Dubai cuts visa process from 30 days to five

 Dubai cuts visa process from 30 days to five

Dubai's authorities said they have cut the time it takes to process residency visas and work documents as part of a new efficiency drive.

The process of bringing a new employee on board is being slashed from 30 days to just five.

The number of documents they are required to show has also been cut, from 16 to five.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, set out the plan on Wednesday.

He said the "Zero Bureaucracy" plan is aimed at "streamlining procedures and enhancing efficiency" in government.

"Today marks the inaugural launch of the Employment Package, a pioneering project designed to expedite, simplify, and streamline the processes related to residency and employment."

The services include issuing work and residency permits for new employees, renewing a residency permit, medical fitness test for a residency visa, cancelation of work permits and Emirates ID fingerprint scan.

Whereas the platform is entirely online, medical checks and fingerprint scanning will still need to be performed in person.

The initiative is part of the Invest in Dubai platform, which will provide services to more than 275,000 companies in Dubai in its first phase.

Sheikh Mohammed emphasised the number of days the new platform would save in terms of labour hours spent going through the process.

"The Employment Package is set to reclaim 62 million working days previously devoted to the renewal of residencies and employment contracts within [the] government framework," he said.

"This project is expected to curtail 25 million procedures on an annual basis, thereby yielding substantial savings for both the governmental and private sectors.”

The initiative is part of the Invest in Dubai platform, which will provide services to more than 275,000 companies in Dubai in its first phase.

Sheikh Mohammed emphasised the number of days the new platform would save in terms of labour hours spent going through the process.

"The Employment Package is set to reclaim 62 million working days previously devoted to the renewal of residencies and employment contracts within [the] government framework," he said.

"This project is expected to curtail 25 million procedures on an annual basis, thereby yielding substantial savings for both the governmental and private sectors.”