The UAE aims to attract exceptional minds and talent to be permanent partners in the UAE’s development process. The country offers long-term golden visas to property investors, scientists, medical professionals, entrepreneurs as well as to outstanding school pupils and high-scoring university students.

The country introduced the golden visa programme in 2019. It offers long-term residence visas to qualifying foreigners, enabling them to live, work and study in the UAE without the need of a local Emirati or corporate sponsor.

What is the UAE golden visa?

It is essentially a long-term residence visa for the UAE. It is offered to investors, entrepreneurs, people with specialised talent and researchers in the fields of science, culture and art as well as promising students.

How is a golden visa helpful?

The long-term visa allows qualified foreigners to live, work and study in the UAE without an Emirati or corporate sponsor. It allows entrepreneurs to own 100 per cent of their UAE businesses. The visas are issued for 5 or 10 years and renew automatically as long as the qualification criteria are met.

What is the eligibility criteria for a golden visa?

The criteria for eligibility differs based on the duration of the visa. Ten-year visas are open to investors and people with specialised talent while 5-year visas are open to investors, entrepreneurs and outstanding students.

Eligibility for a 10-year visa

The following two categories can apply for a 10-year residence visa in the UAE:

Investors in public investments of at least Dh10 million

The investment may take many forms such as:

• A deposit of at least Dh10 million in an investment fund inside the country
• Establishing a company in the UAE with a capital of not less than Dh10 million
• Partnering in an existing or a new company with a share value of not less than Dh10 million
• Having a total investment of not less than Dh10 million in all areas mentioned, on condition that the investment in sectors other than real estate is not less than 60 per cent of the total investment.

Conditions:

1. The amount invested must not be loaned.
2. The investment should be retained for at least three years.
3. There should be a financial solvency up to Dh10 million.

Notes:

1. The golden visa can be extended to include business partners, on the condition that each partner contributes Dh10 million.
2. The long-term visa can include the spouse and children, as well as one executive director and one advisor.
3. Investors from outside the UAE may apply for a multiple-entry permit for a six-month period.

Persons with specialised talent

This includes specialised talent and researchers in the fields of science and knowledge such as doctors, specialists, scientists, inventors, as well as creative individuals in the field of culture and art. The visa advantage extends to the spouse and children. All categories are required to have a valid employment contract in a specialised field of priority in the UAE.

Conditions:

1. Scientists must be accredited by Emirates Scientists Council or holders of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Excellence.
2. Creative individuals in culture and art must be accredited by Ministry of Culture and Youth.
3. Inventors must obtain a patent of value, which adds to the UAE’s economy. Patents must be approved by Ministry of Economy.
4. Exceptional tale\nts must be documented by patents or a scientific research published in a world-class journal.
5. Executives must be owners of a leading and internationally recognised company or holders of a high academic achievement and position.
6. Doctors and specialists must meet at least two of the following conditions:
7. a Ph. D. degree from one of the top 500 universities in the world (refer to ICA for information)
8. an award or certificates of appreciation in the field of the applicant’s work
9. contribution to a major scientific research in the respective field of work
10. published articles or scientific books in distinguished publications in the respective field of work
11. membership in an organisation related to the field
12. a Ph. D. degree, in addition to 10-year professional experience in his field
13. specialisation in areas of priority to the UAE.

Eligibility for a 5-year visa

The following three categories are entitled to apply for a 5-year residence visa in the UAE:

Investors in a property in the UAE

Conditions:

The investor must invest in a property of a gross value of not less than Dh5 million.

• The amount invested in real estate must not be on loan basis.
• The property must be retained for at least three years.

Entrepreneurs

Conditions:

1. This category includes those having an existing project with a minimum capital of Dh500,000
2. Or those who have the approval of an accredited business incubator in the country.

Notes:

1. The entrepreneur is allowed a multi-entry visa for six months, renewable for another six months
2. The long-term visa includes the spouse and children, a partner and three executives.

Outstanding Students

Conditions:

1. Outstanding students with a minimum grade of 95 per cent in public and private secondary schools
2. University students within and outside the country having a distinction GPA of at least 3.75 upon graduation

Note:

1. Long-term visa includes families of the outstanding students.

Why does the UAE offer long-term visas?

Long-term visas are offered as part of the UAE’s ongoing efforts to support the country’s move towards a globally competitive knowledge economy. One of the most densely migrant-populated countries in the world, about 90 per cent of the UAE’s approximately 10-million population is foreign-born. Offering long-term visas is part of the country’s strategy to retain the cream of this transient talent.

Where can I apply for the UAE’s golden visa scheme?

Individuals in all emirates except Dubai can apply for the Golden Visa online through Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship’s website. Those in Dubai can log on to the website of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), which works under the ministry. ICA offers only online channels. GDRFA offers both online and offline channels.