# Cheapest way to get a residence visa



## gaz123

Does anybody know what the cheapest way is to get a residence visa? I work at sea, so don't need a work visa, but just want a residence visa so I can rent a property and live in Dubai... I have been researching and it seems an investor visa may be the cheapest option but that's still 70,000 AED! Many thanks for your thoughts in advance.


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## wandabug

You don't need one. Rent a serviced apartment and do a visa run every 30 days to Oman border (presuming you hold a UK passport). Simple xx


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## gaz123

wandabug said:


> You don't need one. Rent a serviced apartment and do a visa run every 30 days to Oman border (presuming you hold a UK passport). Simple xx


Many thanks for the heads up, but I want to bring my wife and two small dogs out, so a serviced appartment wouldn't really work as that can only be done short term lease can't it?


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## wandabug

Serviced apartments can be rented annually and no need for res visa (different rules). Liwa heights in JLT is about dhs.90k a year (paid monthly) including all utility bills, TV and Internet - no res visa needed. No problem bringing your wife if she also has UK passport. You can do visa runs together - it's a nice drive, takes about 90 mins and you can stop off at Hatta Fort Hotel on the way back for lunch and a dip in their pool. You only need to do a visa run every 2 months as you can extend your visit visa once for an extra 30 days at DRND for dhs.700 if you want.
Only problem is finding serviced appts that accept dogs but am sure there will be somewhere.


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## gaz123

wandabug said:


> Serviced apartments can be rented annually and no need for res visa (different rules). Liwa heights in JLT is about dhs.90k a year (paid monthly) including all utility bills, TV and Internet - no res visa needed. No problem bringing your wife if she also has UK passport. You can do visa runs together - it's a nice drive, takes about 90 mins and you can stop off at Hatta Fort Hotel on the way back for lunch and a dip in their pool. You only need to do a visa run every 2 months as you can extend your visit visa once for an extra 30 days at DRND for dhs.700 if you want.
> Only problem is finding serviced appts that accept dogs but am sure there will be somewhere.


I didn't know there were different rules for this, but many thanks for the info. Will def have a look into it.


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## ibkiss

wandabug said:


> You don't need one. Rent a serviced apartment and do a visa run every 30 days to Oman border (presuming you hold a UK passport). Simple xx


Wandabug .. What will be the solution for people who don't hold UK passports ?


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## nikkisizer

Hello gaz123,

With a UK passport you get an additional ten days grace so visa runs can be done every forty days instead of thirty days


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## callofduty

I have a similar question. What's the cheapest way to get a residence visa, especially if I'm planning on starting an internet company without having to rent office space? Any recommendations on good agencies that can help me out? Thanks!


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## yoplu

ibkiss said:


> Wandabug .. What will be the solution for people who don't hold UK passports ?


Its not just people with UK passports who can do Visa Runs. Currently there are around 30 Nationalities who can do it. There is a list of these countries here:
Visa Runs by Go Tours Dubai | Quick Answers

@ Nikkisizer - be careful with the 40th day because the date of your stamp is actually counted as day number 1, so its effectively 39 days from the date of your stamp.

Regarding starting an Internet company the trouble is that the licence activity will likely dictate that it needs to be based out of Media/Internet city. You can rent some very small offices in Deira and Al Barsha which are used mainly for obtaining trade licences ie. small pokey cheap places you never intend on actually working out of from eg 5000-20000per year


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## ibkiss

yoplu said:


> Its not just people with UK passports who can do Visa Runs. Currently there are around 30 Nationalities who can do it. There is a list of these countries here:
> Visa Runs by Go Tours Dubai | Quick Answers
> 
> @ Nikkisizer - be careful with the 40th day because the date of your stamp is actually counted as day number 1, so its effectively 39 days from the date of your stamp.
> 
> Regarding starting an Internet company the trouble is that the licence activity will likely dictate that it needs to be based out of Media/Internet city. You can rent some very small offices in Deira and Al Barsha which are used mainly for obtaining trade licences ie. small pokey cheap places you never intend on actually working out of from eg 5000-20000per year


yoplu .. I was referring to those nationalities that are apart from the 30 that have been mentioned above ?


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## yoplu

ibkiss said:


> yoplu .. I was referring to those nationalities that are apart from the 30 that have been mentioned above ?


Ah ok. Then it depends on each countries individual criteria regarding visas and the UAE. Some nationalities have to leave for a minimum period of 24 hours, others need to be outside the UAE for a minimum of 30days before receiving a new visa and others need just to apply for their new visa whilst being out of the country.


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## ktommy80

wandabug said:


> You don't need one. Rent a serviced apartment and do a visa run every 30 days to Oman border (presuming you hold a UK passport). Simple xx


Does that work out that easy? Im thinking to do the same . Im a pilot dont need to work there..but my wife is a dance teacher and has chances to give some lessons in several institues, would that be possible in this way of living or does she need working visa for that kinda free lance work? What about kindergarten for our daughter, possible? What about buying a car? is there any same solutions as the serviced aptm.?

Thanks


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## rsinner

ktommy80 said:


> Does that work out that easy? Im thinking to do the same . Im a pilot dont need to work there..but my wife is a dance teacher and has chances to give some lessons in several institues, would that be possible in this way of living or does she need working visa for that kinda free lance work? What about kindergarten for our daughter, possible? What about buying a car? is there any same solutions as the serviced aptm.?
> 
> Thanks


Did you read replies to your other thread?


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## McLolly

Hi Gaz 123,

Did you ever get sorted with your residents visa? I have a way of getting it for 25,00aed. 
Let me know!


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## BedouGirl

McLolly said:


> Hi Gaz 123,
> 
> Did you ever get sorted with your residents visa? I have a way of getting it for 25,00aed.
> Let me know!


AED 25? Really?


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## gaz123

I'm ok ATM thanks as got a company to sponsor me which cost 5000 AED (at my expense)


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## Moe78

For only 5k? that's cheap! wish I could find one like that!


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## McLolly

Sorry - I messed up my first post & missed off the zero - its 25,000 for the visa. Its doable via a company I know.


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## Jynxgirl

Shady people will and can get visas for people... It is what it is. The government gets their 'tax' fee for you living here, the guy whose business it is gets free money for doing this as of course he is charging a bit extra for his trouble, and you get to be here without a real job but with a 'legal' residence visa.Had one friend do this, and within three months the business sponsor guy wanted to cancel my friend and his families visa and told him it was because he needed additional visas for workers in his company that he wasnt expecting.... yea right. So he had to then pay his sponsor guy more money... to allow him to stay on that visa for his two years. He nearly could of sat up his own company in a free zone for what he ended up paying. I wouldnt ever suggest anyone do that unless they KNOW the person quite well... Not some person off EF they know nothing about.


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## McLolly

I have to agree with the sentiments of there being "shady" people around. Some people will not hesitate to screw over anybody for money. Also agree that there is a high potential to get shafted by people that you don't know. It may even be a likelihood.

Am also balanced enough to know that there are decent people around. I endured a pretty horrendous experience at the hands of an employer, which left me high & dry with no visa, hence my own initial enquiries into this subject. I am looking to set up a business, but am at the stage before I can go ahead and commence set-up. 

The chap I know is a good friend of a guy I've known for 18 years back in England, not a crook. He quoted the quoted the cost, and was careful to explain that even though the cost of the actual visa is low for him, himself and his partners shelled out considerably more in order to even facilitate that spare visa. It was actually the company formation people he used, who suggested that the spare visa could be used to recoup some of their initial start up costs, acknowledging that "it shouldn't really be done, but people do it anyway". 

Much the same way as men and women share rental apartments, unmarried people sleep together, people without an alcohol license will enjoy a glass of wine at home, tipsy people will stand in the street looking fro a cab etc. It doesn't necessarily make them 'shady' - its just that the 'system' can be difficult in some circumstances, so these rule infractions do help to enable ordinary decent people to just live and work here. 

My friend's company have the number of consulting partners they need, and their business model is such that they don't need extra staff going forward. Recouping costs, in a way that might help someone out, is as 'shady' as it gets in this case. He's not the sort to go looking for more money after the fact - its good to remember that not EVERYONE will rip people off just for a few bucks.


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## saraswat

What ever the case might be, whether the people are trustworthy or not, what is being proposed/discussed to be done on this thread is illegal. For you to be sponsored by a company on an employment visa, you need to be a bona fide employee. The fact that other people might do it anyway doesn't pass muster when legality is concerned. 

As such i am now closing this thread to end further discussion...


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