UAE government announces further changes to the visa process due to the COVID-19 outbreak

In light of the UAE government updates due to the speed and severity of the COVID-19 outbreak, we have created the below summary of possible, conditional or blocked visa actions and notes applicable at present.

Please note the steps to obtain your UAE visa in the following table. Any step that is still possible to complete under restricted conditions is circled, those that are still possible without conditions are highlighted in green.

Additional notes;

• Tas’heel (Employment visas), Tad’beer (Maid & Dependent visas), Amer and Taw’jeeh (Labour training) centres are closed for the time being,
• Existing Residence visa holders can auto-renew their visa online without medical tests, however individuals must still provide medical insurance and Emirates ID card applications to complete the process,
• All Residence Visa stamping is presently on hold. Only Residence Visa stamp approval can be obtained. This completes the process until Amer centres reopen.
• Individuals on Visit Visa (stamp on arrival) can renew their visa online manually, automatic renewals are not available and overstay fines are still applicable,
• Emirates ID applications can be processed through Amer centres (online only),
• Three month Tourist visas are available through licensed Tourism companies. Approximate cost is AED2,200.
• Applications for labour cards and residence visas outside of the UAE, or, inside the UAE on a tourist visa are not being processed at the present time,
• After your employer has completed the “Change of status”, the visa application must be completed before exiting the UAE,
• It is possible to obtain a new onshore employment visa inside the country as long the employee is exiting a previous UAE residence visa at the time and is not moving from a Free Zone company to an on-shore compan

The above is subject to change at any point by the UAE government but we will continue to review and update as necessary. Shall you require any further details please do not hesitate to contact us.