Residency: permission to live here
Your residence permit allows you to live in the country for its period of validity, subject to its conditions. You may also hear it called a residence visa.
RESIDENCY & EMIRATES ID
Residency & Emirates ID in Dubai
Planning to live in Dubai while you build your business? We explain the documents, applications and appointments in plain English, with one contact to guide you.
Send a short enquiry. We’ll reply by email.
Residency and Emirates ID: what’s the difference?
Emirates ID: your identity card
Your Emirates ID is the official card used to prove your identity. It is linked to your resident record, but it is not the same thing as the residence permit.
We help you understand how the applications connect and what is needed for your situation. The Emirates ID is a federal identity document issued across the UAE, while your residency application in Dubai is handled by the Dubai residency authority.
What might you need to do?
Your starting point matters. The steps depend on your company setup, your current residency status and the application route.
Prepare your details
You may be asked for your passport, a suitable photograph and documents connected to your company. We help you understand the list for your application.
See more details: Prepare your details
Every application asks for its own set of documents. We tell you what is being asked for in your case, check what you already have and explain what is still missing before anything is submitted.
Arrange your application
We help organise your paperwork with our partners and explain the application steps for your situation.
See more details: Arrange your application
Depending on where you are and what permit you hold today, you may need an entry permit (permission to enter the UAE to complete your residency) or a status change (switching from one immigration status to another). We explain which of these apply to you and who handles each part.
Attend required appointments
Your application may involve a medical fitness check and an appointment to record identity details, such as fingerprints. We explain what applies and which appointments you need to attend yourself.
See more details: Attend required appointments
A medical fitness check is a health examination required for certain residency applications. Recording identity details, sometimes called biometrics, means details such as fingerprints and a photograph being taken. Not everyone goes through the same appointments, so we confirm what your application asks for.
Keep track of your application
We help you keep track of requests, understand the decision and know what to do next.
See more details: Keep track of your application
If more information is requested, we explain what is being asked for and help you respond. The authorities review the application and make the decision.
We confirm the steps for your case before you make plans around them. The authorities make the approval decisions.
What you do. What we help with.
You tell us
- Whether you are already in Dubai.
- Whether your company is already set up.
- Whether you currently hold a residence permit.
- When you hope to get started.
We help you
- Understand which application fits your situation.
- See which details and documents are needed.
- Organise the agreed paperwork with our partners.
- Know which appointments you need and get help organising them.
- Keep track of requests and next steps.
You attend any appointments that require you in person. Your quote explains which parts we handle and which partners are involved. Company Dubai is a private company, not a government authority.
Setting up the company itself is a separate piece of work. Read about company formation in Dubai.
Know what your quote includes.
Ask for the costs to be separated so you can see what each payment covers.
Paid to the authority
Application and ID fees
Fees for residence permit and Emirates ID applications. Your quote explains which fees are included.
See what this covers: Application and ID fees
These are set by the authority handling your application, not by us. Which ones apply depends on your route, so your quote lists the ones expected in your case at the time it is written.
Other costs to check
Appointments and other requirements
Check whether medical fitness, insurance and other requirements are included or separate.
See what this covers: Appointments and other requirements
Some requirements are charged on their own and may be paid directly where they take place. Ask which of them are inside your quote and which you pay separately, so nothing is a surprise later.
Paid for help
Help with the process
Charges for the advice, paperwork and coordination included in your quote.
See what this covers: Help with the process
This covers explaining your route, checking your details and documents, organising the agreed work with our partners and keeping you updated. Your quote lists what is included and who does it.
Questions worth asking about any quote
- Which applications are included?
- Which appointments or other costs are separate?
- What might I need to renew later?
Not every category applies in the same way to everyone. We explain which partners handle the work and any referral fee we receive before you agree to anything.
Tell us where you are starting. We’ll help you understand the next steps.
Plan my setupYour next steps, explained.
Send us your plans
Complete the short form. You do not need to know every answer yet.
Understand your quote
We’ll reply by email, ask any questions and explain the services and price.
Get help with your setup
Once you agree to the services and price, your dedicated contact organises the next steps with our partners.
Questions before you get started
Official information
- GDRFA Dubai — Residency
- ICP — Emirates ID
- Government guide — Emirates ID
- Dubai Health — Medical appointments
Requirements can change. We check the current official guidance for your case before you make plans.
Does setting up a company automatically give me residency?
No. They are connected but separate. A company setup can be the basis for a residency application, but the application is reviewed on its own terms and the authorities decide. We check which route and requirements apply to your situation.
Are residency and Emirates ID the same thing?
No. The residence permit is the permission to live in the country. The Emirates ID is the identity card linked to your resident record. They are applied for as part of the same journey, but they are not the same document.
Can I contact you before arriving in Dubai?
Yes. You can send an enquiry and discuss your plans by email from anywhere. That is not the same as completing everything remotely: some steps need you to be in the UAE in person. We tell you which parts those are.
Will I need to attend appointments?
Some steps need you there in person, and which ones depends on the applicant and the route. We explain what your application asks for before you make plans around it.
What documents will I need?
Often a passport, a suitable photograph and documents connected to your company. This is an example, not a universal list: the confirmed list depends on your application, and we go through it with you.
How long will it take, and what will it cost?
It depends on the route, your documents, the appointments involved and how long the authorities take to review the application, so we don’t publish a fixed time or price. We explain what applies to your case and what each charge covers.
How will you contact me?
We’ll reply by email to discuss your plans and the next steps.
Tell us where you are starting.
You do not need to understand every step yet. Send us your plans, and we’ll reply by email.
What happens next?We’ll review your plans and reply by email with any questions and the next steps.
- 1. Your plans
- 2. Your contact details
Help with: Residency & Emirates ID