Middle East visas

UAE Golden Visa

5- or 10-year renewable, self-sponsored residence for qualifying investors, entrepreneurs, exceptional talent, students and other designated categories.

UAE Green Visa

5-year self-sponsored residence for skilled employees, freelancers, and investors.

UAE Employment (Standard Residence) visa

Standard employer-sponsored residence for workers recruited by UAE companies.

UAE Virtual Working Programme

1-year residence for remote workers employed by companies outside the UAE.

UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner

5-year renewable, self-sponsored Green Residence for investors and business partners in UAE commercial activities.

UAE freelance permit with residence

Self-sponsored freelance residence via MOHRE or free-zone freelance permits.

Premium Residency

Saudi Arabia's permanent residence programme — available for a lump-sum fee or annual fee, with property ownership and employer-independent work rights.

Work Visa and Iqama (Employer-Sponsored Residence)

Standard employer-sponsored work visa and residence permit (iqama) — the primary route for most foreign workers in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi freelance work document (MHRSD)

The official MHRSD freelance work document for self-employment in approved activities. MHRSD issues it to Saudi nationals aged 18 and over — foreign residents on an iqama are not eligible, and it is not a visa.

Student Visa

Visa for international students at Saudi universities — the King Abdullah Scholarship Program and institutional scholarships fund many international students.

Work Residence Permit

The standard employer-sponsored residence permit for foreign nationals coming to work and live in Qatar. A Qatari employer applies and handles the paperwork.

Family Residence Visa

Allows an expatriate resident in Qatar to sponsor immediate family members. Each family member, including infants, requires an individual Family Residence Visa.

Investor Residence Visa

A residence visa granted by the Ministry of Interior to foreign nationals coming to Qatar for investment, applied for through the Hukoomi portal.

Real Estate Residence (Property Owner)

Residence linked to owning real estate in Qatar designated areas. Listed among Qatar official visa categories as the Real Estate Visa.

Permanent Residency (Law No. 10 of 2018)

A distinct permanent-residence status created by Law No. 10 of 2018 and granted by a dedicated Ministry of Interior committee. It is not Qatari citizenship.

B/1 Expert Work Visa

Employer-sponsored work visa for foreign experts whose specialist skills are not readily available in the Israeli labour market. The Israeli employer must first obtain a permit from PIBA before the visa is issued.

Aliyah - Immigration under the Law of Return

Immigration to Israel under the Law of Return, open to Jews, their children and grandchildren, and eligible spouses, leading to Israeli citizenship.

A/2 Student Visa

Temporary stay permit for students enrolled at Israeli schools, academic institutions, yeshivas or recognised youth institutions. Holders may not work in Israel.

Status through Marriage to an Israeli Citizen or Permanent Resident

Graduated procedure through which the foreign spouse or partner of an Israeli citizen or permanent resident obtains legal status, progressing over several years toward permanent residence or citizenship.

Turkey Work Permit (employer-sponsored)

Employer-sponsored permit issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security that grants both the right to work and to reside in Türkiye for its validity period.

Turkey Short-Term Residence Permit

Flexible residence permit covering property owners, business connections, tourism, study programmes, medical treatment and investment, issued by the Presidency of Migration Management.

Turkey Turquoise Card

Special status conferring the rights of an indefinite work permit on highly qualified professionals, investors, researchers, and cultural figures, after a three-year transition period.

Turkey Digital Nomad Visa

Route for remote workers employed by, or contracting with, non-Turkish companies, built around an official Digital Nomad Identification Certificate issued via the goturkiye portal.

Turkey Family Residence Permit

Residence permit for the foreign spouse, children, and dependent family members of a Turkish citizen or of a residence-permit holder, issued by the Presidency of Migration Management.

Turkey Student Residence Permit

Residence permit for foreigners enrolled in primary, secondary, or higher education in Türkiye, issued by the Presidency of Migration Management.

LMRA Work Permit (employer-sponsored)

The standard employer-sponsored work permit for expatriates in Bahrain. A Bahraini employer applies through the Labour Market Regulatory Authority (LMRA) and the permit carries the associated residence.

Self-Sponsorship / Registered Worker Permit

A self-sponsorship work permit that lets eligible workers in Bahrain work without being tied to a single employer, administered by the LMRA through its Labour Registration Program.

Golden Residency

Bahrain long-term renewable residence for property owners, retirees, talented individuals and long-term residents, issued by the NPRA. It is renewable residence, not permanent residence or citizenship.

Family / Dependant Residence Permit

Residence permit allowing an expatriate resident in Bahrain to sponsor a spouse, children and certain dependants, issued through the NPRA / LMRA residence services.

Student Residence Permit

Residence permit for foreign students enrolled at a licensed educational institution in Bahrain, issued by the NPRA. Holders may not work.

Employment Visa (employer-sponsored work visa)

The standard employer-sponsored Employment Visa for foreign workers in Oman, issued by the Royal Oman Police after the employer obtains a labour clearance from the Ministry of Labour.

Investor Residency (Golden Visa)

Oman long-term Investor Residency / Golden Visa offering 5 or 10 year renewable residence to qualifying investors, administered via Invest Oman. It is renewable residence, not permanent residence or citizenship.

Oman freelance work: permissions and alternatives

Planning freelance work in Oman? The official work-visa service requires an employer; the sources reviewed do not establish a general standalone freelance visa. Check the permit or business arrangement for your activity before working.

Family Joining Visa

Visa allowing an eligible expatriate employee in Oman to sponsor their spouse and children below 21, issued by the Royal Oman Police. It is sponsor-linked residence, not permanent settlement.

Student Visa

Visa granted to a licensed educational or training institution on its responsibility for a foreigner coming to study in Oman, issued by the Royal Oman Police.

Work Residency (Employer-Sponsored)

For people moving to Jordan with a job: this is the employer-sponsored residence permit you hold alongside a Ministry of Labour work permit so you can live and work in Jordan.

Annual Residence for Five Years (Renewable)

For long-settled foreigners and property owners: this renewable five-year residence permit gives a longer, more stable stay than the annual permit - but it is renewable, not a permanent-residence card.

Investor Residency (Qualifying Real-Estate Purchase)

For people buying qualifying property in Jordan: this residency lets a real-estate investor and their family live in Jordan based on a property purchase that meets the threshold.

Self-Funded ("Workless") Residency with Bank Deposit

For people who can support themselves in Jordan without working: this residency is based on your own funds (a bank deposit), with the deposit rules recently eased for long-term property owners.

Family / Follower Residency

For families joining a resident in Jordan: this "follower" residency lets a spouse and children reside with a primary residence-permit holder or a Jordanian family member.

Study Residency

For international students in Jordan: this residence permit lets you live in Jordan while you study at a recognised institution, renewed as your studies continue.

Article 18 Work Residency (private-sector Iqama)

For people taking a private-sector job in Kuwait. Your Kuwaiti employer sponsors you and the residency (the Iqama) is tied to that job. Note up front: Kuwait has no permanent residence for expatriates, and every residency here is fixed-term and sponsor-tied.

Article 17 Government Work Residency

Government-sponsored residence for expatriate employees of a Kuwaiti government entity. Government-work entry, Article 17 residence and Civil ID registration are separate stages; this is not private-sector employment or an automatic permanent-residence route.

Article 22 Family / Dependent Residency

For the spouse and children of someone already resident in Kuwait. The resident family member sponsors you, and the residency is tied to their status - like all Kuwaiti residency it is fixed-term, with no permanent residence for expatriates.

Investor Residency (long-term, up to ~15 years)

For foreign investors licensed under Kuwait's foreign-investment law, who can be granted a long-term residency of up to around 15 years. Important: even this long tier is renewable fixed-term residence, not permanent residence - Kuwait grants none to expatriates.

Property-Owner Residency (long-term, up to ~10 years)

For foreign nationals who own qualifying real estate in Kuwait, who can be granted residency of up to around 10 years. As with every Kuwaiti residency, this is renewable fixed-term residence, not permanent residence.

Student Residency

For foreign students enrolled at a recognised educational institution in Kuwait. The residency is study-linked and fixed-term, and as with all Kuwaiti residency there is no permanent residence for expatriates.

Embassy Tourist or Visit Visa

Visitor visa filed through a Lebanese embassy abroad for tourism or a private visit.

Embassy Business Visit Visa

Commercial-visit visa route supported by an invitation from a Lebanese commercial partner.

Family Visit Visa

Short family-visit visa route requiring the general embassy visa file plus evidence of the family relationship.

Work Visa Authorized by the Ministry of Labor

Work visa category that General Security identifies as requiring Ministry of Labor authorization.

Domestic Worker Visa and Residence

Sponsored domestic-worker process involving prior authorization, General Security visa handling, labor permit and residence steps.

Annual Residence for Family Members

Annual residence categories for listed family members of Lebanese citizens or foreign residents.

Tourist eVisa

Online Iraq tourist eVisa route through the Ministry of Interior eVisa portal, currently presented as a tourism-only electronic application flow.

Visit or Tourism Consular Visa

Consular visit and tourism visa framework for Iraq, including tourism, religious visits and authorised business or investor visits.

Normal Visa

MOFA normal visa category allowing one entry within three months and residence in Iraq for up to three months, with arrival reporting to the Directorate of Residence.

Transit and Non-Stop Transit Visa

Iraq transit framework for short stopovers and supervised non-stop transit through Iraqi territory.

Multi-Entry Visa

Iraq multi-entry visa category for repeated travel, granted for three months, six months or one year after legal conditions are met.

Work-Permit-Linked Visa or Residence Permit

Cautious employer-linked route note for foreign workers, because MOFA says worker visas and residence permits generally require a Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs work permit first.

Visa-Waiver Tourism Entry

Visa-free tourism entry note for nationalities covered by Iran MFA waiver arrangements, including the listed 15-day ordinary-passport tourism waiver.

Tourist Visa

Iran MFA tourist visa category for foreign citizens travelling to Iran for tourism, including ordinary eVisa and place-of-issue workflows shown by the portal.

Entry Visa

Iran MFA Entry Visa (A) for invited visits such as business negotiations, academic contacts, sport, official meetings and family visits by relatives of foreign residents.

Pilgrimage Visa

Iran MFA Pilgrimage Visa (C) for foreign Muslim pilgrims travelling to holy places in Iran.

Education Visa

Iran MFA Education Visa (E) for foreign students, religious scholars and researchers with eligibility certification from an Iranian authority or accredited institution.

Temporary Work Visa

Iran MFA Temporary Work Visa (F) for skilled workers, specialists in fields such as medical and industrial work, and engineers with a sponsor employer and approved labour certificate.

West Bank Visit and Stay Permit

Conservative Palestine route page for foreign visitors whose West Bank entry or stay is handled under the current COGAT procedure.

West Bank Student and Academic Permit

West Bank study and academic permission route for foreign students, lecturers and academic visitors covered by the current COGAT procedure.

West Bank Work, Expert or Consultant Permit

West Bank work-linked permission route for foreign experts, consultants and other work activity handled under the current COGAT procedure.

West Bank Family or Spouse Permit

West Bank family and spouse permission route for foreign nationals relying on close family or spouse ties under the current procedure.

West Bank Volunteer Permit

West Bank volunteer permission route for foreign nationals supporting an organisation under the current official procedure.

Tourist Visa Suspension and Consular Check

Yemen tourist and ordinary consular visa check page reflecting the Embassy notice that tourist visas are not currently issued by the Washington mission.

Business Visa

Yemen business visa checklist route requiring employer evidence from Yemen, based on the official Embassy page.

Student Visa

Yemen student visa checklist route requiring an acceptance letter from an institution in Yemen.

Diplomatic and Official Visa

Yemen diplomatic and official visa route requiring agency letter, sponsor and prior Yemeni authority approval.

Work or Residence Authority Check

Yemen cautious authority-check route for work, residence, humanitarian, NGO, journalist or local-status cases not fully covered by the public visa page.