My wife and I have been living in the UAE for around four years under our own respective employment visas. Her employment tenure at her current company will come to an end soon and I will be sponsoring her visa.

My salary is above Dh15,000 per month and we have a UAE-attested marriage certificate. Recently, we purchased a one-bedroom apartment under my wife's name. As she is the owner, we don't have any Ejari or contractual agreement. We now want to live in our apartment. Please advise weather I can sponsor her visa without an Ejari. Can the title deed under her name be used as a valid document to apply for her visa?

Pursuant to your queries, you may consider one of the below mentioned options to comply with the requirements to sponsor the residence visa of your wife:

a) You may provide the title deed of the property owned by your wife, affection plan of this property and copy of your legalised marriage certificate, along with other documents to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (the 'DNRD'), seeking the approval of the DNRD for residence visa of your wife. Further, it is recommended that your wife submits a letter to the DNRD, stating that she has no objection as the owner of the apartment allowing her husband to reside with her in the apartment; or

b)  If you intend to apply for residence visa for your wife under your sponsorship, your wife could rent her apartment to you, and upon obtaining an Ejari tenancy contract, you may comply with this particular requirement of the DNRD to sponsor the visa of your wife; or

c) Your wife may obtain a residence visa against the property she owns. Individuals who have purchased a property for a minimum value of Dh1 million are entitled to apply for residence visa in the UAE, provided such a property has been completed and handed over to its owner by the developer. Such a visa is valid for two years. The property owner initially has to approach the Dubai Land Department along with original passport, original title deed, NOC from the developer and copy of current visa page (if any). Based on the letter issued by the Dubai Land Department, your wife needs to thereafter approach the Dubai Police for issuance of certificate of good conduct and later to the Dubai Economic Department along with the relevant documents and apply for an investor licence. Once the investor license is issued by the Dubai Economic Department, your wife can approach the DNRD to apply for residence visa in the UAE with aforesaid documents.

KNOW THE LAW
Individuals who have purchased a property for a minimum value of Dh1 million are entitled to apply for residence visa in the UAE, provided such a property has been completed and handed over to its owner by the developer.

Ashish Mehta is the founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates. He is qualified to practise law in Dubai, the United King. Full details of his firm on: www.amalawyers.com. 

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