The Golden Visa is a long-term residency visa that enables foreign talents to live, work, or study in the UAE for up to 10 years. This golden residency scheme is renewable and reserved for certain categories, ranging from investors to individuals with exceptional talents.
The Golden Visa program is designed to attract foreign investment and expertise to the UAE. It offers a number of benefits to holders, including the ability to live and work in the country, access to top-quality education and healthcare, and the ability to sponsor family members for residence visas. The Golden Visa is valid for 10 years, after which it can be renewed.
In the latest news, property owners with a portfolio valued at Dh2 million or more might soon enjoy the convenience of automatic Golden Visas during the renewal process. Officials at the UAE Innovates exhibition shared this innovative approach, where the land departments of each emirate will be linked to the ICP portal, streamlining the visa issuance for eligible residents. This marks a significant step in the government’s efforts to enhance the Golden Visa process, making it more accessible for qualifying property owners.
Furthermore, Luxe Developers, a UAE-based real estate firm, has announced that investors who invest in their properties will be awarded a UAE Golden Visa. They are also the first off-plan developer in Ras Al Khaimah to secure a Golden Visa for an investor.
The banks in the UAE are facilitating the process of acquiring Golden Visa by offering investment opportunities. They require investments with a minimum value of Dh2 million in deposits for a minimum period of two years. Then, the banks issue a letter of evidence to facilitate the long-term residency.
The following are the UAE banks that offer Golden Visa through a Dh2 million deposit:
However, please note that the Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB) mentions that they are not responsible for processing the visa, and this is not a guarantee of the issuance of the Golden Visa but rather an opportunity to simplify the process.
Some of the benefits of the Golden Visa in the UAE are as follows:
Dubai developers are enhancing property appeal by offering and funding Golden Visas for investors. Damac Properties, for example, provided three Golden Visas to buyers of specific units in their new project, quickly selling out their inventory. This 10-year residency program, part of the UAE’s strategy to attract wealthy investors, requires a minimum property investment of AED 2 million.
Companies like Samana Developers streamline the visa process by handling it entirely in-house, avoiding the need for buyers to visit government offices. Other firms, like Blanco Thornton Properties, also use this incentive, offering visas to buyers investing at least AED 2 million in their Dubai projects.
The Golden Visa, which has significantly attracted global investors, offers long-term residency and is seen as a major advantage for high-net-worth individuals seeking to invest in Dubai’s real estate market.
Additionally, there are Golden Visa benefits specific to individual emirates as follows.
As stated by the authorities, foreign residents in Dubai who have a golden visa and a driving license from their home country can now take a UAE driver’s test without needing extra lessons.
Additionally, if the golden visa holders have a license from one of 32 approved countries, including the US, the UK, Australia, Italy, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, New Zealand, Qatar, Kuwait and Ireland, they will automatically be eligible for a UAE driver’s license.
Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum has announced that a 10-year residency Golden Visa will be granted to outstanding expatriate students and their families in Dubai. They will also be given discounts to pursue their higher education in international university branches in Dubai.
Golden Visa holders in Dubai will be gifted the coveted Esaad privilege card. The card will be provided free of charge to holders of 5-year and 10-year Golden Visas in Dubai.
Select categories of Golden Visa holders in Dubai will receive the Esaad card. These categories include
For details on what the benefits of the Esaad Card actually entail, please refer to our dedicated article below.
Golden Visa holders can apply for comprehensive insurance coverage that could range between AED 2,000 and 50,000, depending on several factors such as age, health, hospitals/clinics covered, etc. The National Health Insurance Company (Daman) has introduced health insurance packages for Golden Visa holders that are valid for 1 year and can be renewed yearly. Premiums for all insurance plans will vary according to age and the plan option chosen.
All interested individuals who would like to apply for the Golden Visa may do so by applying for the visa online at the ICP smart services platform . The process is quite straightforward, with candidates required to submit the necessary documents and be willing to relocate to the UAE in accordance with their business venture.
Eligible applicants can apply for the Golden Visa using the GDRFA website by following the steps given below:
Apart from this, eligible applicants can also apply for the Golden Visa using the GDRFA Dubai Smart Application by following the steps given below:
Please note that eligible candidates can also apply for UAE’s Golden Visa through AMER Center.
Currently, the categories of eligibility for the UAE Golden Visa have been expanded. Among the latest additions specific to Abu Dhabi are senior scholars and clerics, elite specialists in the industry and the 4th industrial revolution, specialists in health fields, and specialists in education.
Generally, below are the required documents for a golden visa.
As per the latest development, those eligible for the Golden Visa UAE are as follows:
Dubai has also made significant features for preachers and religious researchers. The government has decided to award Golden Visas to mosque imams, preachers, muezzins, muftis, and religious researchers who have dedicated their services to the country for a period of 20 years.
This decision aims to recognize and appreciate the immense contributions of these religious leaders toward the welfare of the community. Along with the Golden Visa, the recipients will also receive a generous cash reward on the occasion of Eid, which is a symbolic gesture of gratitude for their commitment and service.
Real estate investors may obtain the Golden Visa if they fulfil one of the following conditions:
The registration documents issued by the real estate authorities in the Emirate are the primary documents needed to submit for applying to the Golden Visa in this category.
Please note that the residence visa expiry or cancellation in the UAE for expats has been extended from 90 days for property owners. Therefore, expats now have 6 months to either amend their status and get another residence visa or leave the country. Fines do not apply during the grace period.
If you own a property or a group of properties, you may be granted a Golden visa for a period of 5 years, renewable on the same conditions and without a sponsor, subject to the:
Applicants might be granted a Golden Visa for a period of 10 years without a sponsor if they are investing in an investment fund. The following conditions have to be taken in account for the same.
Startup investors may now obtain a Golden Visa, provided their company is registered within the UAE. It should fall under the small and medium enterprises (SME) category with annual revenues of AED 1 million or above. Furthermore, the Golden Residence for Entrepreneurs can also be obtained if:
If you are an entrepreneur, you may get a Golden visa if you own an economic project of a technical or future nature based on risk & innovation. In addition, you must have an approval letter from each of the following:
Under the category of exceptionally talented individuals, talented individuals in the fields of art, culture, digital technology, sports, innovation, medicine, law and others are eligible to apply for the Golden Visa scheme. Some o utstanding specialized talents include:
Moreover, the 10-year visa will be awarded solely based on the individual’s talent. It will not depend on educational qualification, employment status, monthly salary or professional status. However, the recommendation or approval of a federal or local government entity will be required.
The requirement includes a copy of a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree certified by the Ministry of Education and a work contract.
Subjects relating to engineering and science include:
The Golden Visa will now be granted to scientists and researchers who meet the following conditions:
A major expansion to the Golden Visa eligibility category, the Golden Visa for skilled professionals applies to all fields and disciplines, including but not limited to education, law, science and engineering, information technology, social sciences, and numerous others.
Skilled professionals can qualify for the Golden Visa scheme, provided:
Please note that skilled professionals (classified in the first or second occupational level as per the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation classification) are eligible for an extended 6-month grace period.
Students with exceptional academic excellence, having obtained high scores either in UAE secondary schools or universities, are also eligible to apply for the 10-year Visa or the Golden Visa scheme.
If you are a high school student and a national-level topper (with a minimum grade of 95 percent in public or private secondary school), you may be granted a Golden visa without a sponsor, subject to submission of a recommendation letter from the Ministry of Education (Emirates Schools Establishment).
Furthermore, talented students who have studied at the world’s best universities are also eligible to apply for the Golden Visa scheme. Criteria include academic performance/cumulative average, year of graduation and university classification.
If you are an outstanding university student, you may be granted a Golden visa for a period of 10 years without a sponsor, provided that:
Outstanding students of foreign universities may be granted a Golden visa for a period of 10 years without a sponsor, provided that:
Please note that students who have completed their studies are eligible for the extended 6-month grace period.
If you are a pioneer of humanitarian work, you may get a Golden visa for 10 years. You must be one of the following categories to qualify as a pioneer of humanitarian work:
Individuals who have made substantial contributions to volunteerism, either through dedicated service hours or significant financial support, now have the opportunity to apply for the prestigious UAE Golden Visa. This visa permits residency for up to 10 years and offers a pathway for long-term residence in the country. The eligibility criteria, as specified by the ICP, include several categories:
Here are certain websites that you can make use of to obtain the Golden Visa for UAE by volunteering:
The UAE has been granting doctors and nurses, the first line of defence, a long-term residency in “recognition of their efforts and sacrifices”.
Frontline heroes who displayed extraordinary effort in crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, also may get the Golden visa with a recommendation from a competent authority. Frontline heroes include nurses, medical assistants, lab technicians, pharmacologists and other cadres approved by the Frontline Heroes Office. Seven centres affiliated with the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship have been established across the Emirates for doctors and nurses who wish to apply for visas in person.
Doctors will need to provide an approval Letter from the Ministry of Health and Prevention in the UAE to practice the profession of medicine.
The UAE’s strategy to grant 100,000 golden visas to exceptional computer programmers from all over the world has been announced. To train 100,000 youngsters in computer programming, the Emirates has teamed up with various tech powerhouses such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon. The National Programme for Coders has initiated the application process. Application eligibility extends to:
The Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE) classifies employment into 9 professional levels according to the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO) issued by the International Labour Organization. These levels are:
Labour is classified as skilled work if it fulfils all the conditions listed below:
The price of Golden Visa UAE may vary based on the category of the visa. If you apply for a visa from the UAE, it will cost between AED 2,800 and AED 3,800. Meanwhile, if you apply from outside the UAE, the cost will be between AED 3,800 and AED 4,800, with an AED 150 application fee and about AED 1,000 for a medical examination of the Emirates ID.
Furthermore, the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) has now revised the entry permit fees for those applying for the 10-year Golden Visa UAE.
The price for the six-month entry permit has been updated to AED 1,250. The charge includes an AED 1,000 issuance fee, an AED 100 application fee, an AED 100 smart services fee, an AED 28 electronic services fee, and an AED 22 ICP fee.
The UAE government has increased the validity of all categories of the Golden Visa from 5 years to 10 years, making it an even more attractive option for those looking to live and work in the UAE. Moreover, Golden Visa holders are entitled to a multiple-entry visa for a period of 6 months to complete the Golden Visa procedures.
They are also allowed to stay outside of the UAE for more than 6 months. Therefore, expats now have 6 months to either amend their status and get another residence visa or leave the country.
The grace period after visa expiry or cancellation has been extended from 30 days to 6 months for Golden visa holders and their family members. Therefore, expats now have 6 months to either amend their status and get another residence visa or leave the country.
Fines do not apply during the grace period. However, if the Golden visa holder fails to renew or cancel the visa of his dependents, the dependents could be liable to pay an overstay fine.
As confirmed by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security UAE (ICP), you can now extend or cancel your entry permit online via a personal account. This refers to the document issued to foreign nationals entering the UAE to finalize their residency visa.
The new policy is valid for the following:
