You can't apply for residency yourself. You have to have a sponsor which is the company that you work for. In the case of a family, it is usually the man that is sponsored by the company, then once he has his visa, he can then sponsor his wife and children.

You can't apply before you get here, as part of the process is a medical which has to be carried out in Dubai.

The time it takes can vary from 2 weeks to 3 months depending on the company's efficiency

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