Demand for medical fitness tests required for UAE residency visas continued to rise over the past four years, according to statistics released by Emirates Health Services. The data show that the number of examinations carried out at public health centres and the authority’s medical fitness testing centres rose by 28.6%, reaching 4,973,303 tests between 2022 and 2025. At the same time, digital channels have become the dominant route for submitting applications, with the share of requests made through the website climbing from 14.5% in 2022 to 57.1% in 2025.
Steady rise in testing demand
According to the figures, 4,973,303 medical fitness tests for residency visa applicants were completed between 2022 and 2025 through the authority’s centres in Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain. The trend reflects continued growth in demand for the service, in line with population growth, the increase in the number of residents and the wider shift towards digital completion of government transactions.
The data, seen by Emarat Al Youm, show that the number of tests increased from 1,107,399 in 2022 to 1,424,313 in 2025, up by 316,914 tests, representing growth of 28.6%. The year 2025 recorded the highest total number of tests over the four-year period, following 1,176,548 tests in 2023 and 1,265,043 in 2024, maintaining an upward annual trend.
Digital applications overtake traditional channels
The figures also point to a rapid change in customer behaviour towards digital services. Applications submitted through the website rose from 14.5% of all requests in 2022, equal to 160,063 requests, to 23.1% in 2023, or 271,400 requests. The share then increased to 46.5% in 2024, amounting to 588,115 requests, before reaching 57.1% in 2025, or 813,374 requests, making digital channels the main method for submitting medical fitness test applications for residency visa applicants for the first time.
By contrast, reliance on typing centres declined gradually. Requests submitted through these centres fell from 947,336 in 2022 to 905,148 in 2023, then to 676,928 in 2024, and finally to 610,939 in 2025. The pattern reflects the authority’s success in accelerating digital transformation, simplifying the customer journey through electronic channels and shifting the majority of users towards digital services.
Monthly patterns and peak periods
At monthly level, 2022 saw the highest number of tests in March, with 124,858, while July was the lowest at around 72,831. In 2023, March again led the monthly figures with 113,398 tests, whereas April recorded the lowest total at 84,461.
In 2024, October posted the highest monthly total across the four-year period, with 139,322 tests, followed by December with 131,026. April registered the lowest level that year at 79,790.
In 2025, the indicators remained strong, with May recording 127,821 tests, followed by December with 125,466 and April with 125,205. June was the lowest month of the year at 107,586, still above the minimum levels seen in previous years.
Expanded services under “My Prevention”
These indicators underline the growing demand for medical fitness services required for the issuance and renewal of residency visas, alongside the population growth seen across the country. They also reflect the ability of Emirates Health Services’ testing centres to absorb the continuing rise in visitor numbers, while confirming the success of the authority in strengthening digital transformation.
Emirates Health Services recently developed its medical fitness testing services for the issuance and renewal of residency visas under the “My Prevention” programme, which covers 20 centres distributed across Dubai and the Northern Emirates. The programme provides fast, integrated services and delivers test results in less than 24 hours through smart solutions designed to improve efficiency, streamline procedures and ensure rapid completion.
The 20 centres offering “My Prevention” services are distributed across the UAE as follows: seven centres in Dubai, six in Sharjah, two in Ajman, two in Ras Al Khaimah, two in Fujairah and one in Umm Al Quwain.
Emirates Health Services has also recently launched the “Residency renewal from home” service, which allows residents in the country to undergo the medical test required for renewal without visiting medical centres. A specialised medical team visits the customer’s home at the time they specify, in a further step reflecting the UAE’s direction towards developing government services and delivering them in a more flexible and convenient way for customers.
• 20 centres under “My Prevention” are distributed across Dubai and the Northern Emirates.