United Arab Emirates: New Law on Foreign Nationals’ Entry and Residency Implemented
December 7, 2021
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At a Glance
- The government of the United Arab Emirates has implemented a new law regulating the entry and residency of foreign nationals.
- The law creates a general framework for the process of visa issuance, renewal, and cancellation and focuses on describing penalties for violations of the applicable immigration regulations.
- The law does not introduce any major changes to the existing immigration process; however, it is expected that amendments will be introduced along with executive regulations that are likely to be published in the coming months, which are likely to impact visa processes.
The situation
The government of the United Arab Emirates has implemented a new federal law regulating the entry and residency of foreign nationals. The law applies to all jurisdictions in the country, including free zones, and replaces the existing regulations from 1973.
A closer look
- Enforcement. The new law assigns the responsibility of its enforcement to the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (FAICCPS) and grants that agency the right to cancel any visa for reasons including public security or in the case of a breach of the applicable immigration regulations.
- Conditions explained. The law explains general conditions for detention and deportation, provides a list of general conditions for entry and residence in the UAE, and creates a general framework for the process of visa issuance, renewal, and cancellation.
- Penalties explained. Most of the new law describes the penalties for violations of immigration regulations. The below table outlines the penalties for common violations:
| Violation | Sanction |
| Unauthorized recruitment of a foreign national to work for a third party, or not allowing the recruited foreign national to work |
|
| Noncompliance with terms and conditions for issuance, renewal, and cancellation of residence permit |
|
| Unauthorized use of a visa for purposes other than those for which that the visa was issued |
|
Impact
The law does not introduce any major changes to the existing immigration process yet; however, it is expected that amendments will be introduced with related executive regulations that are anticipated to be published in the coming months. These regulations will likely provide details for processes such as obtaining an entry visa and residence permit, obtaining a visa through a UAE consular post, and obtaining visas for dependents, to name a few.
Background
These changes have been introduced after the implementation of numerous other immigration law reforms, including a new federal labor law affecting private sector companies, and the introduction of a remote working visa. These new laws are expected to support the United Arab Emirate’s economy and status as a leader in global business by making labor and immigration laws more transparent.
Looking ahead
It is expected that further details explaining the acts that constitute a violation and applicable fines, as well as information on the changed processes, will be issued through executive regulations in the coming months. We will report on related developments.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, contact your Fragomen immigration professional or send an email to [email protected].
