UAE

Blog  ·  News
New UAE Visa Arrangement for Expatriates in 2022

There will be some changes in the UAE’s entry permit and visa regime starting next month (September 2022) as part of the UAE reorganizing its visa and entry permits regime in the vision of attracting more expatriates to the country.

With these new permits, expatriates will have more options for applying for visas to visit the UAE as a tourist and international business destination.

The announcements made for the new UAE visa scheme will definitely impress you. UAE is continuously making efforts on listening to expatriates and welcome them. According to the population stats provided by Global Media, Insights shows that 88% of the total UAE population are non-locals in 2022.

For more details about the population, and stats Click Here.

Given below are the list of visa scheme that will come to effect in September 2022:

Visit Visa (Single Entry) – Instead of 30 days, the new minimum duration visa allows for 60 days of stay inside the UAE. Further, you do not require a sponsor.

Visit Visa (Multiple Entry) – The new visa scheme will allow a long five-years multi-entry visa option for expatriates. With this long-awaited entry permit, tourists will have the opportunity to further explore the UAE. This new visa will not require a sponsor. To be eligible for a visa, the applicant needs to have at least $4,000 in their bank account for the past 6 months. Only 180 consecutive days in a year can be spent in the UAE, and a single stay cannot exceed 90 consecutive days.

Job Exploration Entry Visa – Fresh graduates from the best 500 universities in the world with a minimum educational level of a Bachelor’s degree or equivalent are granted this visa, which is categorized as a first, second, or third skill level by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. This visa would not require a sponsor.

Business Entry Visa – Investors and entrepreneurs are encouraged to explore business and investment opportunities in the UAE with this entry permit, which does not require a sponsor or host.

Entry permit for Visiting Relatives/Friends – Visitors who are relatives or friends of UAE citizens and residents are eligible to apply for this entry permit. Does not require a sponsor.

Entry Permit for Studying/Training – Students looking to participate in training or study courses and/or internship programs in the UAE are eligible to apply for this permit. Sponsors may be governments or private universities, and educational and research institutions licensed in the country.

Entry Permit for a Temporary Work Mission – A temporary work assignment, such as probation testing or a project-based mission, is the purpose of issuing this visa permit. This will be sponsored by the employer. The employer must provide a temporary work contract or a letter explaining the visit’s purpose and proof of health and fitness.

Blog
Emirates ID Update Guide in the UAE

The Digital government of the UAE has recently announced that the residents and citizens are required to notify the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) within 30 days of any changes made to their Emirates Identity Card data.

On its website, the UAE digital government said this initiative will allow the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (FAIC) to effectively update the data on ID cards and the Population Registration System. This will be applied to all Emirates ID card holders both nationals and expatriates in the UAE.

ICP further states that the Emirates ID data must be updated when the wife’s last name changes (adopting her maiden name) after marriage.

All citizens and residents must have valid Emirates ID cards. Fines will be imposed for delays in obtaining or renewing your Emirates ID card.

Emirates ID

How to Update your Emirates ID 

According to authorities, it is possible to update the details of your valid ID card via the ICP website www.icp.gov.ae or its smart app. 

• Access to the smart services system (digital identity or user name).

• Search for the service – Update your Emirates ID

• Fill in the application data, where applicable

• Pay the service fee

Note – The owner of the ID card must be present in the country. The application is not accepted if it is outside the country.

Cancelling Emirates ID

UAE residents intending to cancel their UAE residence visa for the purpose of leaving the country permanently or changing jobs are required to turn over their ID cards to the relevant General Directorate for Residency and Foreigners Affairs.

Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship will receive the returned ID card from General Directorate for Residency and Foreigners Affairs.

If you require further assistance please contact our team and we would be glad to assist you.

Business  ·  Entrepreneur
How to Check your Visa Fines in the UAE
Did you know that you can check your visa fines by yourself in the UAE? Whether you are a visitor or a resident in the UAE, it is important to ensure that you do not violate any of the requirements set out for your visa since most of the fines will be added every day.
 
You can use the websites of either of these two immigration authorities, to check for visa fines regardless of which Emirate issued the visa.
 

• Option 1 – Check Visa fine through ICP
• Option 2 – Check Visa fine through GDRFA

 

Option 1 – Visa fine inquiry through ICP

Step 1: Access the service online

• Click the link beta.smartservices.icp.gov.ae

• Scroll Down by reading each service and you will find a service titled as, ‘Fines – Pay Fines – Violations of Entry Permissions or Residences – Pay New Fine’. (Tip: 14th Service category)

• Click on the ‘Start Service’ tab.

Step 2: Fill in the details
You will be requested to select the module. If you are holding a residence visa, choose the file

number and if you are on visit/tourist/permit visa please choose Citizens of Certain Countries.

If you have residence visa, follow this:

• Fill in your file number. You can find the file number on the UAE residence visa page of your passport and fill in your date of birth.

• After filling out the information, tick the captcha box and click on ‘Search’.

• The system will then show any fines that have been levied on the visa.

If you are on tourist/visit/permit visa, follow this:

• Fill in your passport number, Passport type – for example: diplomatic, UN or ordinary passport, Date of Birth Current nationality

• After filling out the information, tick the captcha box and click on ‘Search’.

• The system will then show any fines that have been levied on the visa.

Option 2 – Visa fine inquiry through GDRFA

You can view if you have visa fines through GDRFA website as well.
 
2. From the first dropdown menu, select the file type:

• Resident (for residence visa holders)
• Permit (for visit or tourist visa holders)

3. Provide the following details:

• Place of issue (select the Emirate that issued the visa)
• File number
• Date of birth
• Gender

4. Next, you will be asked to solve a simple math equation, as a captcha verification process.

5. Next, click on the red ‘Submit’ button.

6. The system will then show any fines that have been levied on the visa. If you do not have

any fines, you will receive a green pop-up message on the GDRFA website notifying you that there are no fines on your file number.

Grace period

It is important to remember that UAE visa holders have grace periods in place, which give them some time to get their visa status sorted out before fines are imposed on them. The official UAE government website explains that if you are a holder of a residence visa, you have 30 days after the expiration date to either amend your status and obtain a new residence visa or leave the country. In the same way, the website reports that tourists and visitors have a grace period of ten days after the expiration of their visas. If they overstay their visa beyond this grace period, that is when fines are levied.
UAE-Free-zone-Business-Setup-EagleEyeInternational
Business  ·  Entrepreneur
Why Choose UAE Free Zones for Your Business?

For the past years, UAE got attention from investors all over the world for its unique geographical location and tax benefits provided for international businesses. If you are planning to setup your business in UAE this blog will be helpful for you to get an idea about why choose a UAE-free zone for your business setup.

Free Zone business setup is the most demanded business setup in UAE because of the 100% ownership. Free Zone is a geographically defined area with a boundary where businesses are allowed to trade goods and services within the limits. There are over 60 Free Zones in the UAE and each free zone offers different benefits compared to each other. There are some free Zones dedicated to Media, Health Care, Education, Manufacturing, Importing and Exporting, Trading, and many more.

Finding the best free zone for you depends on the business activity you are looking to do in the UAE. Some business activities require several business approvals which must be taken separately by different respective local departments. For example, an aviation business should take special approval from the civil aviation department.

Further, you need to choose a facility as well for your business in the UAE. You could choose from virtual offices to ready-built shared offices, dedicated offices, warehouses, or even buy a plot of land to construct your own facility. Generally, it’s not that difficult to setup a business in a free zone in the UAE. Most Free Zones provide the business license within one day. Check out our post on how to start a free zone company in UAE for more information.

There are mainly three types of legal structures in a Free Zone business formation:

  1. FZE (Free Zone Establishment) – One Shareholder in the Company
  2. FZC (Free Zone Corporation) – Multiple Shareholders in the Company
  3. A Branch of a local or international company

Pros of Setting Up a Business in UAE Free Zone

 

Pros-of-uae-free-zone-business-setup-EagleEyeInternational

1. 100% Business Ownership

Unlike in Mainland businesses where the highest shares of the company should be obtained by a local sponsor, Free Zones offer 100% ownership to all foreign business owners from small to large enterprises.

2. Setup your Business within one Day

It is relatively easy to setup your business in a Free Zone and most free zones offer business licensing within a single day.

3. Own dedicated Free Zone Jurisdiction – Trouble-Free Immigration Procedures

Investors and employees will get 2-3 years’ residence visas depending on the chosen free zone for your business. Each Free Zone has its own in-house team to process immigration-related services. Employees will benefit from many privileges from the visas like sponsoring their family, spouse, and children

4. 100% Repatriation of Capital and Profit

UAE offers 0% income tax for businesses and has a double taxation avoidance agreement with 135 countries. Business owners could get the full tax benefits.
Find out with what countries UAE has signed an agreement to avoid double taxation

5. Corporate and Duty Tax Exemptions

Enjoy 0% corporate and duty tax if you offer your service inside the Free Zone or import and export products internationally without dealing with the mainland of the UAE. However, it’s not the same case in mainland businesses. If you are offering a product or service for the mainland business community, you are liable for corporate tax (VAT) of 5% and duty tax separately. Check our blog post about Introduction to VAT in the UAE.

6. Labor and Staff Accommodation

If you are planning to hire employees for your company, some free zones offer onsite labor and staff accommodation, so you need not worry about your employees’ shelter. Restaurants and recreational centers are available in the free zone itself.

Cons of Setting Up a Business in Free Zone

 

1. Limited Business Expansion
 
Limitations on providing services for the mainland of the UAE. You can enjoy the Free Zone privileges inside the boundary of the free zone. You require to pay corporate and duty tax if you are dealing with the mainland of the UAE.
 
2. Business Activity Restrictions
 
Some of the unique business activities are not allowed to provide in Free Zones. These types of special businesses should be incorporated in the mainland. Especially, if you are providing government or local services you may need to establish your business directly in the mainland.
 
The best setup for your business depends on the activity you are planning to do in UAE. If you are planning to import and export products or want to do international business Free zone business is the best for you with its logistics, infrastructure, and tax benefits. 
 

Eagle Eye International is a corporate service-providing company with over 22 years of experience in the UAE. Book a free consultation with our team to find out the most reliable and cost-effective solution for your business in the UAE.

ISO
Business
How to get ISO Certification in Dubai, UAE

In your day-to-day business you may have come across ISO standards. But do you really know what ISO Standard really meant. In this blog we will explain you about the ISO standards and whether your company should really get the certification as soon as possible.

What is ISO Standard?

ISO is an independent non-governmental organization developing worldwide proprietary, industrial and commercial standards. Its history begins during 1940s in Geneva, Switzerland and works with over 160 countries worldwide.

Some of the best-known standards developed by ISO are:

ISO 9001 – Quality Management Standards

• This standard ensures that the service or the product of the organization consistently meet their customer’s requirement

ISO 14001 – Environment Management Standards

• This standard focus on enhancing the environment performance of your business. It ensures that your business continuously measure and improve the environmental impact.

ISO 45001 – Occupational health and safety Management Standards

• This standard ensure that your business manage the best safety procedures and reduce workplace hazards. Guaranteeing your employees leave for home safely.

ISO 22000 – Food Safety Management Standards

• This standard focus on providing the highest level of food safety for the end consumer throughout the life cycle of the food process.

ISO 27001 – Security Management Standards

• This standard support the business to manage the security of assets, intellectual
property, financial data, employee data and other useful data.

Advantages of obtaining an ISO Standard

• Boost confidence of the consumer that the product/services you provide are safe, reliable and are of high quality.

• Increase the efficiency of your business and decrease mistakes by implementing international standard procedures.

• Save your time and money by identifying the problems

• Improve client satisfaction and retention

• Boost employee’s health and safety

• Improving the environment impact

How to obtain an ISO Certification?

At ISO they develop the international standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 45001 but they do not involve in issuing certificates. The issuance of the ISO Certification is performed by the external certification body (CB). To understand this in more detail way you could refer to the below ranking board.

Develop International Standard

Provide Accreditation for the standard body of the country

Providing license for the certification body ensuring that they follow the ISO Standards. Generally, there is only one accreditation body for a country.

Certification body is accredited to Perform audit and issue certificate stating that a company is compliant with the ISO standards.

The company that needs to obtain the ISO Certification

9 steps to complete the ISO Certification

Step 01

Choose one of the ISO Certification (ISO 9001, ISO 14001)

Step 02

Choose an accredited Certification body for the ISO Certification

Step 03

Create an agreement between the company and the certification body. This contract will include the access rights, confidentiality and liability issues

Step 04

Company Document review by the ISO Auditor and note down the possible loopholes in the company against the requirement specified in the chosen ISO Standard.

Step 05

Build an action plan to eliminate these loopholes inside the company with the instruction provided by the ISO Auditor.

Step 06

Create awareness among the employees about the new procedure implemented to eliminate the loopholes and change their work process according to the ISO standards.

Step 07

The Auditor will start auditing the changes and possibly search for non-conformities. Company then asses these identified non-conformities and rectify through the processes used before.

Step 08

If the auditor is satisfied with the outcome, the ISO auditor will arrange the final audit report and forward it to the certification body.

Step 09

The Certification body will then issue the ISO Certification for the company based on the final audit report provided by the ISO Auditor.

Surveillance audits

Once a year, a surveillance audit will be conducted by an ISO Auditor to ensure that the quality of the ISO standards is being maintained by the organization.

With over 22 years of experience about the UAE economy Eagle Eye International strive to provide the most reliable solution for your business. Been one of the best consultancy firms we always ensure that our client get the best service for their business requirements. For further details and information about the ISO Certification please contact us on +971 56 240 1778 and we would be glad to assist.

Business
Introduction to VAT in UAE

Value Added Tax (VAT) was implemented on 1st of January, 2018 in UAE at a rate of 5% for every mainland transaction. The Value added Tax was imposed to help UAE government move towards its vision of reducing dependence on oil and other hydrocarbons as a source of revenue.

The transactions between a selected group of free zones remains free from paying VAT. All the other business transactions will be liable to pay 5% VAT for the Federal Tax Authority. (FTA)

Only VAT registered businesses are authorized to collect 5% tax from the transaction amount on behalf of the government from the customers. This collection of payment will be paid to the Federal Tax Authority through the online portal every three months. (VAT Filing)

At the same time, VAT registered businesses receives a refund from the government on the tax that it has paid to its suppliers.

Criteria for registering for VAT

Option 1– A business must register (Mandatory) for VAT if its taxable supplies and imports exceed AED 375,000 per annum.

Option 2– It is optional for businesses whose supplies and imports exceed AED 187,500 per annum.

How to register for VAT?

Businesses should register for VAT through the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) website. First the applicant should create an account. You may have to provide relevant document for the registration.

There are mainly two process involved in the VAT Registration.

  1. Create the E-Service Account
  2. VAT Registration Process

1. Create the E-Service Account

First the applicant should create an e-service account through the Federal Tax Authority website. This is quite similar to creating an online account on Yahoo, Gmail etc.

  • Visit ‘https://eservices.tax.gov.ae‘ and click signup and enter the details such as functioning E-mail ID, Password, security code and security question (Please remember the security question for later use).
  • Verify the E-mail- You will receive an E-mail for your registered E-mail.
  • Log in to the account with the Username and Password.

2. VAT Registration process

First the applicant should login to the e-Service account using the login credentials. Soon after you log into your account you will see an option called ‘Register for VAT’.

VAT- Getting Started Guide

Click on ‘register for VAT’ and you will be directed to ‘Getting Started Guide’. Each section of the guide contains the information required for successfully completing the VAT Registration. Please carefully read the guide and please tick the box with ‘Click here to confirm that you have read the getting started guide’ and click ‘Proceed’.

VAT Registration Form

Once the applicant clicks on ‘Proceed’ he/she will be directed to the VAT Registration Form.

The form will contain 8 sections and each section should be filled by the applicant to successfully register for the VAT. Different colour indicators will show the progress of the VAT Registration. The section that are completed will be indicated by a green tick and the updating section will appear in brown. Fill in all the sections with relevant information, the portal will only allow you to move to next sections if the details are captured in all the mandatory fields which are denoted by a red asterisk (*). For any further clarification do not hesitate contact our Eagle Eye Team our team will assist you in completing the process.

Review and Submit

Fill in all the required details in each section and at last on the 8th section you should verify the provided details and submit for the Federal Tax Authority Approval.

Upon successfully completion appliocant should receive your VAT Certificate with TRN Number within one month from the date of submission.

Business  ·  Entrepreneur
How to start a company in Free Zone?

One of the most demanded business startups in UAE is the Free zone company business setup.

Its relatively easier to setup a free zone company compared to a mainland company. Free zone authorities require minimum paperwork and duration as well. There are over 40 Free Zones in UAE.

Each Free Zones has its own quirks and features that offers opportunities and benefits for businesses. For instance, UAE has specific free zones dedicated to Education, Research and Innovations, Technology, Entertainment and Media, Healthcare and etc.

With a wide variety of activities inside Free Zones, identifying the most suitable Free Zones for your business is a challenge faced by new businesses today. Given below are three steps that you could follow to identify the most effective Free Zone for your businesses.

  1. Build the initial plan for your business
  2. Choose the most suitable Free Zones that would suites your business plan
  3. Setup your business

1. Build the initial plan for your business

The most common mistake that people make is that they do not have a proper idea about the rules and regulations of the Free Zones.

Opening a business in Free Zones is relatively easy. Some Free Zones offer business licensing within hours and does not even require a capital.

But there are other aspects like Visa processing, Government Registrations and Business Renewals (License Renewal, Facility Renewal, Establishment card Renewal, E-channel Renewal, Government Renewals) that could be complexed for new businesses and will acquire a considerable amount of money and time based on your preparation.

Another major problem that people face is winding up a company. UAE Free Zones have a detailed process when it comes to winding up a company. People who fail to meet the requirements will have to pay huge amount of fines. None of this problems would exist if you have a proper plan for your business and understand the Legal system of the dedicated Free Zone. So it is crucial that you have a proper plan for your business before choosing any Free Zones in UAE. Start building your plan with these steps.

  • Determine the number of investors (Legal Entity)
  • Choose a company name
  • Identify the business activity
  • Choose a facility for your business (Offices, Warehouse, Plot of Land)
  • Number of Visas required for the business

2. Choose the most suitable Free Zones that would suites your business plan

Once you have a plan for your business you could choose a Free Zone. Plus you could have access to all the information of the Free Zones by visiting their website.

Once you know more information about Free Zones, find which will offer you the best advantage based on your business plan. Or else you could request assistance from a consultancy company to provide you more information for free without any cost. Present them your overall business plan and they will provide you the solutions.

Many Free zones offer discounted price due to the current pandemic situation and you could use this as an advantage to start your business for a great price. Given below are some of the recommended Free Zones for your business setup.

3. Setup your business

Speak with a representative of the chosen Free Zone and present your business plan to them. The team will guide you through the process. Most importantly, they will check the availability of the suggested name and the business activity of your company. If your business is related to Medical, Education you may require to take approvals from the relevant authorities. Further the owners and shareholders of the company will have to sign the documents provided by the Free Zone. Upon completion of these steps you will get your business license.

Eagle Eye International is a professional business consultancy company with over 40 years of experience in UAE. We have assisted over hundreds of business formation. We will assist from analyzing your business requirement to delivering your business license. These are the below services that we would assist you in the business formation.

  • Getting Name Approvals
  • Activity Approvals
  • Shareholder’s Structure
  • Necessary Documents Arrangement for Signatures
  • Business Registration
  • Business Licensing
  • Corporate Consultancy
  • Documents Submission & Get the Original Documents
  • Handing over the Original Documents – Trade License, MOA, Tenancy Contract
  • Documentation and typing of the company establishment card
  • Documentation for the E-channel Registration

If you need any clarification, please contact our team and we would be glad to assist.

Israel-UAE-Deal-Eagle_Eye_International
Business
Israel and UAE Strike Historic Deal to Normalize Relations

A new peace agreement was signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on August 13, 2020.

In a surprise statement by US President Donald Trump, who helped broker it, the countries called the accord “historic” and a breakthrough towards peace.

Until now, Israel has had no diplomatic relations with Gulf Arab countries.

President Trump called the deal between Prime Minister Netanyahu and Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan "a truly historic moment". It marks only the third Israel-Arab peace deal since Israel's declaration of independence in 1948, after Egypt and Jordan.

Israel-UAE-Deal-Eagle_Eye_International

“Now that the ice has been broken, I expect more Arab and Muslim countries will follow the United Arab Emirates,” US president told reporters in the Oval Office, saying there would be a signing ceremony at the White House.

Further, Salem Mohammed Al Zaabi, Director of the International Security Cooperation Department at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, emphasised that the main goal of the peace treaty is to establish economic and scientific relations in the fields of technology, mainly artificial intelligence (AI), health and education.

This implies that both countries, Israel and United Arab Emirates, will exchange ambassadors, establish embassies, and open direct flights. Emirati billionaire Khalaf Al Habtoor, who owns one of the U.A.E.’s largest conglomerates Al Habtoor Group, said he has launched talks with Israir Airlines Ltd., a domestic Israeli carrier, to open direct commercial flights.

Opening direct ties between two of the Middle East’s most advanced economies will definitely transform both regions by increasing economic growth and enhance technological innovations where people could expect for more business relations and opportunities between the two countries.