Guidelines for Obtaining the UAE 10-Year Blue Residency Visa for Environmental Professionals: Criteria, Steps, and Prerequisites

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has announced a new initiative to attract experts in sustainability and climate change, offering them a 10-year Blue Residency visa. This visa aims to support the UAE's environmental, economic, and social development.

The Blue Visa is designed for exceptional individuals in environmental fields, including scientists, researchers, investors, entrepreneurs, inventors, and specialists in sustainability, energy, and climate change. To be eligible, applicants must have made significant contributions to environmental protection and sustainability.

To apply for the Blue Residency visa, a nomination request or nomination by a competent authority in the UAE is required. Applications can be submitted through the ICP's online visa services platform: smartservices.icp.gov.ae. Once the nomination request is approved by the ICP, the visa application can be proceeded with.

Mandatory requirements for the Blue Residency visa application include proof of work and accomplishments in environmental fields, a valid passport with at least six months of validity, and a recent passport-sized photograph with a white background. All applicants must also submit supporting documents that demonstrate their contributions and achievements in sustainability, climate change, and environmental protection. The visa service fee must be completed during the application process.

For applicants outside the UAE who have been nominated for the Blue Visa, a six-month multiple-entry visa is required at a cost of Dh1,250 to facilitate the completion of procedures for obtaining Blue Residency. If the applicant is already a UAE resident, they must update their visa status accordingly.

The search results do not contain information about which organizations are authorized to issue nominations for UAE's Blue Residence Visas. However, eligible applicants include distinguished members of international organisations focused on the environment, energy, sustainability, and climate change, as well as notable members of regional, national, and international associations and institutions related to environmental work.

Financial supporters of environmental initiatives, recipients of global, regional, or national awards in environmental sustainability and climate change, holders of master's or doctoral degrees in environmental science, energy, sustainability, or climate change, and researchers specialising in environmental, energy, sustainability, and climate change fields are also eligible.

The Blue Residency visa fee is Dh350. The article was published on February 5, 2025, and has been updated since.

In conclusion, the UAE's Blue Residency visa offers a unique opportunity for experts in sustainability and climate change to contribute to the UAE's environmental, economic, and social development. The application process is straightforward and accessible through the ICP's online visa services platform.

Guidelines for Obtaining the UAE 10-Year Blue Residency Visa for Environmental Professionals: Criteria, Steps, and Prerequisites