Sharjah
Sahara Centre Basement Floor - Bank Entrance - Sharjah - United Arab Emirates
If you live or work in Sharjah—in Al Nahda, Al Qasimia, Muwaileh, Rolla, the Industrial Area, or anywhere across the emirate—the visa medical process is one of the most common administrative steps you will go through during your time in the UAE. Whether it is your first residence visa, an employment visa renewal, or a Golden Visa medical, getting the cost, timing, and documents right the first time saves you a wasted journey and keeps your visa timeline on track.
Sahara Visa Medical Centre sits inside Sahara Centre—one of Sharjah's most accessible locations, directly off Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road and well-connected by public transport from across the emirate. This means the medical test fits into a working day without requiring half a day off.
This guide covers actual 2026 fees by visa type, a breakdown of every test included, what documents you need to bring, how the process runs from entry to certificate, and the additional services available that most applicants also need—all in one place.
All fees below are for EHS-approved medical examination centers in Sharjah. They are government-regulated, meaning they are standardized across all accredited centers—you will not find a meaningful price difference by shopping around. What differs between centers is speed, service quality, and whether you can complete all your visa steps in one visit.
Government-regulated fees, correct as of May 2026. Confirm the applicable fee at the counter before payment—a minor variation may apply based on visa category.
Three clinical components make up the standard UAE residence visa medical. Each is carried out on-site, submitted electronically to the EHS system, and required before your fitness certificate can be generated. Here is what each one involves and why it matters:
The medical test fee covers the clinical examination only. Most applicants also need one or more of these services to complete their visa process—all available at Sahara Centre without a separate journey across Sharjah.
Required before visa stamping—your medical result must be submitted online to the ICA and EHS system. Done on-site immediately after your examination so you leave with everything completed.
Emirates ID Application & Renewal
New applications, renewals, and lost ID replacements—typed and submitted to the ICP system on your behalf. Most new residents need this in the same visit as the medical one.
Passport Photos
Required for all medical applications. Taken on-site if you do not have them — saves a separate stop before your visit.
Medical Report Copy
Printed copy of your medical results for your employer, sponsor, or personal records. Available on request at the center.
Missing a single document at the counter means being turned away and rescheduling, which pushes your visa timeline back by days. The list below is confirmed for 2026 requirements at Sahara Visa Medical Centre, Sharjah:
Original Passport + Photocopy
Valid with at least 6 months remaining. Both the original and a copy are required at registration.
Emirates ID — Original + Copy
Required for renewals. New applicants bring their entry stamp or visa page from their passport instead.
2 Passport-Size Photos
White background. Recent photo taken within the last three months. Available on-site for AED 20–30 if needed.
Entry Permit or Visa Application Document
The document issued by ICA or your employer and sponsor confirming the visa being processed.
Payment — Cash or Card
Both accepted. The exact fee is confirmed at the counter before any payment is taken.
Lost Emirates ID — Additional Step
A government replacement fee of AED 300 applies. Bring your passport and a recent photo. Our Emirates ID team handles the full submission to ICP on your behalf.
Have a question about your specific visa situation before visiting? Our team answers common questions in our frequently asked questions section, or reach us directly on WhatsApp.
Most applicants complete the entire process in under 30 minutes. Knowing exactly what happens at each stage means no confusion, no waiting in the wrong queue, and no delays because a step was missed.
Registration & Document Check—5 minutes
Present your documents at reception. Staff register you in the EHS system, confirm which tests apply to your visa type, and collect the fee. This is where document gaps are identified—having everything listed above avoids being turned away at this stage.
Blood Sample—5 minutes
A small blood draw by a licensed nurse — no fasting is required. The sample is processed in our on-site lab and results are uploaded directly to EHS. You will not receive the blood results as a printed report — they are transmitted electronically to the system.
Chest X-Ray—5–10 minutes
Digital X-ray taken and reviewed by our on-site radiologist, then submitted to EHS electronically. There is no need to bring previous X-ray films unless the doctor specifically requests them. Pregnant applicants should mention this before the scan.
Doctor's Consultation—5–10 minutes
A brief physical check—blood pressure, BMI, eyes—and a short health consultation with a licensed doctor. You will be asked about medications and any conditions. Disclosing accurately at this stage avoids much larger delays if something surfaces later in the visa process.
Medical Typing & EHS Submission—5–10 minutes
Your medical results are submitted online to the ICA and EHS system by our typing team. This step is mandatory before your visa can be stamped, and it is completed on-site immediately after your examination so you leave having done everything in one visit.
Certificate Issued — Same Day
Your EHS medical fitness certificate is valid for 30 days from the date it is issued. Your residence visa must be stamped before this window closes. If the certificate expires before the stamping is done, the entire medical examination must be repeated at the same cost.
Many applicants assume the medical test is the same regardless of visa type. It is not. The Golden Visa medical involves an extended screening panel and a slightly higher fee—here is exactly what differs:
Standard Residence Visa Medical
Golden Visa Medical
If you are unsure which type of medical applies to your situation, reach out before your visit—our team will confirm which tests are required based on your visa category.
One of the most frequently asked questions we receive at the center: "I already completed a medical—do I need to do it again if I change visa status or switch employers in Sharjah?"
In most cases, yes. When changing your visa status—moving from a visit visa to a residence visa, switching sponsors, or transferring between employers—a fresh medical examination is required before the new visa can be issued. Your previous certificate cannot be applied to a new application even if it is still within its 30-day window, unless the visa category is unchanged.
The fastest approach in almost all status-change situations is to come in for a new medical and complete all typing in the same visit. This keeps the timeline moving without waiting on official clarifications that can take several days to obtain.
HR managers and PROs handling visa medicals for teams of five or more employees need a different approach to walk-in individual appointments. Uncoordinated group visits during peak hours—typically 9am to 12pm at Sahara Centre—result in long waits and disrupted working days for employees pulled from the site or office.
We work regularly with companies across Sharjah's industrial areas, Al Quoz, and surrounding zones to coordinate scheduled group visits. Here is what that looks like in practice:
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Scheduled Group Slots
Contact us before your visit, and we coordinate staggered time slots for groups—reducing wait times and keeping the process efficient for everyone.
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We handle all Emirates—not just Sharjah—so companies with staff across Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and the northern Emirates can submit everything through us.
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Staff Vaccination Requirements
Food service, healthcare, and education sector employees often need specific vaccinations as part of their OHC. We administer and document these on-site alongside the medical examination.
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Emirates ID for All Staff
New joiner applications, renewals, and replacements are handled in one coordinated visit—no separate journey to a standalone typing center elsewhere in Sharjah.
To arrange a group visit or discuss corporate requirements, reach out before your planned date — we will confirm timing, document requirements, and exact fees for your team size and visa categories.
These four situations account for the large majority of delayed visa medicals at Sharjah centers. Every one of them is avoidable with the right preparation:
The certificate expired before visa stamping
The 30-day window starts from the date of the medical test itself — not from when your employer receives the certificate or when your visa application is submitted. Many applicants lose track of this date during busy onboarding periods. Mark it clearly and chase the visa stamping actively. If it expires, the full cost applies again.
Arriving without the typing step done
Visa medical typing must be completed before the medical test result can be officially registered in the ICA system. Some applicants assume the clinical test is the only step. We handle typing on-site—but confirm when you arrive so this is factored into your visit from the start.
Missing documents at the counter
A missing photocopy, outdated photo, or absent entry permit document is the single most common reason applicants are turned away at registration. It seems minor, but it means rescheduling entirely. Run through the full document checklist above before leaving for Sahara Centre.
Not mentioning pre-existing conditions to the doctor
The doctor's examination is not intended to disqualify you — it is a health status check required by the UAE government for all new residents. Being straightforward about medications and conditions means the doctor can advise correctly. Conditions discovered for the first time at a later visa stage cause far greater delays and complications than disclosing them here.
John Relova drives EHS (Environmental, Health & Safety) operations in Dubai via EMITAC Healthcare Solutions and is active in promoting workplace safety culture within the region.
Get In Touch With Us
Medical Examination Centre for Residency - Sahara Centre
Sharjah
Sahara Centre Basement Floor - Bank Entrance - Sharjah - United Arab Emirates
Mail Us
sahara.mec@emitac.ae