Do Chinese citizens need a visa for the UAE? Not for short tourist, family or business visits: China and the UAE have had full mutual visa exemption since 16 January 2018, so an ordinary passport is enough. But to work, study, set up a company or live long-term in Dubai or Abu Dhabi you need a residence visa, and almost every UAE residence visa is applied for by a sponsor: an employer, a school, a family member, or your own investment and qualifications.
The UAE’s visa system has changed a lot in recent years, with a five-year green visa and five- or ten-year golden visas that let some people live there without depending on an employer. This guide reflects public information as of October 2026: the UAE visa types open to Chinese citizens, how applications work, documents, the paperwork to complete in China, common reasons for refusal and options for long-term residence. Amounts and conditions change often, so always check the systems of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) and Dubai’s GDRFA.
Do Chinese citizens need a visa for the UAE?
According to China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the two countries agreed full mutual visa exemption in December 2017, effective 16 January 2018, making the UAE the first country in the Middle East to do so. A notice issued by the Chinese embassy and consulate in the UAE in August 2026 states that Chinese citizens with a passport valid for more than six months can enter visa-free and stay up to 90 days in total within any 180-day period, across several entries if they wish. The earlier rule was 30 days per stay; it was relaxed to the current “90 days in 180” in April 2025 (according to media reports of the embassy’s announcement at the time), so Chinese-language sources that still say “30 days” are out of date.
The same notice tells travellers to check passport validity and visa type before departure, to make sure the visa matches the purpose of travel and to respect permitted stays strictly to avoid overstaying; holders of travel documents (旅行证) or single-name passports cannot enter the UAE. Visa-exempt status covers tourism, family visits and business meetings only, not work.
UAE visa types at a glance
| Type | Who it is for | Length | Fees | Where to apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa exemption / visit permit on arrival | Tourism, family visits, business meetings | Up to 90 days in any 180-day period | Free | Port of entry |
| Standard employment residence visa | Employees of UAE companies | 2 years, renewable | Mostly paid by the employer; set by each emirate | Employer applies via ICP/GDRFA and the labour ministry systems |
| Green visa | Skilled workers, freelancers/self-employed, investors and partners | 5 years, renewable | As shown in ICP/GDRFA systems | Online, self-sponsored |
| Golden visa | Investors, entrepreneurs, exceptional talent, outstanding students, humanitarian pioneers | 5 or 10 years, renewable | As shown in ICP/GDRFA systems | ICP or GDRFA |
| Student residence visa | Students at UAE universities | Length of programme | Set by school and system | Sponsored by the school |
| Family residence visa | Spouses and children of residence visa holders | Tied to sponsor | As shown in the system | Sponsor applies |
| Retiree and remote-work residence | Retirees, people working for employers abroad | Retirees 5 years; remote work 1 year | As shown in the system | ICP/GDRFA |
| Visit visa to explore investment opportunities | Prospective investors | Short term | As shown in the system | ICP/GDRFA |
UAE visas are handled by the federal ICP and each emirate’s immigration department (GDRFA in Dubai). Fees vary by emirate and category and are often bundled with medical tests, biometrics, the Emirates ID and health insurance, so this guide does not list amounts; rely on what the system shows when you apply.
How visit and work visas are processed
Chinese citizens do not need to apply for a short visit; what you actually have to “apply” for is a residence visa. For the most common case, an employment residence visa, the process is roughly:
- Get a job offerSign an offer letter and check the company’s licence and the role
- Prepare documents in ChinaHave your degree certificate and police clearance notarised and authenticated
- Employer applies for an entry permitSubmitted online; once approved you enter on the electronic entry permit
- Medical test and biometricsAfter arrival, take the medical test and give fingerprints for the Emirates ID
- Residence visa and labour contractThe residence visa is issued and the contract registered with the labour ministry
- Insurance and Emirates IDCollect your Emirates ID, which you need to open a bank account, rent a flat and get a phone line
Document checklist
- Passport: an ordinary passport valid for at least six months (travel documents and single-name passports are not accepted); see our guide to getting a Chinese passport
- Photos with a white background
- Degree certificates: usually needed for professional categories of work, green or golden visas, and must be authenticated
- Police clearance certificate: required by some employers and visa categories; see how to get a no-criminal-record certificate
- Marriage and birth certificates: needed to sponsor family members, and must be authenticated
- Proof of income, assets or investment: for green, golden, retiree and similar categories
- Health insurance: needed at the residence stage
Chinese degree, marriage and birth certificates generally need to be notarised at a Chinese notary office and then authenticated before use in the UAE, and may need UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs attestation after arrival. The chain takes time, so finish it before you leave; see our guide to apostille and consular legalisation.
Fees and processing times
For employment residence visas, the entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and related fees are mainly the employer’s responsibility; confirm in your contract which costs the company covers. Self-sponsored categories such as green and golden visas are paid by the applicant, and amounts vary by emirate and category, as shown in the ICP/GDRFA systems.
An entry permit usually takes from a few days to several weeks, and the medical test, biometrics and card issue after arrival take further time. Notarisation and authentication of Chinese documents is often the slowest step, so start as soon as you have an offer.
Work and long-term residence visas
The UAE government portal states that a standard employment visa is valid for two years, renewable, and applied for by the employer. It is tied to the employer: if you leave the job you must change jobs, transfer your visa or leave within the grace period.
The green visa is a renewable five-year residence visa for skilled workers, freelancers and self-employed people, investors and business partners. Holders need no sponsor and can sponsor a spouse and children. According to ICP: skilled workers need a valid UAE employment contract, a job at skill level 1–3 in the human resources ministry’s classification, at least a bachelor’s degree and a monthly salary of at least AED 15,000; freelancers and the self-employed need a freelance or self-employment permit from the ministry, a bachelor’s degree or specialised diploma and annual income of at least AED 360,000 over the past two years; investors and partners must prove their investment or partnership in a UAE project and hold the required licences.
The golden visa is a renewable long-term residence visa valid for five or ten years. Holders need no sponsor, can sponsor a spouse and children, and can stay abroad longer than the usual six months without the visa lapsing. The main categories are:
- Investors: minimum capital of AED 2 million, or property ownership, or a contribution to an establishment paying at least AED 250,000 a year in taxes; 10 years for public investments, 5 years for real estate
- Entrepreneurs: 5 years, with proof of an innovative or technical project, its value and a letter from a business incubator or emirate authority
- Skilled professionals: 10 years, for people employed in the UAE in a skill level 1–2 job in the human resources ministry’s classification, with at least a bachelor’s degree and a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000 (Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development)
- Exceptional talent and rare specialisations: 10 years, including doctors, scientists, inventors, creatives, executives, athletes, PhD holders and specialists in priority science and engineering fields
- Outstanding students: 5 years for top high-school graduates, 10 years for top university graduates
- Humanitarian pioneers and frontline heroes: 10 years
For current conditions see the UAE government portal’s golden visa page (updated 28 July 2026).
Student visas
Students at UAE universities receive a student residence visa sponsored by their institution, for the length of the programme. Outstanding high-school and university graduates can apply for five- or ten-year golden visas, and university students in the UAE can also sponsor family members.
Family visas
Foreigners holding an employment residence visa, a green visa or a golden visa can sponsor a spouse and children. According to the UAE government portal, an ordinary employee needs a monthly salary of at least AED 4,000, or AED 3,000 plus accommodation, to sponsor family; eligible dependants are a spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 and children with special needs, and green visa holders can also sponsor first-degree relatives. Dependants have a six-month grace period after their residence expires or is cancelled to obtain a new one. Have marriage and birth certificates notarised and authenticated in China in advance.
Investment, remote work and retirement visas
The UAE does not use the label “digital nomad visa”, but it has a one-year, self-sponsored residence visa for people working for employers outside the UAE, requiring a salary of at least US$3,500 a month or the equivalent, health insurance, proof of work abroad and a medical test. Retirees can apply for a five-year retirement residence: according to the UAE government portal (updated 28 July 2026), you must be at least 55, have worked at least 15 years inside or outside the UAE, and either own property worth at least AED 1 million and have savings of at least AED 1 million, or have annual income of at least AED 180,000; applicants in Dubai need fixed annual income of at least AED 240,000. Prospective investors can apply for a visit visa to explore investment opportunities. Exact conditions are published by ICP and each emirate’s immigration department.
Where to apply from China
Chinese citizens can enter directly for short visits, so there is nothing to lodge in China. Residence visas are applied for online by your sponsor inside the UAE, so you do not need to visit an embassy either. Your tasks in China are mainly getting your passport ready, having documents notarised and authenticated, and obtaining a police clearance certificate. Once in the UAE, Chinese citizens in the Abu Dhabi district can turn to the Chinese Embassy, and those in Dubai and the northern emirates to the Chinese Consulate-General in Dubai, for passport renewal, notarisation and similar services.
Common reasons for refusal
- Travelling on a travel document, a single-name passport or a passport with less than six months’ validity
- Working while visa-exempt, or a visa type that does not match the actual job
- Documents such as degrees not authenticated, or details that do not match the application
- Failing the medical test
- Insufficient proof of income or assets, or unclear source of funds
The Chinese embassy and consulate in the UAE advise looking for work only through proper channels, checking the employer’s credentials, getting the correct work visa before arrival and signing a written employment contract. If wages are withheld, keep your contract and pay records and seek redress through negotiation or legal channels.
From visa to permanent residence and citizenship
The UAE has no regular permanent residence system for ordinary foreigners, and citizenship is granted only in rare individual cases. For most Chinese residents, the closest thing to long-term status is the renewable 10-year golden visa. Compare long-term options in our UAE long-term residence guide.
China’s Nationality Law does not recognise dual nationality: a Chinese citizen who settles abroad and voluntarily acquires a foreign nationality automatically loses Chinese nationality. See dual nationality and Chinese nationality law, and for living costs, healthcare and the Chinese community, our UAE moving guide.
FAQ
Do Chinese citizens need a visa for the UAE?
Not for short tourist, family or business trips. Full mutual visa exemption has applied since 16 January 2018, and according to the Chinese embassy’s August 2026 notice, you can stay visa-free for up to 90 days in total within any 180-day period.
Who applies for a UAE work visa?
The employer. A standard employment visa is valid for two years and renewable, and the employer starts the entry permit, medical test and Emirates ID procedures.
How much does a UAE golden visa cost?
The investor category requires minimum capital of AED 2 million; other categories depend on talent, education or business project criteria. Government fees for the visa itself are shown in the ICP/GDRFA systems.
Do I pay personal income tax if I work in the UAE?
The UAE currently has no personal income tax, but whether you still need to report and pay tax in China depends on whether you remain a Chinese tax resident; see tax residency when moving abroad.
Sources
- 外交部：中国同阿联酋的关系（2018年1月16日起全面互免签证） (accessed October 2026)
- Emirates: UAE visa information for visitors (airline information, backup source) (accessed October 2026)
- UAE Government portal (u.ae): Do you need an entry permit or a visa to enter the UAE? (accessed October 2026)
- UAE Government portal (u.ae): Golden visa (updated 28 Jul 2026) (accessed October 2026)
- UAE Government portal (u.ae): Green visa (accessed October 2026)
- UAE Government portal (u.ae): Investor visa (accessed October 2026)
- UAE Government portal (u.ae): Residence visa for working in the UAE (accessed October 2026)
- UAE Government portal (u.ae): Residence visa (families, retirees, working outside the UAE) (accessed October 2026)
- UAE Government portal (u.ae): Residence visas overview (accessed October 2026)
- 中国驻阿联酋使领馆：提醒在阿中国公民注意暑期安全防范（2026年8月18日） (accessed October 2026)
- 中国驻阿联酋大使馆 (accessed October 2026)
- 中国驻迪拜总领事馆 (accessed October 2026)
- PwC Worldwide Tax Summaries: UAE individual taxes on personal income (reviewed 9 Sep 2026) (accessed October 2026)
- ICP: Green residency – eligibility (accessed October 2026)
- Abu Dhabi Department of Economic Development: Golden visa for skilled professionals (accessed October 2026)
- UAE Government portal (u.ae): Residence visa for the retired (updated 28 Jul 2026) (accessed October 2026)
- UAE Government portal (u.ae): Residence visa for working outside the UAE (accessed October 2026)
- UAE Government portal (u.ae): Residence visa for families of employees (accessed October 2026)
- Jing Daily: UAE extends visa-free stay for Chinese citizens to 90 days (Apr 2025, media) (accessed October 2026)
