Five years of residence based on what you invest, earn or do, rather than a one or two year employer visa. PROXPAT checks your category honestly and prepares the file.
Page last updated: . Requirements, government fees and processing times are set by the relevant UAE authority and can change.
UAE Green Visa: Five-Year Residence for Investors, Skilled Workers and Freelancers
The green visa is a five-year UAE residence permit granted on the strength of the holder's own position: an investment, a professional level, or a freelance permit. ICP publishes one set of conditions for the entry permit and another for the residence itself.
There are three categories, each with a hard number attached: AED 1,000,000 of investment, a AED 15,000 monthly salary, or AED 360,000 of annual freelance income. If you do not meet the figure for your category, the application will not succeed.
This page sets out all three categories under the federal ICP rules, and covers the skilled worker route in full, because that is the one least often explained. If you already know your route, the investor and partner visa guide follows GDRFA Dubai's green residence permit service.
Please note: this page follows the ICP services guide. The green visa also needs initial approval from the competent authorities, which ICP calls a nomination request, so timelines depend on that approval. Fees differ by authority: ICP publishes the federal schedule, and GDRFA Dubai publishes its own.
The Three Categories at a Glance
| Category | The number that decides it | Also required |
|---|---|---|
| Investor or partner | Contribution of at least AED 1,000,000 in cash or its equivalent | Approval of the competent authority under its investor classification system, coordinated with the Ministry of Economy; the company may not be a sole proprietorship |
| Highly skilled worker | Monthly salary of at least AED 15,000 | A work permit under a valid employment contract, first, second or third professional level under the MOHRE classification, and a bachelor's degree or equivalent |
| Freelance work | Annual income of at least AED 360,000 for the previous two years, or proof of financial solvency throughout the stay | A freelance work permit from MOHRE and a bachelor's degree, specialised diploma or equivalent |
ICP issues the residence for five years, and states that it continues only while the conditions are met and is cancelled when one or more is missing. Investors and partners can go straight to the investor and partner visa guide.
Investor and Partner Conditions in Detail
- Approval of the competent authority for the investment, under its approved investor classification system, in coordination with the Ministry of Economy and the competent federal and local authorities.
- The company may not take the form of a sole proprietorship.
- The contribution may not be less than AED 1,000,000 in cash or its equivalent in foreign currency, whether on incorporation or by later contribution.
- Where the applicant is a partner in more than one licence, the total invested capital is counted towards the threshold.
- Where the share is in kind, or in tangible or intangible assets, the Ministry of Economy values it.
- The conditions must keep being met for the visa to continue and to be renewed, and the issuing authority must be told if one is lost.
- Approval of the competent local authorities, and a licence to practise the activity.
Setting up the company first? See LLC company formation and investor and partner visa.
Skilled Worker and Freelancer Conditions
| Route | ICP conditions |
|---|---|
| Highly skilled worker | A work permit inside the State under a valid employment contract; classification at the first, second or third professional level by MOHRE; a minimum educational level of a bachelor's degree or equivalent; and a monthly salary of no less than AED 15,000 |
| Freelance work | A freelance work permit from MOHRE; a minimum educational level of a bachelor's degree, specialised diploma or equivalent; and annual income for the previous two years of no less than AED 360,000, or proof of financial solvency throughout the stay |
ICP adds that a green visa application in the freelance category is linked to a nomination application.
Documents ICP Lists
| Stage or category | Documents |
|---|---|
| Every applicant | A recent personal photograph with a white background, size 6/4; a passport copy; the financial guarantee document; a health insurance document; and a medically fit report for the residence stage |
| Investor or partner | The commercial licence or licences showing the company's form and the percentage of shareholding; a certificate from the Ministry of Economy and the competent federal and local authorities approving the investment; and a certificate of licence to practise the activity |
| Highly skilled worker | A valid employment contract inside the State; a MOHRE certificate stating the first, second or third professional level; the academic qualification certificate; and a salary certificate |
| Freelancer | The MOHRE free work permit; the academic qualification certificate; and a bank certificate proving annual income or financial solvency throughout the stay |
Qualifications issued abroad need attestation before they are accepted. See certificate attestation and legal translation.
Published Fees
| Item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Entry permit: request fees | AED 100 |
| Entry permit: issuance fees | AED 100 |
| Entry permit: electronic services | AED 100 |
| Entry permit: financial guarantee | AED 1,000 |
| Residence: request fees | AED 100 |
| Residence: issuance fees | AED 100 per year |
| Residence: electronic services | AED 100 |
| Guarantee for recruiting an investor's family | AED 3,000 for each family member, to a maximum of AED 15,000 |
| Refunded fees | Issuance fees only |
| Penalties | AED 50 per day after the cancellation or expiry of residence |
The financial guarantee is refunded on request after the beneficiary's cancellation or departure, provided there are no residence violations. ICP states the refund request must be made within five years, otherwise the amount is treated as not refundable.
These are ICP's federal fees. GDRFA Dubai publishes a different schedule for the green residence permit, including an AED 200 residence permit fee alongside the knowledge and innovation dirhams and a further charge when the applicant is inside the country. Our investor and partner visa page follows the GDRFA figures, so confirm which authority is handling your file before you budget.
Timelines and Validity
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Service completion | 48 hours once the requirements are complete, on all channels |
| Entry permit validity | Valid for 60 days from issuance; the holder must enter before it expires, or it is cancelled or extended for a similar period |
| Stay to complete residence | 60 days |
| Residence validity | Five years |
| Continuation | Residence continues while the conditions are met, and is cancelled when one or more is missing |
Channels are the ICP website and smart application around the clock, the call centre, and customer happiness centres.
What the Green Visa Changes for Your Family
- A green visa holder has the right to recruit relatives of the first degree, which is how parents are brought in under ICP's published rules.
- Family members of a resident holding a green visa may remain in the country for 180 days after the cancellation or expiry of residence, rather than the usual 60.
- An investor sponsoring family provides a guarantee of AED 3,000 per family member, capped at AED 15,000.
Green Visa, Golden Visa or an Employer Visa?
| Route | Length | What it rests on | Guide |
|---|---|---|---|
| Green visa | 5 years | Your own investment, professional level or freelance permit | This page |
| Golden visa | Long-term residence | Defined categories with their own evidence and approving authorities | Golden visa services |
| Employment visa | Tied to the job | A UAE employer sponsoring you | Employment visa services |
| Virtual work permit | 1 year, renewable | Income of USD 3,500 a month from an employer outside the UAE | Remote work visa |
| Investor or partner visa | By licence | A shareholding in a UAE company | Investor and partner visa |
How PROXPAT Helps
Category check against the published thresholds
Investor evidence and Ministry of Economy approvals
MOHRE level and salary certificates
Freelance permit and income evidence
Nomination and entry permit applications
Medical fitness and Emirates ID
Family sponsorship afterwards
Renewal and condition tracking
Frequently Asked Questions
Residence that follows you, not your employer.
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Apply for the UAE Green Visa
PROXPAT checks your category against the published thresholds, assembles the investment, salary or income evidence, and handles the nomination, entry permit and residence steps.