Key Highlights

• The UAE introduces four specialized visit visas for AI professionals, entertainment workers, event participants, and maritime tourists to boost economic diversification.
• Residents must earn a minimum of Dh4,000-Dh15,000 monthly depending on the degree of relationship to sponsor friends and relatives on visit visas.
• Five new services, including 24-hour emergency assistance, humanitarian evacuation, and a dedicated global hotline, launched exclusively for Golden Visa holders.
• Individuals from war-affected countries can obtain renewable one-year visas, while foreign widows and divorcees receive six-month residencies with sponsorship rights for children.

The UAE has undertaken a comprehensive restructuring of its residency and visa framework in 2025, introducing four new visit visa categories and revising eligibility requirements across multiple permit types. 

Approved by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security, these reforms align with the UAE’s strategy to deepen economic openness, attract specialized skills, and diversify the labor market while strengthening the country’s position as a global hub for living, working, and investment.​

New Visit Visa Categories Introduced

The updated visa system introduced four specialized visit visa categories targeting key economic sectors:​

• Artificial Intelligence Specialists Visa: Professionals working in AI fields can obtain single or multiple-entry permits sponsored by licensed entities operating in the artificial intelligence sector​
• Entertainment Visa: Designed for visitors participating in cultural, artistic, and tourism-related activities​
• Events Visa: Covers visitors attending conferences, exhibitions, festivals, and sporting, religious, or educational gatherings, subject to an invitation from a host organization​
• Maritime Tourism Visa: Multiple-entry permits for cruise passengers and leisure boats traveling on approved itineraries, backed by licensed sponsors​

Revised Requirements for Existing Visa Categories

1. Visit Visas for Friends and Relatives

UAE residents sponsoring friends or relatives on visit visas must now meet minimum monthly salary thresholds based on the degree of kinship. The rules require sponsors to earn Dh4,000 for first-degree relatives, Dh8,000 for second- and third-degree relatives, and Dh15,000 when sponsoring a friend.​

2. Foreign Truck Drivers and Business Exploration Visas

Foreign truck drivers can now receive single or multiple-entry visas under stricter conditions, including sponsorship by accredited logistics companies, financial guarantees, and health compliance. 

Applicants for business exploration visas must demonstrate sufficient financial capacity, prior professional experience abroad, or formal recognition of their occupation by relevant authorities.​

3. Humanitarian and Family-Related Residency Provisions

The revised framework clarifies residency options for individuals from countries affected by war, disasters, or instability. These individuals may receive one-year visas that are renewable or suspendable at the authority president’s discretion and, in some cases, issued without a sponsor.​

Specific provisions were introduced for foreign widows and divorcees married to UAE nationals or residents. They may receive six-month residencies, extendable on valid grounds and subject to housing and financial requirements, while custodial mothers can sponsor their children.​

Enhanced Services for Golden Visa Holders

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security, launched five new services exclusively for Golden Visa holders. 

These services include electronic return documents for lost passports abroad, 24-hour emergency assistance, humanitarian evacuation, repatriation of remains, and a dedicated global hotline.​

A unified schedule for visa durations and authorities was adopted across six main categories to standardize procedures and improve transparency. 

The comprehensive reforms demonstrate the UAE’s commitment to creating a more accessible, transparent, and competitive immigration system that attracts global talent while maintaining robust regulatory standards.