Visa will be a major concern for most entrepreneurs while starting a business abroad. Free zone visa requirements in the UAE are fairly straightforward when setting up a business with any of the free zones in the country.
How to get a free zone visa in Dubai
As a business owner, you can apply for the free zone visa in Dubai for your employees, family and maids through the below given simple steps.
1. Apply for an entry permit
In order to enter the UAE, you must have an entry permit. This is a temporary employment visa with 60 days validity. The related government authorities will take at most 48 hours to send the application your sponsor/ employer registered to the immigration for approval. The at the immigration, it will take up to 7 days to process the application. This time period may be extended if the immigration authority has any questions on the applicant’s file for security reasons. As per the deduction of the immigration department, the application will be approved or rejected. A business setup consultants can help to avoid rejections and make your entry hassle-free.
Also read: 5 Facts about free zones
2. Status change
Upon receiving the entry permit, now you need to change it. Which is known as status change or status adjustment. The status change can be one in three ways:
- In-country
If you are inside the country, it is easy to change the status by submitting the passport to the immigration and then they will activate the employment visa.
- Out of country
When you are outside the UAE, it is possible to activate your visa by exiting and re-entering the UAE and presenting your printed employment visa to the immigration officer at the airport. The immigration officer will activate your visa. This option is not available to all nationalities so it is always best to check with the business setup consultants in Dubai.
- Border run
The third option is to leave the UAE by land to get an exit stamp, and then re-entering by presenting the printed employment visa to the immigration officer at the border to get an entry date stamped on the document itself and in the passport. This is favourable to passport holders of countries that are eligible for visa-on-arrival travel to the UAE.
Also read: How to start a business in the UAE free zone
3. Medical application and registration for Emirates ID
Getting medical fitness is a vital requirement for your free zone visa in Dubai. First, you need to go for an online application with the help of business setup consultants in Dubai. Here are the two available types of medical applications
- VIP application
The VIP medical application will generate the report in less than 4 hours but it costs AED 750.
- Standard Application
The standard application will take 5 business days to generate the reports and it costs AED 340
Once the application is done, you will need to visit the medical fitness center with a copy of the application and original passport to do the medical procedures including X-rays and blood tests.
In the next step, you need to apply for the Emirates ID card. This identity card is vital for a lot of government and corporate services like opening a bank account, signing agreements, insurances and more. You are required to visit an official ID authority to capture the biometric details.
4. Stamping of Residence visa in Dubai
The stamping of your residence visa on your passport will take around five business days. You need to submit the originals of all the relevant documents at this step. The period of time needed for the process is around five business days. Once the immigration approves the application, you will get notified. The business setup consultants in Dubai can take care of the details for you, liaising with all relevant government departments and let you know once your visa is received successfully.
Looking for a free zone visa in Dubai? The business setup consultants at Decisive Zone can guide you through the entire visa process for you and your dependents. Contact us to get a free consultation now.
