United Arab Emirates: Five-Year Tourist Visa Now Available to International Businesses in Dubai; Allows Some Business Activities

• Overview. The visa allows foreign nationals working for qualifying global organizations with approval from the government of Dubai to enter United Arab Emirates for short-term travel to carry out business activities from Dubai.  
• Permitted activities. Although the visa is primarily for tourism, qualifying businesses with approval from the government of Dubai may utilize this visa category to facilitate their global personnel to carry out business activities in a capacity that is beyond what is permissible under the standard visit visa for business visitors (further clarification in this regard is expected to be provided in the coming months). These activities cannot be conducted from an Emirate other than Dubai. Foreign nationals whose five-year visit visa for tourism was issued outside of this special program (for example, those who obtained their individual visa directly through the electronic portal of the Federal Authority for Identity Citizenship, Customs and Port Security) may be subject to sanctions if conducting business activities.
• Duration of visa. The visa allows a stay of up to 90 days per year (beginning with the date of the first entry) with the possibility of a one-time in-country extension of stay for a similar period.
• Company verification process. Companies seeking to participate in the program must complete a company qualification form available on the Dubai government website and provide information about the nature of their business, location of the headquarters, total number of employees and average annual revenue, among other details. The verification process takes approximately one to three days.
• Visa application process. Upon approval, businesses with an existing entity in Dubai will be granted access to the immigration portal where they can apply for individual visas for the employees, while those without a local entity will have to apply for each visa through a dedicated email.
• Visa cost. The cost is AED 650 (USD 177).

The program allows qualifying businesses to have easier access to the local and regional markets as a larger range of individuals will now be able to conduct short-term business activities from Dubai. It also creates an opportunity for companies that are in the process of establishing their business in Dubai to explore the local and regional markets by facilitating business travel for their personnel before the entity has opened.

• Prior announcement. A five-year multiple entry visit visa was first announced in March 2021, but the scheme was not open to applicants until recently.
• Visas available outside the program. Individual applicants can obtain a visa through the electronic portal of the Federal Authority for Identity Citizenship, Customs and Port Security. Applicants must provide a bank statement from the last six months with a balance of at least USD 4,000 or equivalent in another currency, in addition to proof of medical insurance, among other documents. The visa is dedicated to tourism.
• Current business visa schemes. Currently, depending on the UAE jurisdiction of the host company, business visitors may obtain a pre-arranged visit visa with a validity that ranges from 14 to 90 days. Visa-exempt foreign nationals or those eligible for a visa-on-arrival in the United Arab Emirates can conduct limited business activities for up to 90 or 30 days, respectively.

Further guidance on the visa, including the clarification on permissible activities, is expected to be released in the coming months. We will publish related developments.