Dubai Crown Prince and Chairman of The Executive Council of Dubai, His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has issued Executive Council Resolution No. (19) 2021 on waivers and reductions of fees for a total of 88 services offered by various government agencies in the emirate.
The move intends to ease financial strains on firms while also enhancing Dubai’s appeal as a commercial and investment destination. Further, the decision is part of a slew of government efforts aimed at boosting economic growth in the emirate, as well as promoting competitiveness, lowering living costs, improving the business climate, and assisting investors.
According to the reports, the waivers and reductions relate to fees for services provided by Dubai Land Department, Dubai Maritime City Authority, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Municipality, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), Dubai Courts, Department of Economic Development (Dubai Economy) and Dubai Health Authority (DHA).
- The Dubai Maritime City Authority will waive some fees associated with various types of residency visas, such as processing residency visas for applicants from outside the country, issuance of employment residency visas, urgent renewals of residency visas, and residency visa transfers from a government entity to the Authority and so on. Further, it will reduce fees associated with the issuing and renewal of yearly representative office licenses, as well as the replacement of missing certificates and permits.
- The Dubai Municipality will waive several fees, including those for permits for labor supply rooms, re-issuance of cheques, urgent medical certifications, and renewal of an occupational health card.
- Dubai Tourism will waive fees related to tourism permits and replacement of lost tourism permits, tourism permits for people under 16 years, and permits for fashion shows, among others.
- Fees waived by RTA include those for issuing non-objection letters for transfer of traffic files, permits for closing roads for major construction works, and fees related to recreational bikes, among others.
- The Dubai Land Department will waive fees for real estate agents related to the replacement of broker cards and the modification of real estate broker information.
- Fees related to issuing and renewing business center permits, as well as the issuance of licenses for performing government services, would be reduced by Dubai Economy.
- Dubai Courts will waive fees for obtaining certified copies of rulings of civil cases and DHA has reduced the fees for medical fitness certificates for maritime activities.
The Resolution also empowers heads of government entities to reduce or waive any payments other than fees imposed for their services and products, subject to prior approval from the Department of Finance in Dubai. The cancellation or reduction of such payments has to be formalized by the enactment of legislation and its publication in the Official Gazette.
The Executive Council Resolution No. (19) of 2021 takes effect when it is published in the Official Gazette. The Resolution annuls any other legislation that may contradict it.
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