UAE Unveils Sector-Focused Visit Visas and Humanitarian Residency Permit

Abu Dhabi — The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security has introduced sweeping changes to the UAE’s visa regime, adding four new visit-visa categories tailored to specialists in artificial intelligence, entertainment, events, and cruise or leisure-boat tourism, while also rolling out humanitarian and widow/divorcee residence permits.

Under the new framework, the AI Specialist Visit Visa allows single or multiple entries, provided applicants submit a sponsorship letter from a recognised technology or AI institution. The Entertainment Visit Visa is intended for individuals engaging in licensed entertainment or gaming activities, while the Event Visit Visa covers attendance at festivals, exhibitions, conferences, sports, or cultural events, sponsored by public or private hosts. The Cruise & Leisure-Boat Visit Visa offers multiple-entry permits for travellers arriving via marine routes, on condition of submitting a detailed itinerary and engaging a licensed host in the tourism industry.

Alongside these targeted visit visas, the ICP now issues a Humanitarian Residence Permit, valid for one year, with possible extension under certain conditions. This permit is designed to assist individuals from countries experiencing conflict, natural disasters, or severe unrest. Notably, it can be granted without a guarantor or host, though it may be cancelled or voided if the holder departs the UAE. In exceptional cases involving relatives or in-laws, the authority may waive requirements like financial solvency or degree of kinship.

The revisions also extend protections to foreign widows and divorcees. A one-year renewable residence permit is available to foreign women whose UAE-based husband died or divorced, provided applications are submitted within six months. If the husband was a non-UAE national, eligibility depends on whether the woman held residency at the time, whether she has custody of children, and whether she was previously sponsored. Provisions for adequate housing and financial stability apply, and custody disputes will be adjudicated by a designated committee.

Revised rules for sponsoring friends or relatives now incorporate income thresholds: sponsors must earn at least AED 4,000 per month to sponsor first-degree relatives, AED 8,000 for second- or third-degree relatives, and AED 15,000 to sponsor friends. The updated system also introduces a structured schedule defining visit-visa durations and extension rules.

Other key visa reforms include tightening the Business Exploration Visa criteria and easing Truck Driver Visas—allowing single or multiple entries provided drivers are sponsored by licensed freight or transport companies and meet health, fee, and financial guarantee conditions.

In a statement, Major General Suhail Saeed Al Khaili, Director General of ICP, said the reforms emerge from “careful studies and forward-looking assessments” that considered global residency trends, client feedback, and the UAE’s strategic demands. He described the changes as intended to “meet the needs of customers while considering humanitarian and economic circumstances” and to drive technology, tourism, and economic diversification.