreigners, which will come into force on the third of next October, includes “an integrated system of residency with great advantages and facilities, most notably the green residency that is granted For a period of five years, renewable, and includes greater benefits for the recruitment of family members residing in the country, and flexible grace periods of up to six months following the expiry or cancellation of the residence.
He explained that the green residency includes three types of categories or residencies, which are the green residency for the skilled worker, the green residency for self-employment, in addition to the green residency for the investor or partner in a commercial activity without a guarantor for a period of five years, subject to renewal, to replace the investor’s previous residency of two years and with simpler requirements. And greater advantages, and allowing those holders of green residency to bring in first-degree relatives.
He added, “A visa has been created to explore job opportunities and another to explore investment and business opportunities to attract investors without a guarantor or host within the country, according to the conditions set forth in the new executive regulations.”
With regard to the advantages of golden residency in the new regulation of the law of residency and foreign affairs in the country, Al-Kaabi said: “The updated visa system included new advantages for golden residency, the most important of which is the abolition of the requirement not to be absent from the state to retain the golden residency, the abolition of the maximum number of support service workers that can be recruited, and the advantages of For family members that allow them to stay in the country for the duration of their residency in the event of the death of the breadwinner who obtained the golden residency, in addition to diversifying the categories of golden residency to include scholars, specialists, and talented talents, according to the established regulations in this regard.
He added that the updated visa system “included new advantages for the residence of family members, including allowing the foreigner residing in the country to easily bring in his family members such as the husband and children, and the age of the children to be granted residency was raised to 25 years following it was only 18 years, in addition to granting a residence permit for girls.” Unmarried women and children of people of determination, regardless of age.
The authority said that all categories can take advantage of the new advantages of the updated visa system by entering the authority’s website and smart application to learn regarding these advantages and apply for them through the site, application and customer happiness centers spread in the country following the start of the implementation of the new regulation on the third of next October.
The statements came during a press conference, in which the authority announced “the launch of the third generation of advanced services, which include the upgraded version of the UAE passport and the start of the pilot application of the updated visa system.”
Major General Suhail Juma’a Al Khaili, Director General of Identity and Passports at the authority, considered that the new Emirati passport, which has been in operation since this September, is “a step added to the balance of the UAE in the field of strengthening national identity, issuing passports and identity cards, and providing proactive services to customers.”
He pointed out that by issuing the new Emirati passport, “the authority is moving in providing the UAE passport service from centralization to decentralization, by printing the new passport in 7 centers nationwide instead of only two in the past, which means faster service and less effort.”
He added that holders of valid passports can use their passports until their expiry date approaches, and then apply for the new passport through the electronic and smart channels approved in this regard, whether the website or the smart application of the authority or through the country’s representative missions represented in its embassies and consulates. Abroad, to issue a new passport for citizens traveling abroad whose passports have expired during their travels.
He stressed that the renewal of passports and obtaining a new one does not entail any additional costs or financial fees in the event of renewal, and that the issuance of the new passport is carried out with the same approved fees.