Can the shareholders of a mainland LLC company stay abroad for 12 months?

I have registered a company in Dubai mainland as LLC with 50 percent share for myself and 50% for my wife but I'm the full manager and therefore, we have got the residency as a partner of this registered company.

I know that for the employee visa, the employee visa holder can stay less than 6 months abroad otherwise, their visa will be canceled automatically.

But the question is, can we (My wife and I) as shareholders of the company stay abroad for more than 6 months and the residency visa will not expire? Is this true?

Thanks again for your time.

No, it is not true.

Any person who holds a UAE residence visa and stays outside the UAE for more than six months continuously, their residency visa will be automatically nullified.

There are some exceptions to the rule that allow the resident expatriate to stay outside the UAE for more than six months and at the same time maintain the validity of his residence visa. They include:

- Foreigner wife of an Emirati citizen who is on the sponsorship of her husband

- Expatriate government employees sent abroad for treatment, provided they submit a medical report approved by the Ministry of Health and Prevention or other medical authorities in the UAE.

- Domestic helpers accompanying Emiratis for studies or medical treatment

- Domestic helpers accompanying members of diplomatic and consular missions representing the UAE abroad and employees of such missions holding residence visas in the UAE

- Expatriate residents working for the public sector sent by their employers to attend training or specialist courses, or those working in their employers' offices abroad and their families who are holders of valid residence visas in the UAE

- Expatriate students studying in universities or institutes abroad (as per Dubai rules). You will have to check with the GDRFA if this applies to your emirate of residence.

Thanks a lot.

Welcome.