What is the visa hold service?
The visa hold service is a service provided by the UAE’s immigration authorities that allows a family sponsor to put their family’s or dependent’s visa on hold while they change their UAE residence visa from one sponsor to another.
When can a person use this service?
A person can use this service if they are:
- Changing jobs
- Transferring their visa from one sponsor to another
- Cancelling their employment visa but want to keep their family’s visas valid
What are the documents required to submit?
The documents required to submit vary depending on whether you are transferring sponsorship between mainland companies or not.
Mainland to mainland transfer:
- Holding application
- Labour cancellation documents from current employer
- New company offer letter from MOHRE
- Sponsor and dependents’ original passport
- Holding application fee (Dh75)
- Refundable deposit (Dh2,500)
- Each passport’s holding fee (Dh141)
Non-mainland to mainland transfer:
- Holding application
- End-of-service document
- New company offer letter from MOHRE
- Sponsor and dependents’ original passport
What is the process to follow?
- The labour card needs to be cancelled by your current employer.
- Visit an Amer centre or an ICA customer happiness centre and request to put your family’s visa on hold.
- Cancel your current visa.
- Your new employer will apply for a residence visa.
- Once the new visa is stamped, you can remove the hold on your family’s visa. The deposit amount will be refunded.
Additional notes:
- The visa can be put on hold for a maximum of 60 days.
- If the hold is lifted before 60 days, the deposit amount will be refunded.
- A security deposit is not required when holding the visas of family members of Golden Visa holders.