UAE: Visitors Can Change Status in Country
Type
E-journal
Date
11 Jan 2016
Jurisdiction
United Arab Emirates
Taxonomy
Visas
Copyright
LexisNexis
Relevant company
Fragomen Middle East
Legal reference
Ministerial Decision No. 377/2014
Analysis
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs has announced that holders of any type of UAE visitor visas can now amend their immigration status to employment or residency status in the country without having to exit and reenter, as was previously required for certain types of visas.
The announcement is in line with Ministerial Decision No. 377/2014 dated 24/07/2014 which introduced new categories of visas and implemented important related terms and conditions.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals holding a UAE visitor visa can now amend their immigration status without departing. It remains unclear, however, whether some categories of visitors like holders of Gulf Cooperation Council residents' visitor visas, may still need to obtain discretionary approval from Immigration Authorities to change their status.