OwnerInvestor / Partner Visa
Issued to a shareholder in the mainland company. GDRFA Dubai issues and manages this residence permit. Validity typically runs 3 years.
Shareholders3-year validitySponsor family
Investor visaMainland Visa Services Dubai
Mainland Visa Services in Dubai
A UAE residence visa sponsored by your own DET-licensed company, for owners, staff and their families.
GDRFA Dubai residencyMOHRE labour sideEmirates ID through ICP
GDRFA Residency PortalActive / Approved
Residency Permit
UAE-EID-892401
Sponsor TypeMainland LLC Desk
Permit CategoryInvestor & Partner (3-Yr)
MOHRE ApprovedMedical PassedE-ID Issued
ICP Secured Digital Credentials
The definition
What a mainland visa is
DET-licensed sponsorship
A residence permit sponsored by a company on a DET trade licence, not by a free zone entity.
2 authoritiesGDRFA for residency, MOHRE for labour
No fixed capSubject to office space and compliance
Ejari requiredBefore a licence, and behind every visa
A mainland visa lets an employee work anywhere in the UAE under that licence. Free zone tiers bundle a visa count, so more visas means upgrading the package, and they clear through the zone's own desk.
Check my visa options
In practice
Mainland vs free zone visa
Neither is universally cheaper. It depends where your customers are and how many people you sponsor.
Side by side
Mainland visaDET-sponsored
Free zone visaZone-sponsored
Sponsorship capacityHow many you can hold
No fixed package cap
Bundled into licence tier
Where work is allowedGeographic scope
Anywhere in the UAE
Zone-focused
Authority chainWho processes it
GDRFA Dubai plus MOHRE
The zone's own desk
Office requirementWhat you must lease
Registered Ejari tenancy
Unit inside the package
Headline costIndicative range
Higher end of ranges
Lower, but capped growth
RenewalsWho tracks dates
Tracked with the licence
Tracked by the zone
Adding visas laterRoom to grow
Assessed against office
Often a package upgrade
Best for
Teams growing past a package cap
Small, fixed headcount
Our take
If you expect to sponsor beyond a package tier, mainland scales with your office rather than forcing an upgrade. Below that, a free zone package is simpler.
Who this is for
Who actually needs a mainland visa
Four groups run through your DET licence. Some UAE residence visas do not involve a trade licence at all.
Recommended
Via your licence4 signs
Sponsored by you
- The investor or partner routeA shareholder in a mainland LLC wanting UAE residence.
- Employee, on a MOHRE contractHired by a mainland company on a MOHRE work permit.
- Dependent, family sponsoredSpouse, child or parent of a mainland visa holder.
- Domestic worker sponsorshipSponsored by the owner personally, or by the business.
Applied direct4 signs
Personal-track visas
- Tourist visa, applied directApplied for with ICP, not through your trade licence.
- Student visa, applied directIssued against education criteria, not company sponsorship.
- Standalone retirement visaAssessed against retirement criteria, federal and emirate.
- Golden or long-term routesThese sit alongside the others, with their own rules.
If your route is a personal-track visa, a mainland company adds nothing to the application. We will say so rather than quoting you.
Company-sponsored
The visa types a mainland company sponsors
These four run directly through your DET trade licence and establishment card.
Owner
TeamEmployment Visa
Issued to a hired employee under a MOHRE labour contract and work permit. The most common mainland visa. Validity typically runs 2 years.
EmployeesLabour contract2-year validity
Employment visa
DependentsDependent / Family Visa
Issued to a spouse, child, or in some cases a parent, sponsored by a valid mainland visa holder. Each dependent is processed and priced individually.
Spouse & childrenParentsSalary threshold
Family visa
HouseholdDomestic Worker Visa
Issued for a maid, nanny, driver or similar role, sponsored through the company structure or the individual sponsor.
Maid or nannyDriverSponsor-linked
Domestic worker visaLong-term and freelance routes sit alongside these, with their own eligibility.Ask which fits
Long-term routes
Where a company supports eligibility
Not standard employment or investor visas. Your company can form part of the case, but the decision sits elsewhere.
- 01
Golden Visa
A long-term residence visa, typically 10 years, for qualifying investors and specialists.
- 02
Green Visa
A 5-year residence permit issued directly by GDRFA Dubai, without full Golden criteria.
- 03
Freelance visa
For activity licensed to operate as a freelancer, rather than under an employer relationship.
Speak to a Mainland SpecialistNo sponsoring company can promise Golden Visa approval.
Eligibility
What each visa type actually requires
Two things have to line up: the sponsor's standing, and the applicant's own documentation. A gap on either side stalls the file.
Sponsor side
What the company must have
- An active DET trade licence in good standing
- A registered Ejari tenancy in the company's name
- An active, current MOHRE establishment card
- A MOHRE work permit for each employment visa
- An active shareholding on record, for investor visas
- A clean WPS and labour card history at review
Applicant side
What the individual must satisfy
- A clean immigration and medical record
- A signed labour contract, for employment visas
- The sponsor's salary threshold, for dependents
- Attested marriage or birth certificates
- Medical and background docs, for domestic workers
- The specific federal criteria, for a Golden Visa
How it works
The mainland visa process, step by step
The sequence is the same regardless of visa type, though the paperwork inside each step differs.
1
Entry permit
The sponsoring company applies before the individual enters the UAE, or before a status change begins.
2
Status change, if applicable
An applicant already in the UAE changes status in-country, with no exit and re-entry.
3
Medical fitness test
At an Emirates Health Service centre: blood work and a chest X-ray screening.
4
Emirates ID registration
Biometrics captured and the Emirates ID application submitted. Mandatory for every resident.
5
Visa stamping
Once medical and Emirates ID processing clear, GDRFA Dubai stamps the residence visa.
An establishment card, and for employees a labour card, sit alongside this process. The establishment card must be active before any employee visa can move.
Documents required
What each visa type needs on file
Documents by visa type10 items
Passport copy and passport photosAll types
Trade licence copy and MOAInvestor
Entry permit and company EjariInvestor
Signed labour contractEmployment
Educational certificate attestationEmployment
Trade licence and establishment cardEmployment
The sponsor's visa and Emirates IDDependent
Attested marriage or birth certificateDependent
Proof of income against the thresholdDependent
Medical results and sponsor documentsDomestic
Exact document lists vary by nationality and case. MOHRE's dependent sponsorship threshold is reviewed periodically, which is why we check the current figure at application time rather than quoting last year's number.
Get my exact checklistCost by visa type
Mainland visa cost: indicative 2026
Figures vary by activity, office size, nationality, insurance tier and whether visas are bundled with a setup.
Most common
Employment visa
Hired staff, under a MOHRE labour contract and work permit.
2-year validity
5 to 10 working days
Work permit included
Labour card alongside
AED 5,000-8,000
Owners
Investor or partner
For a shareholder in the mainland company, issued by GDRFA Dubai.
3-year validity
7 to 15 working days
Route to family sponsorship
Tied to shareholding
AED 7,000-20,000
Per dependent
Family or dependent
Spouse and children, priced and processed individually.
5 to 10 days each
Runs with sponsor's status
Attested certificates needed
Parent visa AED 6,000-10,000
AED 3,500-6,500
10 years
Golden Visa
Long-term residence for qualifying investors and specialists.
10-year validity
10 to 30 working days
Federal review stage
Company can support the case
AED 3,000-5,000
Get a fixed quote for your visa mix
Tell us how many visas, of which types, and we will itemise the government fee and the service fee separately.
Domestic worker visas run AED 8,000 to 12,000 and freelance visas AED 10,000 to 20,000; both appear in the full table below. Renewal runs AED 3,000 to 9,000 and cancellation AED 500 to 2,000.
Full price list
Every mainland visa line, in one table
Indicative 2026 ranges
| Visa or item | Indicative 2026 cost |
|---|---|
| Golden Visa | AED 3,000 - 5,000 |
| Investor or partner visa | AED 7,000 - 20,000 |
| Employment visa | AED 5,000 - 8,000 |
| Freelance visa | AED 10,000 - 20,000 |
| Family or dependent visa, each | AED 3,500 - 6,500 |
| Parent visa | AED 6,000 - 10,000 |
| Domestic worker visa | AED 8,000 - 12,000 |
| Visa renewal | AED 3,000 - 9,000 |
| Visa cancellation | AED 500 - 2,000 |
Government fees are the largest and most variable part of each line, differing by visa type, emirate and any expedited processing.
All costs are indicative for 2026. We provide a fixed, itemised quote before you commit.
Every mainland visa is built from the same handful of line items
Knowing them stops a quoted range from feeling arbitrary and lets you sanity-check any invoice.
Employment visa renewal, worked exampleAED 4,000-7,000Add the lines below and the range holds together. That is the point: a fixed quote should show you this breakdown, not just a single number.
Government and GDRFA feesAED 1,200-4,000The largest and most variable line. Differs by visa type, emirate and any expedited processing.
Medical fitness testAED 300-700Blood work and a chest X-ray at a centre approved by or affiliated with Emirates Health Service.
Emirates ID feeAED 370-470Mandatory for every resident. Biometrics are captured at the same stage.
Health insuranceAED 700-2,500Wide because it covers different products, from a statutory minimum to comprehensive employer cover.
Typing and administrative feesAED 200-600Application typing, submission and the handling around each government portal.
What a proper quote shows you
- The government fee, passed through at cost
- The service fee, priced separately
- Medical, Emirates ID and insurance as their own lines
- The total, reconciling against the lines above
Possible additional costs
- External Authority Approvals
- Additional Visas
- Larger Office Space
- Activity Amendments
Processing times
How long each mainland visa takes
Heavily dependent on how quickly documents, attestations and medical results come back.
Visa or transactionIndicative time
Employment visa
5-10 working days
Investor or partner visa
7-15 working days
Family or dependent visa
5-10 days per dependent
Golden Visa
10-30 days, federal review
Visa renewal
3-10 working days
Visa cancellation
1-5 days
Multiple dependents are often submitted together, since each otherwise runs its own permit, medical, Emirates ID and stamping cycle.
Validity
How long a mainland visa lasts
Validity is set by the visa category, not by how long your licence has been running. Dependent visas generally run alongside the sponsor's own status, so confirm the exact expiry when the sponsor's visa is close to renewal.
2 yrsEmployment visa
3 yrsInvestor visa
10 yrsGolden Visa
A visa is only ever as valid as the licence behind it
Renewal and cancellation each run on their own clock, and both sit inside a wider compliance picture that affects your visa quota at review time.
- 01
Renewal, and the 60-day grace period
Updated medical, Emirates ID, new insurance, then re-stamping through GDRFA Dubai. Indicative AED 3,000 to 9,000 in 3 to 10 working days.
- 02
Cancellation, and the 30-day grace period
Run by the sponsor through GDRFA Dubai and MOHRE in 1 to 5 days, indicatively AED 500 to 2,000. Federal Decree-Law No. 33 of 2021 puts the cost on the employer.
- 03
Wage Protection System
Every mainland employer runs payroll through WPS. Falling behind puts the labour card, and the visa quota, under scrutiny at renewal.
- 04
Corporate tax registration
Within 3 months of incorporation under FTA Decision No. 3 of 2024, even at 0% taxable income. 0% to AED 375,000, 9% above.
- 05
VAT registration
Standard rate 5%. Mandatory once taxable turnover crosses AED 375,000, with voluntary registration available from AED 187,500.
- 06
Emiratisation, where it applies
Quota obligations stay current for qualifying private-sector companies, and feed the same assessment when allocation is reviewed.
Office and quota
What the mainland rule actually is
There is no fixed, published formula. Budget for an assessment, not a formula.
Myth
One visa per 9 square metres is the mainland rule.
Reality
It does not. That figure is a free zone convention. Mainland allocation is assessed case by case by MOHRE and immigration.
Myth
A mainland company has unlimited visas.
Reality
Not capped the way a free zone package is, but conditional. It is assessed against your Ejari office, activity and MOHRE standing.
Myth
Compliance and visas are separate conversations.
Reality
They are not. A company behind on WPS or corporate tax registration finds its labour card under closer scrutiny at renewal.
Myth
Every UAE residence visa runs through the licence.
Reality
Several do not. Golden, student and retirement routes run through ICP against their own criteria, not company sponsorship.
Myth
Dependents come out of the same allocation as staff.
Reality
A separate track. Dependents are sponsored by a valid visa holder, not drawn from the company's labour allocation.
Myth
Investor and employee visas are the same permit.
Reality
Different permits on different calendars. An investor visa runs through GDRFA; an employee visa on a MOHRE contract and permit.
Transfers
Free zone to mainland visa transfer
The same core steps as a new mainland visa, usually run when a business moves its activity to a DET licence.
01
Mainland sideNew entry permit or status change
The mainland company applies first, so the incoming visa has somewhere to land before the old one is touched.
Start a transfer02
Applicant sideMedical test and Emirates ID update
The individual completes the medical fitness test and the Emirates ID is updated against the new sponsor.
See the process03
Free zone sideOld visa cancelled after stamping
The free zone visa is cancelled once the mainland visa is stamped. A gap can leave the holder out of status.
Plan the timingCancelling the old visa before the new one is stamped is the most common way a transfer goes wrong.
Licence and Ejari
No mainland visa without a live licence
In plain terms
No mainland visa without an active DET trade licence and an Ejari-registered tenancy in the company's name.
4+Authorities cleared: MOHRE, GDRFA, DED, MOFA
One deskVisas, IDs, labour cards, attestation
No queuesWe submit and follow up in person
The establishment card every employee visa draws against is tied to a current licence. If your trade licence lapses or your Ejari expires, new visas and renewals stall. A visa is only as valid as its licence.
See transparent PRO pricing
PRO pricing models
Three ways the government-facing work is priced
All figures indicative for 2026 and exclude government fees, which are billed separately at cost.
Per transaction
Pay for each service as it happens. Suits occasional visa needs.
- Single PRO transaction, fromAED 1,500
- One visa renewalFrom AED 1,500
- One visa cancellationFrom AED 1,500
- Document attestationQuoted per doc
Government fees are separate and charged at cost.
Retainer and annual
For steady, recurring visa activity across a team.
Retainer
MonthlySteady, recurring visa and renewal activity
- AED 1,500 to 6,000 per month
- Scales with visa volume
- Scales with employees sponsored
- Renewal dates tracked ahead
Most popular
Annual
YearlyCompanies wanting cost predictability
- From AED 4,595 per year
- One upfront fee, defined scope
- Suits a known annual volume
- Whole-team renewal calendar
Ask for a fixed quote against your actual visa volume. We itemise the government fee and the service fee separately on every quote.
Doing it yourself
Where mainland visas go wrong without a PRO
Possible to do yourself, but portals, medicals and attestation each queue separately.
A pre-submission review, every time
We screen your file against each trigger before it reaches DED, so issues are fixed at the desk, not at the counter.
How we prevent it
We check the attestation chain, being the issuing country's foreign ministry, the UAE embassy abroad and the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, before the file is submitted rather than after it is rejected.
How we prevent it
We check the licence and Ejari are current before any visa application goes in, because both stall new applications and renewals when they lapse.
How we prevent it
We reconcile passport, contract and certificate spellings up front. A single mismatch costs a week rather than a day.
How we prevent it
We track renewal dates across your whole team so nobody drifts into the 60-day grace window unnoticed, let alone past it.
How we prevent it
We keep a single point of contact between your company, MOHRE and GDRFA Dubai. For a company sponsoring more than one or two visas, the time saved usually outweighs the retainer.
We check all of these before filing, not after a rejection.
Why DMCS
A mainland visa desk
We handle mainland visa services end to end, from entry permit through Emirates ID and stamping, alongside the PRO work that keeps the licence compliant.
Where setups fail most
Banking-aware structure
We set up your company with the bank's review in mind. Activity wording, office type, structure, all chosen to open accounts, not block them.
01
Government fee and service fee, separated
On every quote. You see what is passed through at cost to the authority and what is ours.
02
Ejari, licence and labour file checked first
The fastest route through is having all three in order before anything is submitted. We check, then submit.
03
No invented mainland formulas
We tell you visa allocation is a case-by-case assessment rather than quoting a free zone ratio as if it applied to a DET file.
04
Renewals tracked across the whole team
Employee, dependent and owner visas run on separate clocks. All of them sit on one calendar with the licence and Ejari.
Real results from our clients
What our clients say about working with us
Real Google reviews from founders we have set up and kept compliant on the Dubai mainland.
A
Abdul Sami3 months ago
Thank you to the team for supporting us with our company setup. Our case was not straightforward, especially the bank account opening, but they stayed committed and got it done.
P
Paolo Chua8 months ago
I had a great experience opening a corporate bank account. The process was smooth and efficient. The staff were friendly, professional, and explained everything clearly.
A
Amy Elliott Dunne4 months ago
The accounting and bookkeeping service has been exceptional. Attention to detail is impressive, and communication is always clear. Tasks are handled promptly.
R
Rashed Al Falasi5 months ago
They confirmed our activity grouping before filing and flagged an issue the bank would have raised. Licensed in under two weeks with no surprises on the invoice.
M
Marwa Khalil2 months ago
We came for a mainland LLC and stayed for renewals and PRO work. The same team answers the phone after the license is issued, which is rare here.
Common questions
Mainland visas, answered
Get a fixed quote for your visa mix
Priced against your actual mix rather than the ranges on this page.
New setups needing investor and staff visas from day oneExisting DET licences adding, renewing or transferring visas