Al Barsha
Visa, Emirates ID, labour and attestation work for people and companies in Al Barsha — handled properly, with the government fees shown separately.
Al Barsha is one of the more administratively interesting parts of Dubai to run a business or a family from, because two systems meet here.
On one side are mainland companies licensed by Dubai Economy, whose staff visas run through MoHRE for the work permit and GDRFA for the residence. On the other is the Barsha Heights and TECOM cluster, where free zone entities handle immigration through their own authority. Residents of the same buildings can therefore be on completely different processes, which is why advice passed between neighbours so often does not apply.
If you are unsure which side you are on, our guide to free zone versus mainland visas sets out the practical differences.
GDRFA's own directory of customer happiness centres lists 85 Amer centres across Dubai, alongside customer service centres and partner service centres. Several are in or beside Al Barsha, including centres registered at Al Barsha 2 and at Al Barsha Mall.
In GDRFA's directory, centres in Al Barsha are grouped administratively under Bur Dubai rather than as their own area.
That catches people out when searching the official centre list by neighbourhood — you are looking for a heading that is not there. The centres exist; they are filed differently.
Most of what people go to a typing centre for does not actually require them to be there. Applications are lodged on your behalf, and the file moves through GDRFA, MoHRE or ICP without you attending a counter.
There are exactly two exceptions, and they are worth planning around:
In person, at an approved centre. Dubai Health runs a network of medical fitness centres for the residency visa examination, with premium options returning results considerably faster than standard processing. See what to expect at the medical.
Also in person — fingerprints, photograph and signature, usually fifteen to thirty minutes. See the biometrics appointment.
The single biggest avoidable delay we see is these two being booked a week apart. Scheduled together, the entire in-person portion of a residence application is one morning.
The area runs heavily to small and mid-sized mainland companies, and the recurring work reflects that:
A photograph of the passport page, visa or licence is usually enough to establish the real position.
What it costs, how long it takes, and anything already outstanding on the file — before you commit to anything.
Through the right authority the first time, with the two in-person appointments arranged together where possible.
Government fees are published, so we separate them from our own charge in any quote. If a figure is a refundable guarantee rather than a fee, we say so.
Send us the document and the deadline. We will tell you the real position first — including if the answer is that you do not need us.
Yes. GDRFA's directory of customer happiness centres lists centres registered in Al Barsha 2, including at Al Barsha Mall, among 85 Amer centres across Dubai. Note that the directory files Al Barsha centres under Bur Dubai.
For most transactions, no — applications are lodged on your behalf. The exceptions are the medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics, which require you in person.
No. We work across Dubai and the other emirates. Al Barsha is simply where we are based and where a good deal of our work comes from.
It can be. Free zone entities handle immigration through their own authority rather than through the mainland route, which changes both the process and where the file sits.
Yes, and we separate published government fees from our own charge so you can see which is which.
Please note. Centre listings and service details were verified against GDRFA Dubai and Dubai Health in August 2026. Centres, hours and procedures are set by the authorities and can change — confirm before travelling. General information, not legal advice.
This page covers the Al Barsha area specifically. For the complete service — every authority, for companies and individuals — see PRO services in Dubai, or corporate PRO services if you are looking for an outsourced PRO function for a business. Government fees are published in full in our PRO services cost guide.
Talk to us
A trade licence, a passport page, an Emirates ID number or a labour contract is usually enough for us to give you the position, the cost and a realistic date — before you commit to anything.