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Blue Visa in the UAE

Blue residence is a long-term UAE residence permit for a contribution to environmental protection, energy, climate and sustainable development. It is issued by the ICP and needs no sponsor inside the country: the holder is responsible for their own status and sponsors their relatives. Green residence rests on profession, salary and income; blue residence rests on environmental merit and documentary proof of it. The application is filed independently or comes through a nomination by a competent UAE authority.

Visa term

10 years, renewable

Threshold

For the investor or entrepreneur category — capital of at least AED 2,000,000

Permanent residence is not granted in the UAE: the status rests on renewing the visa

Source: icp.gov.ae — blue visa

Who is granted blue residence

The ICP accepts applications from five groups. Each has its own set of proofs, and a monetary threshold is not stated for every one.

Influential environmentalists

Serving members of international organisations, companies, associations and NGOs, winners of global awards and campaigners in the environment, energy, climate and sustainable development.
A financial contribution from AED 1,000,000.
An official letter of membership from the organisation signed by a senior official, membership certificates and cards, expert references, certified copies of awards, publications and project reports, a bank statement showing the transfer.

Scientists

Researchers with notable achievements in the environment, energy, climate and sustainable development.
A PhD from a university in the world's top 500 or a master's from the top 250; an FWCI from 1.0 or an h-index from 10, and for advanced achievements an h-index above 20.
Approval or nomination by the UAE Scientists Council, a master's or doctoral degree in the relevant field, scientific publications.

Investors

Investors and entrepreneurs working in the environment, energy, climate and sustainable development sectors.
Capital from AED 2,000,000.
Company documents and a business plan, a bank statement showing available funds, audited financial statements, letters approving the project.

Inventors

Authors of developments in the environment, clean and renewable energy, climate and sustainable development.
A valid patent; the ICP states no monetary threshold for this category.
The patent certificate, a detailed description of the development with illustrations, a letter of recommendation and approval.

Elite specialists

Staff of public and private environmental institutions.
A bachelor's degree and relevant work experience; the ICP states no monetary threshold for this category.
A nomination letter, a certificate of service and an employment contract, a bachelor's degree, an official letter from the employer.

When blue residence will not suit

The programme rests on documentary proof of environmental merit. Without it there is nothing on which to consider the application.

The work is environmental, but there is nothing to prove it: no membership of an organisation, no awards, patents, publications or employer nomination.

Ordinary work residence through an employer, or green residence.

Green Visa

The capital is invested in a project outside the environment, energy, climate and sustainable development.

ICP golden residence.

Golden Visa

What it costs

Application feeCharged when the residence application is filed.	100 AED
Issuing the blue residenceIn the ICP schedule the fee is stated for each year of the ten-year term.	100 AED
ICP smart fee for the residenceThe charge for filing through the electronic channel.	100 AED
Issuing the Emirates IDA fee for each year of the residence. The ICP service card «New Identity Card Issuance».	100 AED
ICP smart fee for the Emirates IDA separate line in the service card for issuing the identity card.	100 AED
Urgent issue of the Emirates IDThe card is collected at an ICP centre rather than awaited by courier.	+150 AED
Change of status inside the countryA line in the ICP card's schedule. Needed when status is changed without leaving the UAE.	+500 AED
Total government feesThe sum of the mandatory rows in the table. “Urgent issue of the Emirates ID” adds 150 AED; “Change of status inside the country” adds 500 AED. Charges with no official price list are in the list below.	500–1 150 AED

Paid separately

Medical examination — the rates are set by the emirates' health authorities, and the ICP does not publish them.
Medical insurance — the price is set by the insurer.
Legalisation and translation of degrees, patents, award documents and references. —

The fees for the residence and for the Emirates ID are separate lines. Blue residence appears in the ICP schedule as a single line — for issue, for each year of the ten-year term; the application fee and the smart fee in the same schedule apply to the service as a whole.

Documents to gather

The ICP requires this set regardless of category. The documents proving merit differ by category and are listed above.

A passport with at least 6 months' validity.
A recent photograph; at the identity card stage the ICP requires a photograph to the ICAO standard.
Valid medical insurance covering the whole period of stay in the UAE.
Proof of medical fitness.

How the process runs

The ICP describes the procedure as electronic: the application, the payment and the checks all go through the smart services.

1
Filing the application
The application is filed independently through the ICP smart services, or a nomination is obtained from a competent UAE authority. Login to the account is through UAE Pass.
2
Form and documents
The applicant fills in the form, checks the data pulled from the authorities' systems and attaches documents where the data has not been pulled through.
3
Paying the fees
The fees are paid through the same channel in which the application was filed.
4
Review and assessment
The ICP checks the application and assesses the applicant's merit, and then takes a decision.
5
Biometrics
Fingerprints and a signature are given at a service centre; the procedure is compulsory for anyone who has turned 15.
6
Residence and Emirates ID
Once approved, the ICP gives notice that the residence has been issued; for the resident identity card the ICP allows 5 days and delivers it by courier, while under the urgent service the card is handed over at a centre.

Timelines and rights

Work

Allows a spouse, children of any age and parents to be sponsored — with a visa for the same term

Who you can bring with you

The holder of blue residence acts as sponsor for their relatives themselves.

Spouse

Residence for 10 years with the right of renewal.

Children

Of any age; the ICP sets no age limit, and the term is the same.

Parents

Residence for the same term with the right of renewal.

Domestic staff

The holder may sponsor domestic workers.

The family after the holder's death

Family members remain in the UAE until the end of the residence term.

Trips, renewal and the grace period

There is no minimum stay. Holders of blue residence may enter at any time while it is valid: the 180-days-outside-the-country rule does not apply to them

The residence is renewable. After the residence expires or is cancelled, holders of golden, green and blue residence and their family members are given a grace period of 180 days. For each day of stay in the country after it ends, a fine of AED 50 is charged.

How blue residence differs from the golden and the green

All three are granted without a sponsor inside the country. The difference lies in the ground and in who the holder can bring over.

	Blue Visa	Golden Visa	Green Visa
Term	10 years	5 or 10 years	5 years
Ground	A contribution to environmental protection	Investment, talent or outstanding merit	Qualifications, freelance work or a share in a company
Who can be brought over	A spouse, children of any age and parents	The family — the visa is self-supporting	The family, with no tie to an employer
Who it suits	Environmentalists, scientists, inventors and investors in sustainable development	Investors, entrepreneurs, executives and rare specialists	Professionals and freelancers with no sponsoring employer

What comes next: permanent residence and citizenship

Route to citizenship

Time spent living in the country has no bearing on citizenship. A passport is granted on nomination by federal bodies: to investors, doctors, scientists, inventors, figures in culture and their families. The decision is taken by the rulers' courts, the executive councils and the Cabinet, and the previous citizenship may be kept

Frequently asked questions about Blue Visa

Who can nominate someone for the blue visa, and can you apply yourself?

Both routes are open. The application is filed directly with the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, or it comes through a nomination by competent UAE authorities.

How do you enter the UAE while the residence is still being arranged?

An approved applicant is issued a multiple-entry visa for 6 months, renewable for the same period — so that the residence formalities can be completed.

How does blue residence differ from green?

Green residence is granted for five years to skilled workers, self-employed people, investors and business partners — there the tests are profession, salary and annual income. Blue residence is granted for environmental merit. Neither requires a sponsor inside the UAE.

Is the blue visa only for foreign nationals?

The u.ae portal states that the status is addressed to UAE citizens as well as to environmentalists living in the country.

Other ways to move to UAE

Every route in one list — migration programmes: UAE.

The terms and the amounts are checked against official sources — the link sits under each section.Last checked on: 7 August 2026.