Document checklist
Turks and Caicos Islands → United Arab Emirates: Work permit and residence visa for working in the UAE
What you need before you submit, checked against official requirements, not guesswork.
Not yet checked. This page was drafted from the sources listed below but hasn't passed verification yet. Double-check anything critical directly with the official source before you rely on it.
Required documents
7 itemsIdentity
Personal photo
RequiredA recent personal photo, with a white background, as set by the residency authority.
Valid passport
RequiredYour passport (and a copy of it). It must be valid for at least 6 months.
Source: Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), Issuing Residency Permit
Employment
Employment contract or appointment decision
RequiredThe employment contract with your UAE employer, or the appointment decision if your sponsoring employer is a government or semi-government entity.
Source: Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), Issuing Residency Permit
Work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE)
RequiredYour UAE employer applies to MOHRE for a work permit approving your employment before your residence permit can be issued. You need this work permit to complete the residence permit step.
Source: Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), Issuing Residency Permit
Other
Academic qualification (depending on the job's skill level)
For higher-skilled jobs you need a Bachelor's degree or higher; for some mid-level jobs, a diploma; for some lower-level jobs, a high school certificate. For the lowest-skilled jobs, no certificate is required. MOHRE says the certificate must be authenticated by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Source: Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), Issuance of a New Work Permit (Overseas)
Medical fitness report
RequiredA medical report showing you're fit to reside and work in the UAE, done as part of the residence permit process.
Source: Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), Issuing Residency Permit
Professional licence (some occupations)
For jobs like doctor, nurse, teacher, or fitness trainer, a professional licence issued by the relevant UAE authority (for example the Ministry of Health for medical roles, or the local education authority for teachers).
Source: Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), Issuance of a New Work Permit (Overseas)
Why applications on this route get refused
No approved MOHRE work permit
The residence permit stage depends on your employer already holding an approved work permit for you from MOHRE. Without it, the residence permit application can't proceed.
How to avoid it: Confirm with your employer that the MOHRE work permit has been approved before starting the residence permit step.
Passport not valid for at least 6 months
The residency authority requires a passport valid for at least 6 months at the time of application.
How to avoid it: Renew your passport before applying if it has less than 6 months of validity left.
Academic certificate not authenticated
MOHRE requires academic certificates for skilled roles to be authenticated by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs; an unauthenticated certificate doesn't meet the requirement.
How to avoid it: Get your degree or diploma authenticated by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation before your employer submits the work permit application.
Sources
- UAE Government portal (u.ae), Work visa · checked 23 Sept 2026
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), Issuing Residency Permit · checked 23 Sept 2026
- Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE), Issuance of a New Work Permit (Overseas) · checked 23 Sept 2026
- General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA), Visa Issuance for Foreigners linked with Job Contract · checked 23 Sept 2026
Check your documents against this list before you pay the United Arab Emirates application fee.
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