Guides · visas
Residence visas
Free zone company owners can obtain UAE residence through an investor/partner visa or an employment visa (if also a shareholder). The process involves an entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID registration, health insurance, and final residence stamping. Costs and timelines vary by free zone; indicative official fees range from amount not yet confirmed to amount not yet confirmed for investor visas, while a shareholder employment visa at RAKEZ costs amount not yet confirmed. A minimum share capital or bank balance (e.g., amount not yet confirmed) may be required for investor visas.
Dates that carry a penalty
DWTC entry permit issuance (inside UAE)5 to 7 working dayssource
DWTC entry permit issuance (outside UAE)4 to 5 working dayssource
RAKEZ employment visa total processing9 business days (4 days entry permit, 5 days Emirates ID & Residence Approval)source
Hawksford investor visa processing (Meydan)around 2 weekssource
Medical test results (SAQR Hospital, RAK)3 working dayssource
Police fingerprinting (RAK)7 working dayssource
Who it applies to
Shareholders of free zone companies who wish to reside in the UAE as investors or partners.
Shareholders who are also employees of their free zone company (e.g., RAKEZ employment visa for shareholders).
Investors meeting the free zone's minimum share capital or bank balance requirement (e.g., amount not yet confirmed in DWTC or Meydan).
The rules that decide it
Investor visa is typically limited to one shareholder per company.source
Even if a company has multiple owners, only one individual shareholder can hold the Investor visa. This is confirmed by hawksford.com.
Minimum share capital or bank balance may be required for investor/partner visa.source
DWTC requires a minimum share capital value of amount not yet confirmed per shareholder/partner media.dwtc.com. Meydan free zone may ask for a bank balance of around amount not yet confirmed hawksford.com.
Passport must be valid for at least 6 months.source
Multiple sources, including eportal.rakez.com and gdrfad.gov.ae, state that the applicant's passport must have a validity of not less than 6 months.
Medical fitness test and health insurance are mandatory.source
All residence visa applicants must undergo a medical examination at an authorised centre and hold a valid health insurance policy from an immigration-approved list. media.dwtc.com and eportal.rakez.com both confirm this.
Emirates ID registration is mandatory.source
An Emirates ID application must be completed before the residence visa can be stamped. media.dwtc.com and eportal.rakez.com include this step.
Investor visa holders can stay outside the UAE for up to one year.source
Unlike standard employment visas, the Investor visa allows holders to remain outside the UAE for up to one year without losing residency, according to hawksford.com.
Dependent sponsorship requires a minimum monthly income.source
To sponsor dependents, you generally need a minimum income of amount not yet confirmed per month, or amount not yet confirmed if accommodation is provided, as noted by hawksford.com.
Thresholds and rates
DWTC investor/partner visa (outside country, normal medical)source
amount not yet confirmed (official)
DWTC investor/partner visa (inside country, normal medical)source
amount not yet confirmed (official)
RAKEZ employment visa for shareholderssource
amount not yet confirmed (official)
Hawksford indicative investor visa fees (Meydan)source
around amount not yet confirmed (agent)
Medical test fee (RAK, agent)source
amount not yet confirmed (agent)
Emirates ID application fee (RAKIA, agent)source
amount not yet confirmed (agent)
Investor immigration application fee (RAKIA, agent)source
amount not yet confirmed (agent)
Minimum share capital for investor visa (DWTC)source
amount not yet confirmed per shareholder
Minimum bank balance for investor visa (Meydan, indicative)source
around amount not yet confirmed (agent)
Penalties
Overstay fines or non-compliance penaltiessource
not published
Step by step
Step 1source
Prepare documents: passport (valid 6+ months), passport-size photo, trade licence, memorandum of association, bank statement (if required).
Step 2source
Apply for entry permit through the free zone's eServices portal. Pay the applicable fee.
Step 3source
Receive entry permit. If outside UAE, use it to enter. If inside UAE, complete change of status (if applicable).
Step 4source
Undergo medical examination at an authorised medical centre.
Step 5source
Register for Emirates ID at an ICP service centre. Obtain the blue receipt.
Step 6source
Obtain health insurance from an immigration-approved provider.
Step 7source
Submit residence visa application with all documents (medical result, Emirates ID receipt, insurance, etc.) to the free zone authority.
Step 8source
Receive residence visa stamp in passport.
Common mistakes
Passport validity less than 6 months at time of application.
Not meeting the minimum share capital or bank balance requirement for investor visa.
Applying for investor visa for multiple shareholders when only one is allowed per company.
Forgetting to obtain health insurance before final residence stamping.
Not completing the medical test before Emirates ID registration.
Overstaying while changing status inside the UAE, leading to fines.
Free zone specifics
DWTC: Separate fee tiers for investor/partner vs normal employee; minimum share capital amount not yet confirmed per shareholder; only 1 partner visa and 1 investor visa per FZCO. media.dwtc.com source
RAKEZ: Employment visa for shareholders costs amount not yet confirmed; applicant must be a shareholder with a valid job offer from the RAKEZ company; age limit 18-65. eportal.rakez.com source
Meydan: Investor visa available; indicative government and processing fees around amount not yet confirmed; minimum bank balance around amount not yet confirmed. hawksford.com source
Some free zones may not offer a dedicated investor visa; shareholders may need to apply under an employment visa category. hawksford.com source
Questions the guide answers
Can I get an investor visa if I am the only shareholder?
Yes, the investor visa is designed for a single shareholder. Some free zones allow only one investor visa per company, even if there are multiple shareholders. hawksford.com
What is the minimum investment required for an investor visa?
In DWTC, the minimum share capital is amount not yet confirmed per shareholder. In Meydan, a bank balance of around amount not yet confirmed may be required. Requirements vary by free zone. media.dwtc.com hawksford.com
How long does the entire visa process take?
DWTC: 5-7 working days for entry permit (inside UAE) plus medical and Emirates ID. RAKEZ: 9 business days total. Hawksford (Meydan): around 2 weeks. media.dwtc.com eportal.rakez.com hawksford.com
Is a medical test mandatory?
Yes, a medical fitness test at an authorised centre is mandatory for all residence visa applicants. media.dwtc.com eportal.rakez.com
Can I sponsor my family with an investor or employment visa?
Yes, provided you meet the minimum income threshold of amount not yet confirmed per month (or amount not yet confirmed if accommodation is provided). hawksford.com
What the research does not settle
- No official penalty amounts for overstaying or non-compliance were found in the provided sources.
- Medical test and Emirates ID fees are from an agent source (fbsemirates.com), not official free zone authority price lists.
- Costs for many free zones are not covered; only DWTC, RAKEZ, and Meydan (indicative) are available.
- Visa renewal costs are only partially covered by the agent's RAKIA fees; official renewal fees for other free zones are missing.
- No breakdown of VIP medical costs beyond the total package prices from DWTC.
Sources
Employment Visahttps://eportal.rakez.com/apex/!$Site.Prefix%7D/apex/RAK_Employment_Visaread 2026-10-20
Visa Application Processhttps://media.dwtc.com/Visa-Application-August-2025.pdfread 2026-10-20
VISA APPLICATION PROCEDUREShttps://www.fbsemirates.com/docs/UAE-RAK-VISA-APPLICATION-PROCEDURES.pdfread 2026-10-20
UAE residence, investor, work and mission visa guidehttps://www.hawksford.com/insights-and-guides/uae-visa-guide-foreign-businessread 2026-10-20