If you are planning to settle in the UAE post-retirement or considering it as a new home during your retirement, you can apply for a five-year residence visa. Introduced in November 2021, this visa allows retired foreign nationals to reside in the UAE.
Eligibility Criteria
To be eligible for a five-year residence visa, you must:
- Be 55 years old or above
- Have worked for at least 15 years prior to retirement
And meet one of the following financial criteria:
- Own property in the UAE worth one million Dirhams (Rs 2,24,91,695). The property should be free of any mortgages.
- Have financial savings of one million Dirhams or hold a three-year fixed deposit of one million Dirhams.
- Have an active income of at least Dirhams 180,000 (Rs 40,47,990) per annum or Dirhams 15,000 (Rs 3,37,332) per month.
- Have a combination of monthly income, fixed deposit and property, worth at least Dirhams 500,000 (Rs 1,12,44,418).
The visa is renewable, provided these conditions continue to be met.
Required Documents
To ensure your application is approved, you must submit the following documents:
- Passport copy of the applicant and dependents (spouse and children)
- Marriage certificate copy, if sponsoring your spouse
- Copy of the current visa, if you are a UAE resident, for you and all dependents
- Copy of Emirates IDs of applicant and dependents, if you are a UAE resident
- End of service letter
Depending on your financial eligibility, additional documents may be required:
- For Income: Proof of income, 6-month bank statement
- For Savings: Proof of retirement letter, Proof of savings letter
- For Property: Copy of the title deed
- For Savings and Property: Copy of the title deed, Proof of savings letter
Once your application is approved, you will be required to undergo a medical fitness test, even if you have applied without medical insurance.