The process to renew the residency visa for an expatriate employee working in the government sector or free zone has now been simplified. The Federal Executive Council approved the new process to be implemented. The approval was given following a proposal by the Minister of Interior, Political Affairs, and National Security, Muhammad bin Naif bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud. In this blog, we will explain the process of renewing residency visas for different workers in the UAE.
What is the renewal of a residency visa?
Residency visas are issued for 3 years already, so you need to apply for the renewal of the residency visa before the expiry of the existing visa. Also, it is important that you prepare your necessary documents before you apply for the renewal of the Ministry of Interior.
The renewal of residency visas for expatriates is the major concern of residence visa holders in the UAE.
Every year, the UAE government allows expatriates to renew their work and residency visas. This applies to employees working in the UAE and employees working in free zones and other emirates of the UAE.
Also, under the current system, an expatriate has to leave the country once his visa has expired, irrespective of his visa status.
READ ALSO: RENEWAL OF RESIDENCY VISA FOR FAMILY MEMBERS OF A SPONSOR WORKING IN THE GOVERNMENT SECTOR FREE ZONE
What is the renewal of residency visas for government sector employees?
Those who are working in the UAE for the government sector, including teachers and employees of free zones, need to renew their residency visas, but sometimes they face problems doing so. This is because the system will not allow them to renew their visa, telling them that their work contract has expired.
However, the system is wrong; the people of the government sector are not allowed to leave the country before the renewal of their visas. And also, as a result, if they need to depart the county, they are permitted to do it illegally. It is possible to renew your residency visa even if your work contract has already expired and you may need help from a legal expert to do so.
But recently, the Ministry of Interior announced in a press release that the residency visa renewal process will be simplified for ex-pats who are working in the government sector.
Even the ex-pats who are working in government hospitals, the military, Emirati police officers, security or customs, and their dependents. They will be exempt from the need to renew their residency visa, provided they have a valid entry permit. This decision is effective immediately and runs until further notice.
What is the renewal of residency visas for free zone employees?
Residency visas for free zone employees will be renewed as per the decision of the UAE Cabinet. The Cabinet's decision came as a result of the report of the UAE's permanent committee for follow-up and studies of the free zones.
The committee was formed to review the residency visa procedures for expatriates working in the free zones and to study solutions for employees working in the free zones who have been refused renewal of their residency visas. This committee's recommendations were submitted to the Cabinet, which decided to allow those employees to renew their residency visas as long as they have been employed for at least five years and it is needed to continue employment by the same company and in the same position.
The Cabinet also decided that all residency visa renewals will remain valid for one year and that the renewal can be renewed for another year. The employee will be able to renew the visa for another year, as long as their position and employer remain unchanged.
READ ALSO: GDRFA LAUNCHES VIRTUAL HAPPINESS EXHIBITION TO ENHANCE EMPLOYEE HAPPINESS
Which documentation do I need to renew my resident visa?
The Ministry of Interior (MOI) announced that it will be implementing an e-service to renew the residency visa. This step helps those who want to renew their residency visas, and the Ministry of Interior will continue to issue the cards by providing the applicant with the card after the payment is made.
According to the Ministry of Interior, the documents needed to renew your residency visa include, among other things, The first and most important document is the original passport with a valid residency visa. The second document is an original copy of the employee's contract and the employee's work permit. The third document is the original, blanked file from the employer. The fourth document is the original and copy of the blanked file from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in case the employee is working in a government sector in the UAE. The fifth document is the original and copy of the resident's medical insurance for the validity of the visa. The sixth document is the original and copy of the employee's bank receipt for the payment of the renewal fee.
READ ALSO: GDRFA WELCOMES FAMILIES ARRIVING IN DUBAI WITH SPECIAL COUNTERS AT THE AIRPORT
Conclusion
The UAE residency visa in 2024 is quite different from the visa for those who work in the private sector. The residency visa is issued to those who work in the government sector or those who work in the free zone. It also has different types and those working in the government sector and the free zone may be issued the same type of visa.
However, these visas have different renewal processes and applicants would need to follow the process for their category of visa.
In this article, we tried to describe the renewal process for a person who is applying for a residency visa renewal if he is working in the government sector or the free zone, but if you have any doubts, you can also take a guide from here.