Many professionals prefer to travel to the UAE themselves before receiving a job offer, to attend interviews and see the job market. For this the UAE has a "jobseeker visit visa" which, unlike most visit visas, needs no sponsor or host in the UAE. This article is based on the "Jobseeker visit visa" page of the official UAE Government portal (`u.ae`) and the service page "Issuing a visit visa to explore job opportunities" of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA), checked on 25 October 2026.
Who is eligible?
According to the UAE Government portal, the applicant must be in one of these two groups:
| Group | Condition |
|---|---|
| Skilled workers | A job at skill level one, two or three under the occupational classification of the UAE Ministry of Human Resources |
| Graduates of top universities | A graduate of one of the world's top 500 universities under the UAE Ministry of Education's classification |
The two pages differ on several details:
| Subject | UAE Government portal | GDRFA |
|---|---|---|
| Relation between the two groups | Explicitly "either": skill level or top university | Lists the two conditions numbered, without "or" |
| Time limit after graduation | Graduation within the last two years | Gives no time limit |
| Minimum education | Bachelor's degree or equivalent | Bachelor's degree or equivalent |
| Number of trips | One trip; ICP services call all three durations "single entry" | One or more visits |
| Financial guarantee | "The prescribed financial guarantee", no amount | AED 1,000 |
Before applying, ask GDRFA about the current condition; especially whether you have both a skill level and a top-university degree or only one of the two.
Documents
| Document | Details |
|---|---|
| Personal photo | In colour |
| Passport copy | Valid for at least 6 months |
| University degree | The UAE Government portal says an attested degree |
Duration and fees in Dubai
GDRFA gives these fees for the three durations:
| Duration | Visa fee |
|---|---|
| 60 days | AED 200 plus 5% value added tax |
| 90 days | AED 300 plus 5% tax |
| 120 days | AED 400 plus 5% tax |
Financial guarantee
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Guarantee amount | AED 1,000 |
| Guarantee service fee | AED 20 |
| Collection and return fee | AED 40 |
If the applicant is inside the UAE
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Knowledge dirham | AED 10 |
| Innovation dirham | AED 10 |
| In-country fee | AED 500 |
GDRFA gives the service time as 48 hours and notes that the final amount may vary with the applicant's circumstances.
How to apply
The UAE Government portal says applications can be made through the GDRFA service or ICP smart services. GDRFA names three channels:
| Channel | Steps |
|---|---|
| GDRFA website and app, around the clock | Log in with UAE Pass or a username, search for the service, fill in the details, pay the fee |
| GDRFA customer happiness centre | Take a ticket, hand the application and documents to the employee, pay the fee |
| Amer service centre, during working hours | Take a ticket, hand the application and documents to the employee, pay the fee |
Among its related services GDRFA also lists "Extending a visit visa to explore job opportunities", but its conditions and fees are not on this page; if you need more time, ask GDRFA about it before the visa runs out.
After finding a job
This visa is for looking for work, not for working. After an offer, the employer must obtain the work permit and work residence through the usual routes; the article "Hiring in the UAE" explains the work permit types. If your salary is high, also consider a green or golden residence for skilled employees; the article "Green or golden residence for skilled employees in the UAE" compares the two.
Two examples
These examples are hypothetical and only put the official fees above side by side.
Example 1: a software engineer, 90 days, from outside the UAE.
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 90-day visa | 300 + 5% tax | AED 315 |
| Guarantee amount (refundable, going by the title "collection and return") | — | AED 1,000 |
| Guarantee service fee and collection and return fee | 20 + 40 | AED 60 |
| Total paid | — | AED 1,375 |
Ask GDRFA when paying about the conditions for refunding the guarantee.
Example 2: the same person inside the UAE. If they are, for example, in Dubai on a tourist visa and apply from inside, another AED 520 (10 + 10 + 500) is added and the total reaches AED 1,895.
The three durations compared
This table applies the same official rules to all three durations; the AED 1,000 guarantee is included in every row.
| Duration | Visa with 5% tax | Guarantee and its fees | Total from outside the UAE | Total from inside the UAE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 days | AED 210 | AED 1,060 | AED 1,270 | AED 1,790 |
| 90 days | AED 315 | AED 1,060 | AED 1,375 | AED 1,895 |
| 120 days | AED 420 | AED 1,060 | AED 1,480 | AED 2,000 |
The difference between the durations is only AED 105 for every 30 days; the in-country fee and the guarantee are the same for all three.
Practical points
- Before applying, check your job's skill level in the UAE Ministry of Human Resources classification.
- If you apply through the university route, check the university's ranking and your graduation date against the current condition.
- Attest your degree before travelling; see the article "Attesting foreign documents for the UAE".
- Choose a realistic duration; hiring usually takes time.
- Before the visa ends, either obtain a work residence or leave; overstaying is fined.
Royal Golden does not give legal, immigration or career advice. This article is general information, and the decision on any visa rests with the official UAE authorities.
Sources
- UAE Government portal, Jobseeker visit visa — https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/Types-of-visas/Visit-visa/jobseeker-visit-visa (checked on 25 October 2026)
- General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA), Issuing a visit visa to explore job opportunities — https://gdrfad.gov.ae/en/services/2a679791-408a-11ed-4fe5-0050569629e8 (checked on 25 October 2026)