Freehold owners to get residency

A federal law granting residency visas to owners of freehold property will be introduced within the year, a senior government official has disclosed. The proposal, welcomed by property developers, will allow the owners to obtain a six-month renewable residency visa, regardless of their nationality or the size and value of the property. The aim is to create a unified visa system related to home purchases. The government does not want each emirate to develop procedures on its own, so it will be unified under the Ministry of Interior.