5 Year UAE Tourist Visa 2023: How To Apply For The UAE Multi Entry Visa

Dubai has always been at the forefront of welcoming talent and diversified proficiency from foreign lands in order to boost its economic performance cordially. Over the last few decades, tourism and business have been the focus of the Dubai government’s schemes amongst its successful attempts to build magnificent infrastructure, luxury-centred hotel facilities and efficient transport links. The UAE is quite inviting in terms of its business culture, and according to the International Trade Administration, it is one of the reasons Dubai’s population consists of 80% talented expatriates from over 150 countries

Attractive business customs, beneficial taxation policies, and the bolstering tourism industry are only some of the factors that play a role in winning a large pool of tourists and expats. With the government paying close attention to this, introducing a 5-year UAE multiple visa has piqued the interest of those who want to forgo the process of reapplying for visas repetitively. The business viewpoint of things is that a 5-year UAE green visa would allow entrepreneurs and employees to boost their revenue and conduct activities without hassle during each visit at their preferred convenience.

The new Entry Permits and Tourist Visa changes

For the first time, the new system allows travellers a selection of visa types for various visit purposes without requiring a host or sponsor.

The new entry permits and tourist visa changes that came into effect on October 3 2022:

1. Visit visa
   The new visa for visiting the UAE will allow for a stay of 60 days, as opposed to the 30 days allowed previously.
2. Multi-entry tourist visa
   In addition to the usual tourist visa sponsored by UAE tourism establishments, a five-year multi-entry tourist visa is now available. This long-awaited entrance visa will allow visitors to explore the UAE more extensively. This new visa will not necessitate the involvement of a sponsor. The applicant must have a bank balance of $4,000 (or the equivalent amount in another currency) for the six months before the visa application. People can stay in the UAE for 90 days in a row, with the only restriction that they do not stay for more than 180 days in a year.
3. Entry visa for job exploration
   This visa is awarded to people identified as being in first, second, or third skill level by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, as well as fresh graduates from the world’s top 500 universities with a Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent as the minimum educational level. It does not require a sponsor or a host.
4. Business entry visa
   The purpose of this entry permit, which does not require a sponsor or host, is to encourage investors and entrepreneurs to explore business and investment opportunities in the UAE.
5. Entry permit to visit family or friends
   A visitor can apply for this entry permission if he or she is a relative or acquaintance of a UAE citizen or resident, according to the current amendment. It is not necessary to have a sponsor or a host.
6. Entry permit for study and training
   This permit is intended for those taking training and study courses and those participating in internship programmes. Universities, educational or research institutes licensed in the country, and government or commercial enterprises, can serve as sponsors. It necessitates a letter from the entity outlining the contents of the study, training, or internship programme, as well as its duration.
7. Entry permit for a temporary work mission
   Entry permit for a temporary work mission The employer sponsors this visa. It necessitates a temporary employment contract or a letter from the employer defining the purpose of the visit, as well as proof of health and fitness to work.

What is the 5-Year UAE Multi-Entry Visa?

The 5-Year UAE Multi Entry Visa was introduced to UAE’s law of business conduct during a Cabinet session in March 2021. Valid for five years, this UAE green visa permits its holder to sponsor themselves, eliminating the necessity for a UAE national or employer to sponsor their visa.

The main purpose of the visa is to allow business expatriates and tourists to enter and re-enter Dubai multiple times based on self-sponsorship. During this time, businesses that require constant travel can experience higher productivity whilst jobseekers can come across multiple freelancing opportunities.

Visitors will be granted a five-year multiple-entry visa to the UAE; however, their stay in the country cannot exceed 90 days in a calendar year. Because the e-visa is only valid for 60 months from the date of issue, the applicant must travel to the UAE within 60 days to validate it.
Whether the visitor is a part of a company with a large portion of employees that are required to travel abroad or wants to start a business without being completely present in Dubai—this visa is a golden opportunity to pursue new ventures.

How to apply for a 5-Year UAE Multi-Entry Visa

Applying for a multi-entry visa is mainly done through an online website or a mobile application. The websites are inclusive of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA), and the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA), or you can contact a visa applications service centre to complete the process online. Follow the below steps to ensure your visa application process is smooth.

1. Access the official website
   Log onto www.gdrfad.gov.ae or www.icp.gov.ae and select ‘Public Services, ’ which will provide you with an array of visas to choose from.
2. Select the visa type
   Select the visa type which pertains to your requirements for a multi-entry visa. There are various options available—ranging from visas applicable to certain countries to citizens of India residing in the Western region—it’s important to choose one for ‘all nationalities’.
3. Complete the application process
   You are required to fill out a form that involves filling in information like your name, email, personal details, and addresses in and outside the UAE. Along with this, there’s a significant amount of documentation and paperwork that needs to be handled. At Meydan Free Zone, our team of consultants can assist you every step of the way so that you can focus on your business plans.
4. Pay your fees
   After reviewing your application and making sure all the relevant information is available, make sure you pay the applicable visa fees using a sufficient debit or credit card. It’s better to scan and nitpick all your documents; making sure there aren’t any errors or obtaining your visa on time can be a hassle if rejected.

Documents required for application

Applying for a 5-year Dubai visa requires you to submit documents carefully. Here’s a list of what you need:

• Coloured passport-sized photographs taken on a white background
• Coloured copies of the last and first page of your passport
• Bank statements to prove your liquidity and sufficiency of funds
• Proof of health insurance
• Proper personal and financial details of a guarantor
• Copy of flight ticket
• Proof of residence

Who is eligible for the application of a 5-Year UAE Multi Entry Visa?

Citizens of all nationalities are eligible for the five-year multi-entry tourist visa. To be qualified, the visitor must have a passport with a six-month validity period at the time of submission, a passport-size photograph, medical insurance valid for the UAE, and a bank statement from the previous six months showing a minimum balance of $4,000 or its equivalent in another currency.

Benefits of the 5-Year UAE Multi-Entry Visa

The new entrance permits would make it easier for expatriates to discover the UAE as a desirable tourist destination and benefit many segments of the market that want to travel and conduct business in the UAE.

It is ideal for:

1. Freelancers and Job Seekers
   A 5-year visa which allows you to travel to Dubai multiple times, can reduce the costs of travelling back and forth drastically while improving your convenience. Normally, people who visit Dubai seeking jobs face the limitations of not being able to land a proper job in such a short period of time, resulting in having to return to their home country or halt work. With the 5-year UAE tourist visa, job opportunities can be more in abundance and long-lasting. Obtaining a freelancer permit will be easier due to the lower visa limitations, as visiting, working and exploring Dubai will give visitors more opportunities to land a job or start a business.
   Meydan Free Zone does not offer freelance visa options. Nevertheless, you can get in touch with Meydan Free Zone to explore a wide range of business licenses, including an investor visa that allows you to establish your own business in Dubai.
2. Visiting Family Or Friends
   This license makes it so much easier for an individual to visit their family and friends without the need for a local sponsor. If you have any relatives or friends studying or working abroad in the UAE, the cost of visiting will dramatically reduce as there’s no need to travel to the UAE every six months to maintain potency when it comes to residency.
3. Exploring Opportunities
   You can work on temporary business or research projects without the need for a local sponsor or agent. On top of that, probationary periods and short business periods can smoothly commence. Dubai is abundant with many business activities on the rise, whether e-commerce, dropshipping or trading—there are too many profitable business ideas you could pursue in the span of five years.

How much does it cost to apply for a 5-Year UAE Multi Entry Visa?

With Dubai’s continually evolving rules and regulations in relation to its visa facilities, it’s suggested that you constantly check on the changes in visa prices and compare application fees and registration fees that align with your future objectives as an individual or an entrepreneur. Generally speaking, the 5-year UAE multiple visa costs approximately AED 650, with an additional AED 50 as a service fee price charge. This includes e-fees, issue fees, request fees and other fees altogether.

With the Meydan Free Zone, additional charges and unnecessary costs can be reduced to a great extent due to our specialisation in digital payment schemes, applications, and an educated panel of consultants.

What to do in case of rejection or need to extend Tourist Visa

Rejection

The immigration authority has the discretion to grant or deny the applicant’s visa. If your 5-year tourist visa Application visa is denied, you will receive a notification explaining why. The most prevalent causes for visa denials are:

• Female visitors under the age of 25 travelling alone.
• Applicants with a prior criminal record for misbehaviour or fraud in the UAE or their home country.
• Visitors with unskilled passports (such as labourers and farmers).

Make sure you correct any errors before submitting all your documents so that the chances of getting rejected are lower.

Extension

If a person chooses to extend his annual stay in the country for more than 90 days but not more than 180 days, he can file a request to extend while still in the UAE.

Therefore the least amount of days you can make use of this green visa is 90 days, and if an extension is approved, you can stay for an additional 90 days—meaning, the maximum a visit allows with a request would be in fact, 180 days.

Why Meydan Free Zone?

Meydan Free Zone is located in the heart of Dubai, surrounded by high-rise, glass hotel buildings and bustling life throughout the day and night. To bolster your business revenue and presence, airport links, commendable infrastructure facilities, and technology-immersed processes are all supported by the engineering of the Meydan Free Zone.

Specifically, if you are looking to register your business in a free zone like Meydan, our team of consultants is more than ready and responsive when assisting you with your green visa application process. Paying your e-fees, designing websites, preparing documentation and paperwork and making global payments can all be facilitated by Meydan Free Zone. Contact us for future inquiries!

*Meydan Free Zone does not offer freelance license or freelance visa options.