Entry Permit

An entry permit is the pre-approval allowing a foreign national to enter the UAE for a stated purpose — taking up employment, joining family, study, medical treatment, or other defined categories. It is the first immigration document in most residence journeys: the sponsor (employer, family member, or the applicant in self-sponsored routes) applies through ICP federally or GDRFA in Dubai, the permit issues electronically, and the holder must enter the UAE (or convert status in-country) within the permit's validity window, then complete medicals and Emirates ID steps to convert it into a residence visa within the prescribed period. Entry permits differ from visit visas in that they anchor a residence process rather than a temporary stay. Common practical issues include permits expiring before travel, mismatch between the permit's stated purpose and actual activity, and security or blacklist refusals discovered only at the application stage.