Visas through an ADGM company

The distinction matters because it determines who can actually answer your questions.

ADGM's exemption from federal law covers civil and commercial matters. Immigration is not in it. Residence visas are administered by the federal authorities — the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security[ICP] — and the rules, categories and durations are set nationally[UAE Gov — Residence visas].

What ADGM provides is the sponsor: a licensed entity that can hold an establishment card and sponsor individuals. The visa rules themselves are the same as they would be through an entity in any other free zone.

So "ADGM visa" is shorthand rather than a product. Anyone describing ADGM-specific visa privileges is describing something that does not exist.

1. Incorporate the entity and obtain the commercial licence — see ADGM company registration.
2. Obtain the establishment card. The prerequisite for sponsoring anyone; without it the entity cannot begin.
3. Sponsor the individual — the entry permit, then status change, then the residence process.
4. Medical fitness testing and Emirates ID, which are part of the federal residence process for those aged 18 and over[UAE Gov — Residence visas].
5. Dependants, where applicable, sponsored by the resident rather than by the company.

Each step is federal from step 3 onwards, with its own timelines that ADGM's 10-business-day registration expectation says nothing about.

This catches people who chose their structure on price.

An SPV cannot. ADGM states SPVs cannot conduct operational business or hire staff[ADGM — SPVs]. No staff means no sponsorship. If part of your objective is residence, the SPV is the wrong vehicle however attractive its USD 1,900 fee is.

A private company limited by shares can, at USD 5,800 to register[ADGM RA — Schedule of Fees] — and this is one of the clearest cases where the cheaper structure is a false economy.

A Foundation is a succession vehicle with no physical office requirement; it is not designed as an employment vehicle.

Establish what the entity must be able to do before choosing it on fee.

The instrument is Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022, the Executive Regulation of Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 on the Entry and Residence of Foreigners. It was issued 12 July 2022 and came into force 3 October 2022[UAE — Cabinet Resolution 65 of 2022].

Two types, not many

Article 36 reduces the whole scheme to two: a Residence Permit for work, and a Non-Working Residence Permit[UAE — Cabinet Resolution 65 of 2022]. Everything marketed as a distinct visa product sits inside one of those.

How long a permit actually runs

Article 38 is worth knowing precisely, because the durations quoted to founders are often wrong[UAE — Cabinet Resolution 65 of 2022]:

• A residence permit grants the right to reside for two years, renewable for similar periods on the same conditions.
• It may be issued for one year instead, at the request of the person concerned, or where the public interest or the Chairman's determination requires it.
• A Green Residence Permit entitles the holder to reside without a guarantor or employer for five years, renewable.

So the standard employment-linked permit is a two-year instrument. If someone has quoted you three years for an ordinary ADGM employment visa, ask what they are relying on.

Three conditions that apply to everyone

Article 37 requires, in addition to whatever the specific category demands[UAE — Cabinet Resolution 65 of 2022]: that the person is in good health per the regulations in force; that they hold health insurance throughout the stay; and that the prescribed fees and financial security are paid.

The health insurance condition is continuous rather than a one-off at issue. It is an ongoing cost for every sponsored person, and it belongs in the running budget alongside the licence renewal.

You may not need to leave the country

A practical provision that saves a trip. Article 36 states that in all cases the entry visa may be converted into a residence permit without the need to leave the State, after paying the prescribed departure fee — and that the same applies to a person whose residence has been cancelled or whose permitted stay has expired[UAE — Cabinet Resolution 65 of 2022].

The visa run is not a legal requirement of this regulation. If a provider builds one into your timeline and cost, ask why.

The Green Residence categories

Article 39 lists what the Green Residence covers[UAE — Cabinet Resolution 65 of 2022]:

• the investor and the partner in a commercial licence under a partnership contract, at a participation percentage set by a resolution of the Chairman;
• a high-level skilled worker; and
• freelance work.

The first is the one an ADGM shareholder should look at, and note that the qualifying percentage is not in the Regulation itself — it is set separately by the Chairman, so it is a figure to confirm rather than assume.

A note on the text. The UAE Legislation portal publishes this in English but states that for interpretation and application reference must be made to the original Arabic, which prevails in case of conflict[UAE — Cabinet Resolution 65 of 2022]. Everything above is the published English.

Visa quota is generally a function of the space an entity occupies rather than something granted in the abstract. That makes headcount planning and premises planning the same decision.

Every ADGM entity must maintain a registered office[ADGM RA — Schedule of Fees], but a registered address and a workplace are different things — and ADGM already distinguishes them elsewhere, requiring Tech Start-up licence holders to have at least one dedicated desk rather than a hot-desk.

If you intend to sponsor several people, discuss quota with your provider before committing to space, not after.

The federal Golden Visa is a long-term renewable residence visa valid for 5 or 10 years depending on category, covering investors, entrepreneurs, exceptional talent, outstanding students, and humanitarian pioneers and frontline heroes[UAE Gov — Golden Visa].

It is not sponsored by your company in the ordinary way and it is not an ADGM benefit — but an ADGM entity can be part of how an investor or entrepreneur qualifies. See the Golden Visa page.

Deliberately: per-person costs, processing times, quota ratios and category-specific eligibility.

These are federal, they are set and revised by the immigration authorities, and they differ by category and circumstance. A formation site quoting them is quoting a snapshot that ages badly — and immigration is an area where acting on stale information wastes real time and money.

The authoritative sources are the UAE government portal[UAE Gov — Residence visas] and ICP[ICP]. For your specific case, a provider handling the sponsorship will give you current figures.