United Arab Emirates: New Visa Types and Visa Reforms Forthcoming
July 9, 2025
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At a Glance
Effective August 10, 2025, the United Arab Emirates will:
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- introduce new visa categories, including for artificial intelligence professionals, event attendees, individuals engaged in commercial gaming activities, and cruise ship passengers;
- make eligibility requirements more restrictive for the Visa for Exploring Business Opportunities;
- change entry criteria for entry visas to visit a friend or relative to require proof of a minimum monthly income, and also to expand sponsor eligibility; and
- allow foreign widows or divorcees of UAE nationals without children to apply for a residence permit, introduce specific income thresholds for sponsoring dependents, remove sponsor requirements, and restrict travel flexibility for foreign nationals whose countries are affected by wars, disaster, or unrest.
The situation
Effective August 10, 2025, the United Arab Emirates will introduce new visa categories, increase eligibility requirements for the Visa for Exploring Business Opportunities and amend requirements for entry visas to visit a friend or relative. It will also allow foreign widows or divorcees of UAE nationals without children to apply for a residence permit; introduce specific income thresholds for sponsoring dependents; and remove sponsor requirements and restrict travel flexibility for foreign nationals whose countries are affected by wars, disaster or unrest.
A closer look
The new rules include:
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New Visa Categories. Effective August 10, 2025, the United Arab Emirates will introduce the following new visa types:
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Financial requirement for all applicants under the Visa for Exploring Business Opportunities. All foreign nationals, including those with demonstrated “talent, ability or advanced qualifications”, will be required to prove financial solvency aligned with the nature of the activity they intend to pursue in order to obtain a Visa for Exploring Business Opportunities (also known as a Visa to Explore Investment Opportunities). Foreign nationals can use bank statements, company financials, or investment records, among other documents to show that they have a funding level appropriate to the type of business activity they intend to pursue. Currently, talented individuals can qualify without meeting financial requirements by obtaining approval under a discretionary exemption pathway which will now be removed. |
This reform may limit the number of foreign nationals entering the United Arab Emirates under this visa – especially small or early-stage entrepreneurs who may have limited financial resources.
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Entry visa to visit a friend or relative. The eligibility criteria for or relative who is a foreign national in the United Arab Emirates will be based on both the sponsor’s degree of connection to the applicant and their monthly income, as follows:
Currently, eligibility is determined solely based on whether the relationship is first- or second-degree, and the sponsor must hold a Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation professional level of 1 or 2. This professional level requirement will no longer apply. |
Due to the removal of the professional level requirement and the addition of third-degree relatives as possible recipients of sponsorship, an expanded number of individuals, including those engaged in low- and mid-skilled work, will be able to sponsor foreign nationals.
However, the new income threshold may present a barrier for certain foreign national sponsors (who previously could sponsor foreign nationals but now fall short on income), especially those who are second- or third-degree relatives. |
As part of these reforms, the United Arab Emirates will also introduce the following changes:
- Allowing foreign widows or divorcees of UAE nationals without children to apply for a residence permit within six months from the date of the death of, or divorce from, their UAE husband. Currently, this option is limited to foreign women who have at least one child;
- Introducing specific income thresholds for sponsoring six or more dependents;
- Removing sponsor requirements and restricting travel flexibility for foreign nationals whose countries are affected by wars, disasters or unrest; and
- Clarifying that the Truck Drivers Entry Visa may be issued for either single or multiple entries, whereas the current regulations lack such clarity. Conditions for obtaining the visa will also be revised.
Background
By introducing new visa types to support sectors aligned with national development goals and revising eligibility rules for existing categories, these reforms seek to strike a balance between attracting certain talent types while also tightening controls, in order to ensure more structured, transparent, and economically grounded pathways for entry.
Looking ahead
The United Arab Emirates also has other reforms in the pipeline, including plans to launch a national platform to streamline healthcare licensing, allowing professionals to easily practice across public and private hospitals; allowing companies registered in a Dubai free zone to apply for authorization to perform certain activities in the Dubai mainland; and continued movement towards a unified Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) tourist visa, with other countries in the region.
This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].
