Recently, one of our clients approached us with the following question:
"What if I don't like living in the new country where I will get residency? Can you help me move again?"
The question is complex and ambiguous. Life in a new country, with different rules, laws, and mentality, is a challenging decision. Starting from scratch in a new place is not easy. Of course, we will always support and help resolve all immigration issues anywhere in the world. Today, we want to introduce you to the unusual case of Stanislav and Julia, who did not hesitate to change their place of residence twice and start a new life abroad.
Client Story
At the beginning of last year, a family contacted our agency:
- Stanislav (just Stas to us) – 39 years old, owner of an IT company.
- Julia – 39 years old, outsourced accountant.
The spouses had long dreamed of moving to a warm country, obtaining a new status, and investing in real estate. We offered them citizenship in one of the Caribbean countries or a visa to the UAE. After consulting, the spouses chose Dubai to obtain residency as soon as possible.
"We were always attracted by the beauty of the East and modern technologies. The UAE turned out to be the perfect option for us. The slightly futuristic Dubai appealed to Stas, and I was delighted with the luxury and special Eastern charm," says Julia. "We are very pleased that we turned to GARANT.IN agency for help. Our friends approached them to obtain permanent residency in Cyprus and were delighted. We are happy that we followed their advice and also turned to them. It's evident that not just professionals work here, but people who are passionate about their work. Very quickly, smoothly, precisely, and everything in the shortest terms!"
Stages of Obtaining UAE Residency
In the Emirates, residents can obtain a visa for various durations (similar to residency in other countries). Depending on their goals, investments, and other conditions, the visa can be issued for a period of 2 to 10 years. The residency visa can be renewed indefinitely, provided the holder meets the conditions under which it was obtained.
Pre-screening of Applicants
Before submitting visa documents, the Compliance Anti Money Laundering Officer conducted a reliability check on the spouses. This procedure is necessary to identify potential risks and minimize them. Only passports are required for the check. The procedure takes 1 working day. The data analysis showed that the spouses are reliable candidates – both consistently pay taxes, are not involved in fraudulent schemes, and have no legal problems.
Choosing and Buying Real Estate in Dubai
The selection and purchase of property can proceed simultaneously with the visa application process. You can purchase preferred real estate either in person or remotely through a trusted person. At the family's request, we found several ready properties from various developers. For the final selection and signing of documents, the spouses personally flew to the UAE.
The family settled on a two-level apartment in an elite area of Dubai. The cost of housing was $650,000. After purchasing the property, the spouses planned to undergo a medical examination and submit visa documents. Our lawyers accompanied the spouses during the inspection of all properties. After the final selection, they helped to formalize the purchase agreement and register ownership rights to the property.
When buying property in the UAE, it is necessary to pay a property transfer tax and additional fees. The total amount consisted of the following expenses:
- $650,000 – cost of housing;
- $26,000 – property transfer tax at a rate of 4% of the property value specified in the sales contract;
- $147 – administrative fee when paying the tax;
- $1,090 – registration fee;
- $68 – administrative fee for issuing a certificate of property registration.
Medical Examination
To obtain a residency visa, it is necessary to undergo a medical examination at an accredited clinic. All applicants over 18 years old must undergo the examination. The husband and wife visited all appointed doctors, underwent necessary diagnostics, and completed laboratory tests. They attached the obtained health certificates to the visa application documents.
Submission of Documents for Visa Processing
The application for obtaining a resident visa must be submitted to the Land Department of the country – Dubai Land Department, or DLD. The spouses provided biometric data, after which our lawyers submitted a complete package of documents for consideration:
- residents' passports;
- marriage certificate;
- one 3*4 photo of each person for documents;
- certificates of no criminal record;
- certificates of passing medical examination;
- medical insurance policy;
- power of attorney for the lawyers of the migration agency GARANT.IN.
Once we received the spouses' full package of documents, they were translated and notarized. Apostille is not suitable for the legalization procedure since the UAE is not a party to the Hague Convention. Documents undergo consular legalization at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the UAE consulate.
Obtaining Resident Visa
The visa application review takes about 7-10 days. If the Land Department officials have additional questions, candidates must provide additional documents within 30 days.
In our clients' case, approval of the application was granted 7 days after submission. Overall, it took the spouses about two months from the moment they approached our agency to obtain the visa. Already in April 2022, the spouses moved to the UAE.
In February of the current year, Stanislav and Julia once again approached our agency. Unfortunately, the local climate did not suit Julia, and she became seriously ill. Despite all the obvious advantages, the spouses decided to change their place of residence and start anew. This time they chose France. Stanislav had many European partners, and he regularly went on business trips to European countries. Now the spouses decided to settle in Europe permanently.
Obtaining French Residency
The spouses decided to apply for residency documents in France through the Visitor Visa (Carte de sejour temporaire — Visiteur). Stanislav's IT company was registered in Dubai and had been successfully operating in the market for over 3 years. It was only necessary to rent an apartment. The spouses planned to keep their property in Dubai and rent it out for passive income.
With the UAE visa in hand, our candidates received even more advantages:
- The opportunity to submit visa application documents directly from the UAE. One of our agency's offices is located in Dubai, and applicants are minimally involved in the process.
- With the resident card, the application review is expedited.
- With UAE residency, applicants are approved in 99% of cases.
Since before obtaining the UAE visa, the spouses underwent reliability checks, and medical examinations, and obtained certificates of no criminal record, applying for French residency took much less time.
Submission of Documents for French Residency
The main advantage of the residency program for FNL for Stanislav and Julia was the ability to include the spouse in the application. Stanislav was the main applicant, and Julia could be included in the application on the same terms.
To qualify for a long-term visa, applicants must:
- Sign a commitment not to work officially in France.
- Have the mandatory minimum funds to cover personal expenses. A minimum of 1353 euros/month per person is required. Mandatory written confirmation of sufficient funds for one year in advance.
- Confirm the legality of financial sources – personal funds, income from property rental, company balances.
- Have valid medical insurance.
- Have a permanent residential address.
After approval, we began preparing the documents:
- Candidate questionnaire.
- Resident and international passports.
- Documents confirming financial stability – bank statements, contracts with counterparties, financial and tax reporting.
- Medical insurance policy.
- UAE visa.
- Documents on passing medical examination in the UAE.
The documents were translated, notarized, and apostilled. We submitted the completed forms and documents to the French consulate. Approval came after 18 days, and the spouses flew to France.
Earlier, the husband and wife decided to rent an apartment in Paris – the family dreamed of living in the capital. The spouses booked a hotel in advance for a week and started working. We had to sign rental agreements, obtain individual tax numbers, open bank accounts, obtain driver's licenses, and apply for residency card processing.
Finding an apartment was not a problem: we had found and sent several options to the clients in advance. They rented an apartment in the suburb of Levallois-Perret, from where they could reach the center of Paris in 25 minutes! The search for housing, signing, processing, and moving took 2 weeks. By this time, our applicants had received residency cards.
In early autumn, the spouses finally moved to France. They rented out their property in Dubai for a year. Perhaps in the future, they will sell the apartment in the UAE and buy property in France. The property value in Dubai is steadily increasing, and the spouses can profit from resale. In France, Julia feels much better. It was sad to part with Dubai, but health is more important.
We are very happy to be involved in this happy story. If you need assistance with migration issues, legal support, or professional consultation, the specialists of the licensed agency GARANT.IN will be happy to help you solve any task.
