Foreign nationals obtaining a UAE Residence Visa will no longer be issued a UAE Residence Visa stamp endorsed in their passport, which foreign nationals receive as proof of residence status.

Instead, foreign nationals will be issued an Emirates Identity card, which will serve as their residency document. This change is expected to be implemented for all visa applications processed after April 11, 2022.

The change is aimed at making the immigration process more efficient. Further details are expected in the coming weeks on how this change will affect the residence visa processing in the future.

Emirates ID cards are set to be used as proof of valid UAE residency, instead of passport stickers and stamps.

Up until now, an expatriate with a residency visa would have a sticker inserted into their passport and stamped after receiving a visa, which could be for two, three, five or ten years, following mandatory medical checks.

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