UAE Entry Permits for Employment and Residency Are No Longer Renewable

Dubai, UAE, June 6, 2016:   According to an announcement by the Immigration Authorities, the validity of entry permits for employment or residency is no longer extendable.

“Individuals seeking employment or residency in the UAE must enter the country within 60 days from the entry permit’s date of issuance, otherwise they risk having to process a new permit from the beginning. To date, it has been relatively easy for the sponsors to extend the deadline for entry by simply renewing the entry permit,” said Murtaza Khan, Partner at Fragomen, Middle East.
 
Entry permits for employment and residency are valid for 60 days from the date of issue, and validity refers to the period of time that individual must use their entry permit or visa to enter the UAE. Previously, both categories of entry permits could be extended for an additional 60-day period for a fee.
 
Rules relating to duration of stay permissible once an individual has entered the country remain unchanged, and foreign nationals still have 60 days to complete their in-country immigration process, including status change for those who are already inside the UAE on another visa.
 
“We believe that the new regulation will make the employment process more structured and will increase the internal security”, concludes Khan.