The Golden visa is a long-term residence visa that enables foreign talents to live, work or study in the UAE while enjoying exclusive benefits. Investors, entrepreneurs, scientists, outstanding students and graduates, humanitarian pioneers and frontline heroes are among those eligible for the Golden Visa.

What is the UAE’s Golden visa?

The UAE’s ‘Golden Visa’ is a long-term residence visa that enables foreign talents to live, work or study in the UAE while enjoying exclusive benefits which include:

1.     An entry visa for six months with multiple entries to proceed with residence issuance

2.     A long-term, renewable residence visa valid for 5 or 10 years

3.     The privilege of not needing a sponsor

4.     The ability to stay outside the UAE for more than the usual period of six months in order to keep their residence visa valid

5.     The ability to sponsor their family members, including spouses and children regardless of their ages

6.     The ability to sponsor unlimited number of domestic helpers

7.     The permit for family members to stay in the UAE until the end of their permit duration, if the primary holder of the Golden visa passes away.

Golden visa requirements depend on the type of residence, whether investor, talent, entrepreneur, etc.

Investors in public investments

If you invest in an investment fund, you may be granted a Golden Visa for a period of 10 years without a sponsor, subject to the:

Submission of a letter from an investment fund accredited in the UAE stating that the investor has a deposit of AED 2 million, or

Submission of a valid commercial licence or industrial licence and a memorandum of association stating that the investor’s capital is not less than AED 2 million

Submission of a letter from Federal Tax Authority stating that the investor pays the government no less than AED 250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand) annually.

Real estate investors

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:

Provision of a letter from the land department of the respective emirate stating that he owns one or more properties whose value is not less than 2 million dirhams

Purchase of a property with a loan from specific local banks approved by the competent local entity.

Entrepreneurs

If you are an entrepreneur, you may get a Golden visa for a period of 5 years, if you own an economic project. In addition, you must have an approval letter from an auditor in the UAE stating that the project value is not less than 500,000 dirhams.

In addition, foreigners with outstanding specialised talents including doctors, scientists, creative people of culture and art, inventors, executives, specialists in scientific fields, athletes, doctoral degree holders and specialists in the fields of engineering and science can apply for the UAE Golden Visa if they meet the specific requirements.

Even students can get a UAE golden visa to live and study in the United Arab Emirates. High school students with a minimum grade of 95% in secondary school can receive a Golden visa for 5 years without a sponsor, subject to a recommendation letter from the Ministry of Education. Also, if you are an outstanding university student, you may be granted a Golden visa for a period of 10 years without a sponsor.