The United Arab Emirates has confirmed plans to convert its existing Visit Visa for Work Assignments—popularly called the Mission Visa—into a much more flexible two-year, multiple-entry permit.
Under the draft regulation, assignees will be allowed to enter and exit the country as often as needed for project work, staying up to 60 days per trip with a cumulative cap of 180 days in any 12-month period. A mandatory medical check must be completed within 15 days of the first arrival, and visa validity will be linked electronically to the worker’s passport so that subsequent entries are seamless at e-gates.
![UAE to introduce two-year, multiple-entry “Mission Visa” for short-term work assignments]()
For companies and travelers who need practical help navigating these changes, VisaHQ offers an online, end-to-end service that streamlines UAE visa applications, schedules required medicals, and provides real-time status updates—ensuring assignments start on time and remain compliant. More information can be found at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/.
Today most Mission Visas are single-entry and limited to 90 days, forcing companies either to cycle staff through a string of back-to-back visas or to switch them to full residency—even when project scopes do not justify a long-term permit. Immigration advisers say the new rules will close that gap, giving employers a legal middle ground for consultants, auditors, fit-out crews and other specialists who need to shuttle in and out of the UAE over an extended period.
For global mobility managers, the change promises clear cost savings: renewals will be required only every 24 months, the visa can be re-used for multiple projects, and workers will no longer need to surrender passports for cancellation each time they depart. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation is expected to publish implementing guidelines in early Q1 2026, covering eligible professions, sponsor obligations and fee schedules. Until then, companies should continue to apply for single-entry Mission Visas but plan budgets and assignment timelines around a likely switch‐over date in the first half of the new year.
Under the draft regulation, assignees will be allowed to enter and exit the country as often as needed for project work, staying up to 60 days per trip with a cumulative cap of 180 days in any 12-month period. A mandatory medical check must be completed within 15 days of the first arrival, and visa validity will be linked electronically to the worker’s passport so that subsequent entries are seamless at e-gates.
For companies and travelers who need practical help navigating these changes, VisaHQ offers an online, end-to-end service that streamlines UAE visa applications, schedules required medicals, and provides real-time status updates—ensuring assignments start on time and remain compliant. More information can be found at https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/.
Today most Mission Visas are single-entry and limited to 90 days, forcing companies either to cycle staff through a string of back-to-back visas or to switch them to full residency—even when project scopes do not justify a long-term permit. Immigration advisers say the new rules will close that gap, giving employers a legal middle ground for consultants, auditors, fit-out crews and other specialists who need to shuttle in and out of the UAE over an extended period.
For global mobility managers, the change promises clear cost savings: renewals will be required only every 24 months, the visa can be re-used for multiple projects, and workers will no longer need to surrender passports for cancellation each time they depart. The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation is expected to publish implementing guidelines in early Q1 2026, covering eligible professions, sponsor obligations and fee schedules. Until then, companies should continue to apply for single-entry Mission Visas but plan budgets and assignment timelines around a likely switch‐over date in the first half of the new year.
