There are a lot of things that entrepreneurs must check off their list particularly when it comes to establishing an international business. More urgent is the issue of visas, not only for business owners, but also for their family members, employees and domestic employees. Luckily, in the UAE getting the free zone visa is straightforward, particularly if you are establishing yourself within one of the nation’s free zones. Free Zones are areas of economic activity which allow for trade and offer favourable taxes and customs rates. Free zone officials or a specialist in company formation will assist you in every step to make sure your application is properly completed and help you stay clear of the unnecessary delay.
How Do you Apply For a Free Zone Visa
Apply for your free zone visa with just five easy steps. It doesn’t matter if it’s directly for the applicant, their family member or an employee you’re hiring, the process is similar.
Step 1: Register for E-Channel services
The first step in getting the UAE no-cost visa involves to sign up with E-Channel services. The system was developed to be used by authorities from the UAE government to simplify the process of applying for a visa. The new system online eliminates the need for paperwork and makes applications quicker and easier to process than they have ever been.
The new system online eliminates paper work and makes applications quicker and more transparent as never before.
Registration for businesses that are free zones is extremely simple: ask your free zone agent or an authorised typing centre to register your business to use online services. You will need to pay the required cost of registration which is AED 2,500 and a security deposit that is refundable of AED 5,500. They will handle the rest. You will receive a confirmation once you’re registered.
Step 2. Permit for entry
Once you’ve signed up to use E-Channel Services, then you’ll have to apply for an entry permit, also known in the context of an employee visa. This is basically an entry permit that is valid for 60-days. Entry permits are typically issued within 15 days but for an additional cost of AED 1,000, you may apply for an express service that takes between approximately 5-7 working days.
It is highly recommended to avoid leaving the UAE after submitting the entry permit. In doing so, you could cause confusion in your immigration record that could cause slowing the application process. The entrance permit can be a digital document which will be sent electronically to you when it is ready.
Step 3. Status change
If you’ve got your entry permit It is now time to make it active. This process is referred to as status change’ or status adjustment’. It is impossible to get your free zone visa without having completed this phase. There are three methods to complete an application for a status change:
- in-country
- Out of the country and
- the so-called “border race”.
Change of status in the country is the most straightforward method: just present your travel documents to the immigration department and they will stamp and issue an employment-related visa. The process will take about 3-4 days and will cost AED 700.
If however, you’re not in the UAE at the time your work visa is granted, or you intend for departure from the nation following, it is possible for you to get your visa free after leaving and entering the UAE and showing your original employment visa to the immigration official at the airport’s immigration hall. The immigration officer will stamp and activate your Free Zone Visa. The free zone option is not accessible to all nationalities. It is recommended to consult with the authority for your free zone before departing the country with an UAE work visa.
The final option involves leaving the UAE by land, obtaining an exit stamp, returning by showing the employment visa in its printed form to the immigration official at the border for an entry-date stamp both on the visa and on the passport. This option is only available to passport holders from countries that qualify for visa-on-arrival to the UAE. Border runs are strongly recommended since it isn’t necessarily certain that it will work.
Step 4: Medical fitness test along with Emirates ID registration
The fourth step in getting the UAE visa is the health fitness exam, and Emirates Identification card registration. Find out how to verify your Emirates ID status here.
A medical fitness test composed of a blood test to detect any infectious disease, and an X-ray of the chest. The test can be done in just a few hours. The results will be available within three days.
Based on the results of your medical examination You can then apply for an Emirates Identity card. It’s an identification card that is required to be kept by UAE citizens at all times. It is required to establish bank accounts, contract to use mobile devices, and Tenancy agreements. If this is the first application for the Emirates identification card you’ll need to go to an ID agency to complete the application, as specific biometric information (eye scans and fingerprints) are required to be recorded. A 3 year Emirates ID card is just AED 370.
Step 5. Residence Visa stamping
The last step in the visa process is the residence visa stamping. This involves obtaining the official UAE residency visa sticker or stamp on your passport.
In order to obtain your stamp, you have to present documents to the appropriate authority for immigration. The process can take between 15 and 30 working days. During this time you won’t be able to travel out of the UAE (a faster service could be offered at an additional fee). Like every step in the process, a formation expert can handle the process for you, communicating with the relevant government departments and providing you with the information as soon as your visa is approved.
The application process for a visa in the zone of no cost for children
After your UAE visa has been approved after which you are able to apply for visas on your spouse or dependent family members as well as domestic staff like drivers or maids.
In the first instance, you need to get an income certification from the free zone, stating your earnings. The minimum wage to sponsor a spouse or child differs from jurisdiction to jurisdiction but typically is AED 7,500. Additionally it is common to make a security deposit of AED 3000 (AED 5,000 for females). It is important to note that women are able to sponsor dependents if they are in a position to present a legally valid and certified divorce or death certificate of their spouse and translate it into Arabic when necessary.
Once you’ve provided the necessary documentation The process is like the one described previously, but there are distinct requirements for medical records (not required for children under 18) and biometric data (not required for those under 15 years old).
It is the Free Zone visa process made simple
A visa in Free Zone, UAE does not have to be burdensome. The process is extremely easy when done correctly. However, there are some things that all applicants must be aware of so that your application is successful and not delayed.
The process of applying for a visa to the UAE isn’t necessarily burdensome. The procedure is extremely simple when done correctly.
Prior to submitting your application, before submitting your application, simply make sure that your passport is valid for at least seven months and has three blank pages to get the visa stamp. It is also essential that you do not live outside the UAE for longer than 180 days since the visa will be invalidated.
In addition, there are some specific requirements for each country to be aware of. It’s essential to discuss these requirements with a professional who will provide you with any extra that might be needed.
This is everything there’s to it. Working closely in conjunction with the free zone authorities or a specialist for company formation is the best method to ensure your visa application is processed in the most efficient way possible. They will typically handle all the heavy lifting and only require a few minutes of your time.
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