150 dirhams (about $40) - and you get a one-year residence permit in Dubai. No employer. No sponsor. No investment. Sounds like a scam ad, right? It’s not. It’s a real humanitarian programme from the UAE government for citizens of countries dealing with wars and natural disasters. Ukraine has been on that list since 2022. Let’s break down how it actually works, what it really costs (spoiler: more than 150 dirhams), and the one critical catch that most guides don’t mention.
What is the crisis countries residency programme¶
In 2018, the UAE Cabinet passed a resolution allowing citizens of countries hit by wars or natural disasters to get a one-year residence permit in the UAE - without any sponsor. No employer, no company, no resident relative needed to live in the Emirates legally.
After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Ukraine was added to the list of “crisis countries.” This means every Ukrainian citizen with a valid passport can apply for this residency.
Besides Ukraine, the programme covers citizens of Sudan, Yemen, Syria, and Libya - basically all countries with active military conflicts or large-scale disasters.
The official name of the service is “Residency for countries of disasters and wars.” It’s handled by ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security) for Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates, and by GDRFA (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs) for Dubai.
Who can apply¶
The eligibility criteria are pretty straightforward, but there are a few hard requirements:
- Ukrainian citizenship (or citizenship of another “crisis” country)
- Valid passport with at least 6 months remaining before expiry
- You must already be in the UAE - you can’t apply from abroad, you need to enter the country first
- Age 18+ (parents apply on behalf of minors)
- Willingness to complete a medical exam and get health insurance
Here’s the good news for Ukrainians: you can enter the UAE visa-free for 30 days - just get a stamp in your passport at airport control. You can extend for another 30 days through immigration services. So the typical process looks like this: fly in as a tourist, apply for humanitarian residency, wait for the decision.
If you were already in the UAE when the crisis started (February 2022) and even overstayed your visa - there was an exemption from overstay penalties. But this specifically applied to people who physically couldn’t return home because of the war.
What documents you need¶
The document package is minimal compared to what Germany or even Poland would ask for. Here’s the full list:
| Document | Notes |
|---|---|
| Passport (copy + original) | Must be valid for at least 6 months |
| Colour photo | Recent, white background |
| Medical exam results | For applicants 18 and over, done in the UAE |
| UAE health insurance | Copy of policy valid for the entire stay period |
| Emirates ID application | Submitted together with the residency application |
Pay attention to what you DON’T need for humanitarian residency:
- Translated diploma or education certificate
- Police clearance certificate
- Proof of financial means
- Employment contract or job offer
This is drastically different from other UAE residency types (work visa, Green Visa, Golden Visa), where the document package is much bigger and translations are mandatory.
But if you’re planning to later switch to a work visa, open a business, or enrol your child in school - you will need document translations. More on that below.
Step-by-step: how to apply¶
The process depends on which emirate you’re in. There are two systems.
If you’re in Dubai¶
- Fly into the UAE (visa-free entry for 30 days)
- Go to a Tasheel centre (Tash’heel) - these are GDRFA service centres located all over Dubai. There are dozens across different areas
- Submit your application for “Issuance of a residence permit for humanitarian cases”
- Complete the medical fitness test - you can do this at government medical centres or at Smart Salem (faster but more expensive)
- Get health insurance - you can buy a basic plan starting from 320 AED/year
- Apply for your Emirates ID - at the same centre or online through the ICP Smart app
- Receive your residence visa - usually within a few working days
If you’re in Abu Dhabi or the northern emirates (Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah)¶
You apply through ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security) or their service centres. The procedure is the same - the only difference is which organisation processes your application.
A quick note on choosing where to apply: Dubai has the most Tasheel centres and generally the fastest processing times. But if you’re living in Sharjah (which is much cheaper for rent), you’ll be dealing with ICP instead. Both work, just different offices. Some people enter through Abu Dhabi airport and apply locally there, others take an internal bus to Dubai and submit through GDRFA. There’s no “better” option - pick whichever is more convenient for your situation.
The medical exam: what they check¶
The Medical Fitness Test for a residence visa includes:
- Blood tests for infectious diseases (HIV, hepatitis B and C, syphilis, tuberculosis)
- Chest X-ray
- General medical examination
At a standard government medical centre, this costs roughly 260-310 AED. At the premium Smart Salem centre - 750 AED, but you get results in 30 minutes instead of waiting several days.
What humanitarian residency actually costs¶
The official “150 dirhams” is only the fee for issuing the permit itself - without the medical exam, insurance, or Emirates ID. Here’s the real cost breakdown:
| Expense | Cost (AED) | Approx. in USD |
|---|---|---|
| Residence permit fee | 150-200 | ~40-55 |
| Knowledge & Innovation fee | 20 | ~5 |
| “Inside the country” fee | 500 | ~136 |
| Document delivery | 20 | ~5 |
| Medical exam (standard) | 260-310 | ~70-85 |
| Basic health insurance (year) | 320+ | ~87+ |
| Emirates ID (application + processing) | 100-170 | ~27-46 |
| Typing centre services (form filling) | 50-100 | ~14-27 |
| Total (minimum) | ~1,420-1,640 | ~387-447 |
So the real cost is roughly 1,400-1,700 AED ($380-460). That’s still very cheap for UAE residency - for comparison, a Green Visa starts at 5,000 AED, and a freelance visa through a Free Zone runs 5,000-15,000 AED.
When you renew for the second year, the permit fee goes up by 100 AED. Plus you’ll need to redo the medical exam and insurance.
The biggest catch: leave the UAE and lose your residency¶
This is the thing almost nobody talks about, and it’s the most critical detail: if you leave the UAE, your humanitarian residency is automatically cancelled.
This isn’t like Germany, where you have a residence permit and can travel to other countries. It’s not like a tourist Schengen visa with re-entry rights. The UAE humanitarian residency ties you to the country’s territory.
The logic behind it makes sense from the government’s perspective: the programme was created for people who can’t return to their homeland because of war or disaster. If you leave - that means you can travel, and you don’t need humanitarian protection anymore.
In practice, this means:
- Want to fly to Ukraine to visit family? You lose your residency
- Want a business trip to Europe? You lose your residency
- Want a weekend getaway to neighbouring Oman? You lose your residency
After coming back, you’d have to start from scratch: enter as a tourist again, submit a new application, redo the medical exam, and pay all the fees again.
For people who genuinely can’t or don’t want to travel anywhere and just need a stable place to live - this is fine. For everyone else - it’s a serious limitation you need to know about before applying.
There’s also a practical consideration about emergencies. If a family member back in Ukraine has a medical emergency and you need to fly home immediately, you’ll lose your UAE residency in the process. No exceptions, no “compassionate leave” provision. You’d have to go through the whole application cycle again when you return.
In Ukrainian expat forums and the Ukrainian Telegram community in the UAE, this is one of the hottest topics. As one user put it: “You’ve technically got permission to live here, but you feel trapped - because leaving means starting over.”
Can you work with humanitarian residency¶
Short answer: no, humanitarian residency doesn’t include a work permit.
It’s a residence permit, not an employment authorisation. To work legally in the UAE, you need a separate work permit that’s arranged through an employer.
What this means in practice:
- You can legally live in the UAE
- You can open a bank account (with your Emirates ID)
- You can rent an apartment
- You can use healthcare services
- But you can’t officially work without an additional work permit
If you find an employer, they can arrange a work visa for you - and then your humanitarian residency gets replaced with a work visa. But until you have that work visa, working “under the table” (cash-in-hand) in the UAE is very risky. The penalties are serious, up to deportation.
Freelancing for foreign clients is theoretically possible (you’re not working for a UAE company), but legally it’s a grey area. A safer option is to get a freelance permit or a virtual working visa if you have a stable income.
Worth noting: many Ukrainians in the UAE use humanitarian residency as a bridge. They arrive, get the permit to stay legally, then spend a few months networking and job hunting. Once they land a position, the employer handles the work visa transition. The humanitarian permit buys you time to figure things out without overstaying your tourist visa or worrying about penalties.
Alternatives: other ways to get residency without an employer¶
If the humanitarian visa restrictions (can’t leave, can’t work) don’t work for you, here are some alternatives worth considering.
Green Visa - 5 years¶
Self-sponsored residency for freelancers, skilled professionals, and investors. No employer needed, and you can leave and re-enter freely.
Requirements for freelancers:
- Bachelor’s degree or specialised diploma
- Proven freelance income of at least 360,000 AED (~$98,000) over the last 2 years
- Freelance permit from MoHRE (Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation)
Pros: 5-year duration, travel freely, sponsor your family, 6-month grace period after expiry. Cons: high income threshold, degree required. Documents need to be translated and legalized.
Virtual Working Programme (Digital Nomad Visa) - 1 year¶
For people working remotely for a foreign employer.
Requirements:
- Minimum monthly income of $3,500
- Contract or confirmation from a foreign employer
- Health insurance
Cost: approximately 2,451 AED (~$667). Pros: you can legally work remotely, you can travel. Cons: need stable income from a foreign employer, can’t work for a UAE company.
Freelance Visa (through a Free Zone) - 1-3 years¶
For freelancers and entrepreneurs. Arranged through one of dozens of UAE free economic zones.
Cost: from 5,000 to 15,000 AED depending on the zone. Pros: full residency with the right to work, travel freely. Cons: more expensive, more complex procedure, qualification documents required.
Side-by-side comparison¶
| Feature | Humanitarian | Green Visa | Digital Nomad | Freelance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Duration | 1 year | 5 years | 1 year | 1-3 years |
| Sponsor | Not needed | Not needed | Not needed | Free Zone |
| Right to work | No | Yes | Remote only | Yes |
| Leave the UAE | Cancelled | Allowed | Allowed | Allowed |
| Min. cost | ~1,500 AED | ~5,000 AED | ~2,500 AED | ~5,000 AED |
| Income req. | None | 360,000 AED/2 yr | $3,500/month | Depends on zone |
| Documents | Minimum | Degree + translation | Contract | Degree + translation |
When you’ll need document translation¶
For the humanitarian residency itself, you don’t need any translated documents from Ukraine - your passport and a medical exam done in the UAE are enough.
But you will need translations if you’re planning to:
Switch to a work visa¶
A UAE employer will require a translated and legalized diploma, and sometimes a police clearance certificate. Here’s the key thing: for the UAE, you don’t need an apostille (the Emirates are NOT a member of the Hague Convention). Instead, you need full consular legalization - a long chain from Ukraine’s Ministry of Justice all the way to MOFA.
Enrol a child in school¶
UAE schools require translated birth certificates and previous school records. Some schools accept English translations, others want Arabic only.
Get a family visa¶
If you already have a work visa or another “full” residency and want to bring your family over - you’ll need translated and legalized marriage certificates and children’s birth certificates.
Open a business¶
To register a company in a Free Zone or on the mainland, you’ll need translated incorporation documents from Ukraine.
Open a bank account¶
Some UAE banks ask for a translated income certificate or bank statement. Not all of them - but major banks like Emirates NBD or ADCB might request it.
For the UAE, documents need to be translated into English or Arabic. English works for most situations (employment, education, residency). Arabic is needed for court proceedings and certain government agencies.
If you need a document package translated from Ukrainian, ChatsControl handles the initial translation, which you can then get notarized and put through the legalization chain.
We’ve already written detailed guides on the UAE document attestation chain and on Dubai work visas in separate articles.
Renewing your residency and what comes next¶
Humanitarian residency is issued for 1 year and can be renewed. Renewal is done through the same Tasheel centres or ICP, with the same document package (medical exam, insurance, photo).
The renewal fee increases by 100 AED each year starting from the third year.
Something to keep in mind: this programme is temporary by nature. It’s active as long as the UAE recognises the situation in Ukraine as a crisis. If (when) the war ends and Ukraine is removed from the “crisis countries” list - they’ll stop accepting new applications. What happens to people who already hold the permit is an open question.
So if you’re planning to live in the UAE long-term, think of humanitarian residency as a first step - an entry point. From there:
- Look for a job and switch to a work visa
- Or get a freelance visa if you’re self-employed
- Or apply for a Green Visa if you have the qualifications and income
Each of these options requires translated and legalized Ukrainian documents - diplomas, certificates, references. Start preparing that package early, because the legalization chain for the UAE takes 3-6 weeks (and sometimes longer).
Practical tips from people who’ve been through it¶
The Ukrainian community in the Emirates is pretty active. In Facebook groups like “Ukrainians in the Emirates” and “Ukrainians in Dubai,” as well as on the Telegram channel, people regularly share their experiences.
Here are some tips collected from real stories:
On the medical exam: “Go to Smart Salem if you can afford 750 dirhams - you’ll get everything done in an hour instead of spending the whole day at a government centre.”
On insurance: the basic 320 AED/year plan covers the bare minimum, but for actual usable coverage, you’re better off with something in the 1,000-2,000 AED range - with decent outpatient visit and medication coverage.
On bank accounts: with an Emirates ID, you can open an account at most banks. But some banks (HSBC, Standard Chartered) ask for additional documentation about the source of your funds - and that’s where you might need certified translations.
On housing: for renting, you need an Emirates ID and a deposit (usually 5% of annual rent). Studio prices in Dubai start from 25,000-35,000 AED/year depending on the area.
On cost of living: Dubai is not a cheap city. The minimum budget for one person (rent + food + transport + insurance) is roughly 4,000-6,000 AED/month (~$1,100-1,600). In Sharjah or Ajman, it’s cheaper - around 2,500-4,000 AED.
On Tasheel centres: not all Tasheel centres are created equal. Some are packed and you’ll wait hours, others are relatively quiet. Ask in the Telegram group which one to go to - people share real-time updates on wait times. Going early in the morning (right when they open) usually saves you a lot of waiting.
On the typing centres: you’ll see small offices near every Tasheel centre offering to fill out your forms for 50-100 AED. Technically you can do it yourself, but the forms can be confusing if it’s your first time - and a small mistake can mean getting sent back to the end of the queue. Most people just pay the fee and let the typing centre handle it.
On timing: try to get everything done within your initial 30-day visa-free window. If you need more time, you can extend for another 30 days, but that’s an extra trip to immigration and additional fees. Having your medical exam booked for the day after you submit your application speeds things up significantly.
FAQ¶
How much does humanitarian residency in the UAE cost for Ukrainians?¶
The official fee is 150 AED (~$40), but the real cost including the medical exam, insurance, and Emirates ID comes to roughly 1,400-1,700 AED (~$380-460). That’s without counting your flight and living expenses while processing.
Can you work in the UAE with humanitarian residency?¶
No, humanitarian residency doesn’t include a work permit. You need a separate work visa arranged by an employer to work legally. But you can live in the country, rent an apartment, open a bank account, and use healthcare services.
What happens if I leave the UAE while holding humanitarian residency?¶
Your residency is automatically cancelled the moment you leave the country. You can’t re-enter on the same visa - you’ll have to start the process over: enter as a tourist, submit a new application, and pay all the fees again.
Do I need to translate documents for humanitarian residency?¶
For the humanitarian residency application itself, no translation is needed - a passport is enough. But if you’re planning to switch to a work visa, enrol a child in school, or start a business, you’ll need translations and full consular legalization of your documents. The standard apostille doesn’t work for the UAE.
What’s the alternative to humanitarian residency if I want to travel?¶
Look into the Virtual Working Programme (digital nomad visa) at ~2,500 AED if you work remotely and earn at least $3,500/month. Or a freelance visa through a Free Zone starting from 5,000 AED if you’re self-employed. Both options let you leave and re-enter without losing your residency.
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