It’s no secret that Dubai is one of the best places in the world to live and visit.
In the past year, the emirate has introduced several new Dubai visa changes and initiatives to make it easier to extend your stay, visit the city and even move with a long-term residence visa.
Whether you’re interested in moving to Dubai or are looking at extending your stay, it’s always worth knowing about the latest visa news.
Here’s what you need to know.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has introduced ‘unprecedented’ new measures which will provide services previously only available to Emirati nationals.
Announced by the MoFA in collaboration with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security at GITEX Global 2025, the largest annual technology event in Dubai, golden visa holders will now get crucial help and support when overseas.
In a release by the Emirates News Agency, this change has been described as ‘the first of its kind’ and ‘unprecedented’. The launch of consular services for golden visa holders aligns with the ongoing “Year of Community” under the theme “Hand in Hand”.
To see everything now on offer to holders.
A new category has been announced for golden visas in Dubai.
The rules for qualifying have just broadened to include even more people, thanks to an agreement between the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA) and the Endowments and Minors Affairs Foundation (Awqaf).
Under the new rules, Waqf (Islamic endowment or charitable trust) donors will now be able to get their hands on a golden visa under the category of financial supporters of humanitarian work.
This new category is open to both residents and non-residents, and will see Awqaf nominate endowers that meet the eligibility criteria outlined in Cabinent Resolution No. (65) of 2022 regarding golden visas.
In September 2025, the UAE announced there would now be four new visit visa categories for specialists.
Announced by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security on Monday September 29, amendments and additions have been made to entry visa regulations.
The ICP will introduce new visit visas for those specialising in artificial intelligence, entertainment, events, plus cruise ships and leisure boats.
Changes have also been announced for several existing entry visas, including residence permits for humanitarian purposes, visit visas for friends of UAE residents, and the truck driver visa.
First announced in May of 2024, the blue visa was only officially launched in February 2025. Holders can get
The blue visa is a 10-year residence visa aimed towards people who have made a significant positive contribution to the environment inside or outside the UAE.
It will be given to supporters of environmental action, including members of international organisations and companies, global award winners, distinguished activists and researchers.
The visa is an extension of the highly sought-after UAE golden visa system and the green residency permit, which have both been in place for some time.
After launching in February, applicants across the world will have 24/7 access to the Blue Visa service on the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs, and Port Security.
The highly anticipated GCC unified tourist visa is set to be launched as a trial later this year.
The Schengen-style visa, which will officially be named “GCC Grand Tours”, will allow freedom of movement between residents in the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries.
Countries included in the system are the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.
In an interview in September, Jassim Al-Budaiwi, Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council, confirmed that the visa is nearing its official rollout, entering its final approval phase after years of planning.
As part of the implementation process, travellers will soon be able to apply online for a unified GCC visa through a digital platform.
In July 2025, Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, the UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, said that a pilot run of the visa will be launched in the final quarter of 2025.
The trial phase will come in the final months of this year, before a full implementation of the visa at a later date.
The highly sought-after golden visa has been granted to nurses in Dubai.
Granting holders a 10-year residence, the golden visa is awarded to those who work every day to make Dubai such a great place to live.
To coincide with International Nurses Day, observed annually on May 12, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defence of the UAE issued a directive to grant nurses golden visas.
Nursing staff who have served Dubai Health for more than 15 years will be issued a long-term residency visa in recognition of their invaluable contributions to the community.
The nursing golden visa rewards those who have played a crucial role in advancing the quality of healthcare services in the emirate.
If you’re a content creator, then you could be in line for a special long-term residency in the UAE.
The influencer golden visa has been rolled out following the 1 Billion Followers Summit in January 2025.
Influencers, photographers, writers and more content creators who push the boundaries of creativity and innovation are able to apply via the newly established Creators HQ.
The Creators HQ will assist up to 10,000 online personalities with getting their hands on a long-term residence permit.
Criteria for applicants to qualify include a proven track record of impactful or creative work and strong potential for contributing to the UAE’s creative community.
Dubai has introduced a new AI-powered digital platform which will make it easier and quicker to renew Dubai visas.
Salama will allow people living in the emirate to renew their existing Dubai visa within minutes.
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs launched the platform on Monday February 24, to improve the efficiency of government services.
Available services include renewing and cancelling the residency of sponsored persons and finding the answers to questions.
Announced on World Teachers’ Day, educators are now able to get their hands on a golden visa. The policy was first introduced in 2024, and a second phase was launched in 2025.
It is available to exceptional educators who have demonstrated outstanding performance and made significant contributions to Dubai’s private education sector.
Applicants need to meet a certain set of criteria to qualify, including success in raising the quality of education at institutions they’ve worked at and having a positive impact on the wider educational community.
The full set of criteria can be found on the Knowledge and Human Development Authority site, and applications have opened once again.
The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) in Dubai, responsible for all visa renewals, cancellations and changing status in the emirate, has linked immigration services with Dubai Police.
Dubai residents in the process of renewing their residency visa will now be prompted to settle any outstanding traffic fines before completing their renewal.
The new system has been put in place to encourage residents to follow the emirate’s traffic rules and to settle any overdue fines.
However, it does not act as a block towards the Dubai visa renewal process, but will act as a prompt to settle fines either in full or via an interest-free instalment plan before you complete transactions related to maintaining your residency.
It’s important to note that the system also applies to people who are cancelling their residential permits, as they have to prove that they have no outstanding fines that need to be paid.
© All rights reserved. Created with Dubsty
