Living In UAE

Graduated from the UAE? These are all your visa options

Working as a freelancer or on a job, here is how you can continue being a UAE resident

Published: June 13, 2022 19:33 Zainab Husain

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Have you just graduated from a college or university in the UAE? If so, you may have already started mapping out your future plans. But what happens to your student visa? — If you were studying in the UAE on a student visa, can you stay on in the UAE? What are the visa options? Image Credit: Shutterstock

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If you plan on staying in the UAE and your student visa is about to expire, you may want to start exploring your options for residency in the UAE. Here are the residency visas that graduates can choose from. — Visa options for UAE-based graduates. Image Credit: Pexels

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For how long is my student visa valid? The cancellation of a student visa takes place after the graduation date. However, each university has its policies for grace period depending on their internal procedures. — Depending on your university, processing a degree may take some time. Therefore, some colleges may give some leeway or extension for students before the student visa is cancelled. Image Credit: Pexels

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However, once the visa is cancelled, you would need to apply for a new residence visa to stay on in the UAE. These are the residence visa options for graduates in the UAE. — Graduates would need to apply for a new visa after the student visa is cancelled. Image Credit: Pexels

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If you have graduated from your accredited UAE university with a GPA (Grade Point Average) of 3.8 or above, you can check if you can apply for a Golden Visa. — 1. Golden visa Image Credit: Pexels

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According to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) Dubai, these are the documents you need to submit with your visa application: An accredited graduation certificate Attested academic record, with cumulative GPA of 3.8 or more. — Accreditation for UAE universities can be done with the Ministry of Education. For universities outside the UAE, you would need the accreditation from a few more authorities. Read more here: gulfnews.com/1.1617635193494 Image Credit: Supplied/Gulf News Archives

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If you are looking to opt for working on your own, you can also apply for a freelance visa, which will allow you to legally live in and work in the UAE. — 2. Freelance visa Image Credit: Supplied

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You can get a freelance visa through a free zone or apply with an Emirate’s economic department, which would give you a freelance visa on the mainland. To know more about the difference between the two, follow the link in the caption below. — All the freelance options available in the UAE - https://gulfnews.com/1.1619012335565 Image Credit: Pexels

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3. Employment visa Alternatively, you could get started on your job hunt and if successful, your employer would apply for your work visa. — 3. Employment visa Image Credit: Shutterstock

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The cost for the complete process would also be covered by the employer, as required by the UAE Labour Law. — The process for finalising your UAE residency visa includes: a medical fitness test, giving your fingerprint biometric for the Emirates ID, and the Emirates ID delivered to you. Image Credit: Shutterstock

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4. One-year student visa A one-year student visa is available for college graduates who were under their parent’s sponsorship. — 4. One-year student visa Image Credit: Supplied/Gulf News Archives

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As per an announcement in 2018 made by the Federal Authority of Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP), students who graduate from universities or secondary schools or complete 18 years of age will be granted a one-year residence visa. — Read about the announcement here: www.gulfnews.com/1.2291007 Image Credit: Virendra Saklani/ Gulf News

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Regardless of the options you choose, you would need to complete a medical fitness test, which is a requirement for all applicants above the age of 18. — Read more about the visa application process here: gulfnews.com/1.1654776761621 Image Credit: Supplied

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You will then have the Emirates ID delivered to you, and in some cases, you may still need a visa stamped on your passport. — You will then have the Emirates ID delivered to you, and in some cases, you may still need a visa stamped on your passport. Image Credit: Supplied

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