Dubai will stop sticking resident visas in passports.
Dubai authorities are abandoning the practice of pasting resident visas into the passports of foreigners. Now visas will be linked to the Emirates ID. Thus, government agencies will no longer ask for a residence visa as a separate document.
It is worth noting that the Federal Office of Identification, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security announced the introduction of these changes back in May 2022. They were in effect in six regions of the UAE, with the exception of Dubai.
The agency also announced that it will create a unified form to handle requests for visa and identity card issuance or renewal. Airlines will be able to confirm UAE residency using a foreigner’s passport and ID card.
Authorities said foreigners can use the official ICP website or the UAEICP smart app to view their Emirates ID digitally. The new-generation ID cards will contain all the personal and professional information listed on the residency visa today.
Earlier, the General Directorate of Residents and Alien Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) has simplified the way of obtaining a residence permit in the emirate – foreigners living abroad can now contact the agency via video call.
The new high-tech service is designed for procedures related to the issuance of residence visas. The service can be contacted by calling Amer 8005111, as well as through the GDRFA website and mobile application. You can use any device with a front camera.
The video call can be used to complete the process for standard residency visas, gold visas, legal advice, and to learn about entry clearance rules, as well as to renew electronic documents.
Thanks to the new video call service, applicants can submit documents in as little as five minutes. The new service will also help reduce the live queues at immigration centers. The agency expects to move all visitors to e-services at a later date.
