UAE – No Visa Without Tenancy Agreement
Effective immediately, the General Directorate of Residence and Foreigners' Affairs in the UAE is requiring that valid tenancy agreements be submitted in support of residence visas, both for first time and renewal applications. Currently, applications made within one of the Free Zones are exempt from the new requirement; however, of course, this may change.
What Format For the Tenancy Agreement?
The tenancy contracts must be registered with a newly formed department called Ejari. The fee for this is 155 AED (roughly $40USD or £27GBP). The stamped receipt from this registration should be submitted in support of the residence visa application. Applicants should also submit recent power and water bills as proof of address.
Free Zone Companies
So far, the initiative does not apply to employees of companies registered in one of the many Free Zones. There is no indication if or when this will change; we continue to monitor the situation.
Action Items
- Note that tenancy agreements are now required for first time and renewal residence visa applications
- Be aware that delays may occur with applications due to the new initiative, until it is fully implemented
