The UAE visa process runs through establishment card, entry permit, medical fitness test, biometrics and Emirates ID. It typically takes two to six weeks per person. Company-linked visas run two years. As of 09/2026.
The sequence nobody can skip
The visa process is not a single administrative act but a chain. Each link presupposes the previous one — so pushing for speed at one stage helps little if something is missing before it.
1. Establishment card. The company immigration card, issued after the licence. Without it not a single visa can be applied for. It is the link between company and residency.
2. Entry permit. The electronic entry approval, usually within a few working days. Those already in the country can sometimes change status in-country; otherwise you enter on the permit.
3. Medical fitness test. Blood test and chest X-ray at an approved centre. Results usually within two to four working days; same-day express is possible.
4. Biometrics and Emirates ID. Fingerprints and photo at ICP. The Emirates ID is the document that counts day to day.
5. Visa stamping and insurance. The residence visa is recorded electronically; health insurance is mandatory. Only then do a bank account and a tenancy contract become possible.
Where it typically stalls
On the name in the passport. Differing spellings between passport, application and prior documents cause returns. For names with umlauts or several given names it pays to fix the spelling in advance and keep it consistent.
On the medical appointment. Rarely a problem except at peak times. Anyone planning tightly with a return flight already booked runs into trouble — the appointment does not follow the flight schedule.
On dependants. For partners and children the authorities require certified marriage and birth certificates, often with apostille and Arabic translation. Obtaining these at home regularly takes longer than the entire visa process. It is the most common reason families arrive later than planned.
On the order. The sponsor needs their own visa before they can sponsor dependants. Add a sufficient salary per the employment contract and proof of housing via Ejari.
A residence visa generally lapses after 180 consecutive days of absence. Frequent travellers should keep an eye on entries and exits — they are traceable via the Emirates ID anyway.
On validity periods
Company-linked visas usually run two years, Golden Visas ten, green visas five. Renewals are routine as long as licence and insurance are valid — provided someone remembers in time. Expired establishment cards and insurance policies are the most common cause of delays at renewal.
What we recommend
Plan licence, visas and bank account as one sequence, not three projects. And start obtaining family documents on the day the decision is made — not when the sponsor has their Emirates ID.
How many visas you actually need and in what order is what the first consultation is for.
Exit Palm does not provide legal or tax advice. For legal and tax questions we work with licensed partners in Germany and the UAE. All information without warranty, as of the date shown.