Dubai Visa: Residents Can Now Make Visa Applications With Video Calls

Dubai residents can now use video conferencing to complete procedures related to visa applications.

The video conferencing functionality offered by the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) can be utilized by visa applicants to complete the procedure in case the officers inspecting the visa application finds some unclear or missing documentation that was submitted. Thus, applicants no longer have to visit the center physically and can communicate with the visa officers and provide additional information via video conferencing.

The service can be used if officers need additional information or documents

However, in case applicants wish to physically visit the center, that can be done as well. Video conferencing is just an additional option that’s added to provide convenience to the public.

Lieutenant General Mohammed Al Marri, Director General of the GDRFA stated in a media briefing that the video conferencing service can be utilized in the process of issuing all types of visas including residency visas, green visas, student visas, visit visas, and golden visas.

The Amer Call Centres are to be utilized for any enquiries that people may have before applying for a visa. However, in case the visa application is already been submitted, then the video conference service will be helpful.

In case additional documents are required to be provided to complete the visa approval process, then the same can be done during the video conference call, wherein the required documents can be shared with the visa officer by attaching them to the chatbox.

The visa officer can then review the attached document and proceed with the completion of the transaction. Thus, allowing both the officers and applicants to complete the process faster and overall have a simpler experience.

As of now, the service will be made available all days of the week between 8 AM and 6 PM and can be utilized by both people who are currently in the UAE as well as people who have applied for visas and are currently residing outside the UAE.

Lt Gen Al Marri also said that there are plans to make the video conferencing service available 24/7 in the near future. He also said, “we’ll have no physical visitors at all after launching the service”.

The latest addition of video conferencing will be a great advantage for both the officers handling visa applications, as well as for the applicants themselves. Over 62 million immigration service transactions were processed in 2022 in Dubai alone, with 47 million of those transactions being about exit/entry through the air, land, and sea ports of the country.

As UAE has become the second home for people from all around the world and one of the world’s best summer and winter destinations, faster visa processing will definitely encourage people to set foot in the country and enjoy their experiences.

The UAE had made several changes recently to its visa policies in the recent past.

Notable among them is the introduction of the UAE Green visa which is a type of residency visa that’s valid for 5 years wherein an individual can become a self-sponsored resident of the nation which is focussed towards skilled employees, self-employed, and freelance professionals.

Even though the UAE Green visa and UAE Golden visa are self-sponsored individual visas, there are quite some differences between them.

The UAE Green visa has a validity of 5 years wherein the individual carrying the visa is self-sponsored. They cannot sponsor any first-degree relatives to come into the country. Moreover, the grace period to renew the validity is of 6 months once the visa expires.

Also, the eligibility for green visa status includes a self-employed/freelancer permit from the Ministry of Human Resources & Emiratisation (MoHRE) with an income of at least AED360,000 in the last two years. In the case of skilled employees, their work should be classified in the 1st, 2nd, or 3rd level with a valid employment contract, and the monthly salary must be at least AED15,000.

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On the other hand, the UAE Golden visa has a validity of 10 years. The visa holder can sponsor any number of 1st-degree family members including parents, children, spouses, and even the support staff as well. Golden visa holders can stay outside the country with no limits on the duration, and an e-visa can be availed for 6 months considering that the necessary visa procedures are completed for the residency permit.

In case of the unfortunate death of the golden visa holder, family members that were sponsored by the golden visa holder can stay in the country until the visa expires. The UAE Golden visa is aimed towards investors, innovators and special talent, scientists, students, and graduates excelling in academic performance, Covid-19 frontline workers, and people working in the Humanitarian field.

Apart from the introduction of the Green visa, UAE also stopped the extension of visit visas from within the country. The ability to renew visit visas while in the country was introduced during the Covid-19 pandemic when borders were closed. As the facility is now revoked, visit visa holders will have to exit the country once the visit visa is expired and can choose to come back into the country with a new approved visit visa