UAE Green Visa
The UAE Green Visa is ICP’s Green Residence: a five-year residence you can renew, held without a sponsor in the UAE. ICP offers it to skilled workers, freelancers and self-employed people, and investors or business partners. It is not the Golden Visa. A skilled worker needs a UAE employment contract, a MOHRE occupational level from 1 to 3, at least a bachelor’s degree, and a salary of at least AED 15,000 a month.
The three categories ICP publishes
ICP’s Green Residence Guide prints AED 15,000 a month for skilled workers and AED 360,000 a year for freelancers. It does not print a dirham minimum for investors. This page does not borrow the Golden Visa’s AED 2 million figure, and it does not invent a lower one.
| Category | What the guide requires | What it does not say |
|---|---|---|
| Skilled workers | A valid employment contract in the UAE, MOHRE occupational level 1, 2 or 3, a bachelor’s degree or higher, and at least AED 15,000 a month or the foreign-currency equivalent. | It does not say the job title alone is enough, and it does not use the Golden Visa’s AED 30,000 test. |
| Freelancers and self-employed people | A freelance or self-employment permit from MOHRE, a bachelor’s degree, specialised diploma or equivalent, proof of stable annual income or financial solvency throughout the stay, and freelance income of at least AED 360,000 in each of the previous two years. | A free-zone freelance permit is not automatically the MOHRE permit this category names. See the freelance permit page. |
| Investors and business partners | Proof of investment or contribution to a business venture in the UAE, and the licences and approvals the relevant authorities require. | The current guide does not print a dirham minimum. Do not assume AED 2 million, and do not assume there is none until the authority confirms the file. |
What ICP lists as the benefit
- A five-year residence that can be renewed.
- No sponsor is required inside the UAE.
- The holder can sponsor a spouse and children, under the approved requirements. The guide does not name parents. The Golden Visa guide does. That difference is on the comparison.
- ICP refers to specified grace periods when the residence expires. The guide does not print the number of days, so this page does not invent one.
- The category is aimed at skilled professionals, creatives, investors and self-employed people.
The u.ae work-visa page describes the green visa as the self-sponsored route for skilled employees, and the ordinary employment visa as a separate two-year visa the employer must apply for. Read eligibility before you choose, and the process for how a file is built. THAJ prepares documents. ICP and the competent authority decide.
It does not become a Golden Visa
Holding a Green Residence does not convert it into a Golden Visa when a salary rises or a property is bought. A Golden Visa is a new application under Golden Visa rules. If the property route is the one you actually meet, start on the property investor guide. If you are comparing the two permits on purpose, use Green Visa vs Golden Visa.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the UAE Green Visa?
ICP’s Green Residence Guide says five years, with the option of renewal.
Is the Green Visa self-sponsored?
Yes. ICP says no sponsor is required inside the UAE. The u.ae work-visa page describes it as self-sponsorship for skilled employees.
What salary does a skilled worker need?
AED 15,000 a month, or the equivalent in another currency, plus a UAE employment contract, MOHRE level 1 to 3, and at least a bachelor’s degree.
Can I sponsor my parents on a Green Visa?
The Green Residence Guide names a spouse and children, under approved requirements. It does not name parents. The Golden Residency guide does name parents. Do not assume the Green Visa copies that list.
Does THAJ issue the Green Visa?
No. THAJ prepares the file and coordinates the steps. Approval stays with ICP and the authority that category uses.
Official sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 5 November 2026. Rules and fees can change; the authority’s current page always prevails.
- Green Residence Guide (page updated 12 September 2026) — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP)
- Work visa — green visa and the standard employment visa — The UAE Government portal (u.ae)
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation — services — MOHRE
- Golden Residency Guide — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP)
Match a category before you file
Tell us the contract, the permit or the investment evidence you actually have. We will say which published test it meets.