🇦🇪
Getting a Standard Work Visa (Residence Visa) in the UAE
Document Checklist
جواز السفر
Passport
Required: Original — with at least 6 months remaining validity
Per ICP terms and conditions for the residency permit, the passport must be valid for no less than 6 months at the time of application. Your residence-visa stamp will be placed in this passport.
شهادة اللياقة الطبية
Medical fitness certificate
Where to get: Sheikh Zayed Medical Center, Emirates Health Services (EHS) clinics, or DHA / DOH-licensed medical fitness centres
Required for: All applicants aged 18 and older
The medical fitness test screens for communicable diseases (HIV, TB, syphilis, Hepatitis B for specific worker categories) and assesses general fitness. Per the 2016 Cabinet Resolution, all expatriate residents must undergo TB screening at renewal as well.
بوليصة التأمين الصحي
Health insurance policy
Required since: 1 January 2025 — mandatory federal prerequisite for issuance or renewal of private-sector residency permits
Issued by: Any DHA-licensed (Dubai) or DOH-licensed (Abu Dhabi) insurer; basic-package premium AED 320 per year per insured
Your employer must purchase the policy as a prerequisite to applying for the residence permit. The mandate applies in Abu Dhabi and Dubai first and is extending to Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, and Fujairah.
View full guide
→