Mandatory Medicals: EER Talks Immigration Topics

As part of our on-going series on common, and not so common, immigration topics, we wanted to take a look at a side of the residency application that people might not be that familiar with; the medical.  Dubai and the UAE’s handling of the recent global crisis, as well as its enviable climate and diverse landscape has further increased its popularity for incoming expatriates.  For individuals and their families looking to move here for work or on a remote working visa, understanding the process can be hugely beneficial.  Everyone coming into the UAE who wants to apply for a work and residence visa must complete a mandatory medical ‘in-country’ before it can be bestowed.  If you aren’t sure about what is involved or how it works, or are nervous about what to expect and what issues could occur, we’ve put together a short guide on the story behind mandatory medicals to give you peace of mind.

Medical Necessity

Although the current climate would make healthcare queries of in-bound travelers seem almost essential, the UAE has long required potential residents to first pass a medical examination.  Several countries around the world also include this step for some or all expatriates wishing to secure work permits or citizenship including many African nations, Canada and the USA.  Like those countries, the UAE adopted this practice to ensure the safety of its citizens and residents.  The overall goal is to protect public health by preventing the spread of risk in society, although this is managed differently in every country.  In the UAE work and residence permits will be denied for foreign nationals with communicable diseases such as HIV and TB.  They also require negative testing for other conditions such as Hepatitis B if the applicant works in a health club, nursery, domestic home, beauty center or food service industry.  Medical tests are also required with each new visa, so if you change jobs, you will need another clean bill of health from the medical center.

The Process

As you would imagine from a country that is almost 90% comprised of expatriate residents, the UAE is adept at handling the immigration process.  Since most residency permits are linked to employment, the steps required for successful immigration will be coordinated by your company.  Given the precise nature of the visa process and the current fluctuations to take into account, it is essential that individuals and business utilize expert help in navigating this in order to avoid delays, fines or issues.  Since the medical is only one part of the process required to secure a residency visa, it is vital to stay on track and prevent costly lags in completion.  The first step for your medical is to submit all of the relevant documents to the relevant authority, this is traditional done as soon as the application is submitted or a change of status has been raised.  The assignee will then be directed to the appropriate medical center in which to have the tests conducted.  Here are the key things to note about the process:

• All work residency applicants and any of their dependents who are over 17 must complete a medical examination
• Typically the medical exam is limited to a blood test and a chest x-ray
• Your blood will be tested for HIV, TB, Hepatitis C and for pregnancy (if you are a female). As mentioned above, certain residency work permit applicants will incur additional tests
• VIP medical options are available to reduce wait times and secure same day results for an additional fee
• Non-VIP medicals will usually return results within 2-3 days
• Applicants who fail all or part of the medical examination will be denied a visa and asked to leave the country
• Your Medical Fitness Certificate is valid for 90 days but note that visa stamping for a new residence visa must be completed within 60 days from date of entry or change of status approval
• Workers in the food service, beauty, domestic help or childcare industries must also have an HBV vaccination, if they haven’t already, this can be provided at an additional cost
• Medical examinations cannot be conducted outside of the UAE unless specifically requested by the government. In this instance, a ‘GAMCA’ test (Gulf Approved Medical Centres Association) is conducted.  This option is most commonly utilized potential residents applying from countries such as India, Egypt, Indonesia and Nigeria
• Covid-19 requirements are still currently handled at the in-bound stage and are country dependent, although a vaccine requirement may be added to the visa process at some stage

If you would like to talk to one of our expert team about mandatory medicals for assignees or visa and immigration services in Dubai or the UAE, please get in touch via  info@eerme.com or call us on +971 (0)4 421 1819