GDRFA and Dubai Tourism sign partnership for special visas and permits
Mita Srinivasan
10x Industry
Published:

GDRFA and Dubai Tourism sign partnership for special visas and permits

The agreement will promote cooperation between the two government entities in the issuance of residency permits for investors, entrepreneurs and retirees and special training for both teams to facilitate the new partnership

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs - Dubai (GDRFA–Dubai) and the Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) have signed a strategic partnership agreement to enhance cooperation and promote online services and platforms designed to facilitate processes for the issuance of residency permits for various investor programmes and special visas. The partnership agreement will facilitate the issuance of residency permits for investors, entrepreneurs, and retirees, along with other relevant processes, such as application assessment procedures and the issuance of special entry permits to those who are eligible to obtain an investor residency permit. GDRFA-Dubai and Dubai Tourism will collaborate on online services, providing useful links to various services, along with the necessary authorisation, allowing people to apply for these special residency permits, in addition to online access to applicant data. The two entities will cooperate in providing technical support to these online platforms and services.

The agreement was signed on 12 January by His Excellency, Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General, GDRFA -Dubai, and His Excellency, Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism).

H.E. Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General, GDRFA - Dubai, said “We are committed to strengthen and consolidate cooperation between various government and private sectors in the UAE in general and Dubai in particular, as well as exchange experiences in order to facilitate procedures for residency permits for different categories of people. This agreement further enhances the existing strategic relations between GDRFA - Dubai and Dubai Tourism and our efforts to support Dubai’s role regionally and internationally and enhance its image as the preferred tourism and global investment destination. It is noteworthy that during the challenging times, Dubai was able to preserve its global reputation and stand with strength and confidence in effectively dealing with the impact of the pandemic."

H.E. Helal Saeed Almarri, Director General, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), added: “As we continuously strive to innovate in showcasing the city as a must-visit destination, spurred on by new trends in global travel and the significant shift that we are now seeing in the way people choose to work, our partnership with GDRFA will help further enhance the initiatives launched by Dubai Tourism including the ‘Retire in Dubai’ and ‘Virtual Working’ programmes aimed at reinforcing Dubai’s status as the lifestyle and tourism destination of choice and the leading hub for remote work, entrepreneurship and investment.”

Cruise ships and yachts are also covered by the agreement, which facilitates entry and exit procedures for crews and passengers. GDRFA- Dubai and Dubai Tourism will have additional discussions to better understand the needs of cruise ship and yacht owners, while taking part in joint committees and contributing with meaningful proposals to showcase Dubai as an attractive tourist destination. They will also collaborate through industry events and fairs that will introduce the services offered by GDRFA -Dubai.