Okay, here’s my blog post about getting a UAE work visa, based on my personal experience:
Alright, so I recently went through the whole process of getting a work visa for the UAE, and let me tell you, it was a bit of a journey! I figured I’d share my experience here, step-by-step, in case it helps anyone else out there.
Figuring Out the Basics
First things first, I needed to understand the different types of work visas. There are several, but the most common one is the standard employment visa. This is the one I was aiming for, since I had a job offer from a company based in Dubai.
Getting the Offer and Initial Documents
The very first step, obviously, was landing the job. Once I had the offer letter in hand, my employer (they’re called the “sponsor” in this process) started the initial paperwork on their end. They applied for my entry permit, which is basically a temporary visa that allows you to enter the UAE to finalize the work visa process.
My company asked for some basic docments from me at this time, including:
- Passport copies (make sure your passport is valid for at least six months!)
- Passport-sized photos (with a white background – they’re strict about this!)
- Educational certificates(I needed to get these attested, more on that later.)
- Offer letter
Attestation of Documents
This was probably the most tedious part. My educational certificates (university degree and transcripts) needed to be attested. This basically means they needed to be verified by both my home country’s authorities and the UAE embassy in my country. I remember:
- First, I Sent my documents to the relevant authority to verify the educational institute issues.
- Then, sent the verified documents to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (or equivalent) in my home country.
- Finally, took them to the UAE embassy for their stamp.
The whole attestation thing took a few weeks and cost a bit of money, so be prepared for that.
Entering the UAE and Medical Tests
Once my entry permit was approved, I booked my flight to Dubai! Upon arrival, I went through immigration, and they stamped my entry permit. Then, the real fun began.
I had to undergo a medical fitness test, which included a blood test and a chest X-ray. This is to check for certain diseases. It was pretty straightforward – I went to a designated medical center, did the tests, and got the results within a couple of days.
Emirates ID and Visa Stamping
Next up was applying for my Emirates ID. This is a mandatory identity card for all UAE residents. I had to visit an Emirates ID center, fill out an application, get my fingerprints and photo taken, and pay the fees.
With the medical test results and Emirates ID application sorted, my employer then submitted all the documents to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) to get my residency visa stamped in my passport. This is the final step!
Once I pick up my passport, all things were done.
Final Thoughts
The whole process took several weeks, from start to finish. There’s a lot of paperwork and running around involved, but it’s definitely doable. The key is to be organized, have all your documents ready, and be patient. And if you have a good employer who’s experienced with this process, that makes things a lot easier.
Good luck to anyone else going through this – you got this!
