UAE: Temporary Closure or ‘Hold' of Dependents' Residence Permits Suspended
Type
E-journal
Date
30 Jun 2016
Jurisdiction
United Arab Emirates
Taxonomy
Residence
Copyright
LexisNexis
Relevant company
Fragomen Middle East
Analysis
Foreign nationals changing sponsorship status in the UAE can no longer place their dependents' residence permits ‘on hold' until the main applicant obtained a new residence permit with immediate effect. The General Directorate of Residence and Foreigners Affairs has suspended this practice and now requires applicants to cancel their dependents' residence permits before they cancel their own.
As a result, an employment residence permit of sponsoring individual must be cancelled before the dependents' residence permits.
Previously, individuals were able to place their dependents' residence permits on hold (with a payment of a refundable deposit of AED 5,000), whilst they cancelled their employment residence permit and obtained a new one. The General Directorate of Residence and Foreigners Affairs has currently suspended this practice.
What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals
Foreign nationals changing sponsorship in the UAE must now cancel their dependents' residence permits prior to cancelling their own permit, as the temporary closure process has been suspended.