Dubai Cultural Visa: What to Know about Visa for Creative Talents

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The UAE is known as a country which embraces the development of arts and culture, as proven by the existence of numerous events and festivals with culture as their main theme. It seems that now creatives in the field of art and culture are given space to excel in their career with the launching of the Dubai cultural visa by the UAE authority.

Here is the information you need to know before you apply for the Dubai cultural visa.

What is Dubai cultural visa?

Dubai cultural visa is a type of visa that allows any creative talent to improve their aptitude in the UAE. They will be given a long-term residency permit as long as they meet the criteria. Generally, the UAE government are looking for artists, musicians, or performers with exceptional achievement regardless of their educational background, monthly salary, or employment status.

Dubai cultural visa eligibility

To get the visa, applicants should receive a letter of recommendation. The Ministry of Culture and Youth has set two criteria through which the applicants can obtain the letter:

Criteria 1:

It is mandatory for the applicants to submit at least three of the following pieces of evidence:

• Certificate of appreciation/nomination from a prestigious International or regional authority in the field
• An honorary position in a prestigious International authority because of his/her outstanding creativity
• An active member of a prestigious international art organisation or association.
• His/her creations must have received attention from critics, media or industry professionals.
• His/her works have been shown in prestigious forums locally, regionally or internationally (exhibitions, forums, festivals, and events).

Criteria 2:

For applicants in the category of ‘Media’, at least three of the following pieces of evidence should be submitted:

• Certificate of appreciation/nomination from a prestigious International or regional authority in the field.
• An honorary position in a prestigious International authority because of his/her outstanding creativity.
• An active member of a prestigious international art organisation or association.
• His/her creations must have received attention from critics, media or industry professionals.
• The candidate should have 7 years of experience in a reputable media agency and be nominated from his workplace or a media agency and has work published by media outlets periodically (press reports, articles, programs television, etc.)

It is also important for the applicants to note the following requirements:

• The applicants should be at least 25 years old
• The applicants should be in the UAE when they apply for this visa

Required documents for Dubai cultural visa applications

Here are the required documents if you wish to apply for a Dubai cultural visa:

• Passport copy
• Emirates ID copy
• A CV of the applicants with achievements in cultural and art fields
• A copy of the current residency visa (for UAE residents)
• Coloured personal photo

Non-resident applicants are required to submit a 6-month visa application to process this visa.

Dubai cultural visa validity

Dubai cultural visa is a long-term visa which has a validity of 10 years and can be automatically renewed if the conditions are met.

How to apply for Dubai cultural visa?

Before applying for the visa at the Amer Center or GDRFA portal, the applicants should first obtain the accreditation letter from the Dubai Culture and Arts authority website. After that, they will have to get nomination approval from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship website. Once they receive the approval from the two authorities, they just need to apply for the visa:

Through the Amer Centre:

1. Visit the nearest Amer Center
2. Select the intended service at the reception
3. Submit the documents
4. Pay the fees

Through the GDRFA portal:

1. Download the GDRFA mobile application
2. Choose the service
3. Attach all the required documents

Please note that the approval from the Dubai Culture and Arts Authority and the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship are not the final approval of your Dubai cultural visa. GDRFA clearance is the final approval of the visa.

What is the cost of Dubai cultural visa?

Upon application, applicants will be charged around AED 3,000 (USD 816.75).

Dubai cultural visa processing time

While there is no official statement about the processing time of the visa, it is believed that it may take up to 30 days until the visa is finally issued.