Hundreds of thousands of UAE residents have been awarded a golden visa since the scheme was first introduced in 2019.
The 10-year residency permits are given to people who have made an outstanding contribution to the country, have highly prized skills or work in key industries that are crucial to economic growth.
In Dubai, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs said in November that more than 150,000 golden visas were issued in the emirate.
Golden visas have been granted to a variety of people, including outstanding pupils and students who earned top marks in their final-year exams and health workers who served on the front line during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Numerous global celebrities and stalwarts of the business community have also been awarded golden visas.
The process involved in applying for a golden visa is different from applying for a normal residency permit. The National explains how.
What are golden visas?
Golden visas are designed to enable foreigners to live, work and study in the UAE without the need for a national sponsor and with 100 per cent ownership of their business on the UAE mainland.
These visas are issued for 10 years and as long as the recipient continues to meet the conditions of the visa, they can renew for a further decade when it is due to expire.
Normal expatriate workers must renew their visas every two to three years.
Golden visas are different to Emirati citizenship, which can be granted only to people nominated by the government or royal court officials.
Who can get a golden visa?
Golden visas can be granted to investors, entrepreneurs, people with special talents, researchers in various fields of science and knowledge, and bright students with promising scientific capabilities.
Sometimes people are nominated for golden visas by senior Emiratis or government bodies, and in other circumstances, people apply online.
People investing Dh1 million to Dh2 million in property also have several options.
If a person is awarded a golden visa, then their spouse and children can also apply.
How do the authorities decide who is eligible for a golden visa?
The following categories of people are entitled to apply for a 10-year residence visa in the UAE.
1. People with public investments of at least Dh10 million. The investment may take many forms, such as:
- A deposit of at least Dh10m in an investment fund inside the country
- Establishing a company in the UAE with a capital of not less than Dh10m
- Partnering in an existing or new company with a share value of not less than Dh10m
- Having a total investment of not less than Dh10m 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.
The golden visa includes the spouse and children of the holder, as well as one executive director and one adviser. It can also be extended to include business partners, on the condition that each partner contributes Dh10m.
2. People with special talents
This includes people in the fields of science and knowledge, such as doctors, specialists, scientists and inventors, as well as creative people in the fields of culture and art.
If you hold a doctorate or a patent, you are eligible, but there are other conditions regarding how the specialised talents are defined, as outlined on the UAE's government portal.
All categories of applicants are also required to have a valid employment contract in a specialised field of priority in the UAE.
How do you apply for a golden visa?
Applicants need to register their interest on the UAE's Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA) website.
There is a special area for golden visa services.
If you are from one of the eligible categories but have not yet been nominated, then you should apply via the box labelled "Visa - Golden Visa - Nomination Request For Golden Residence - New Request".
There is an online form which requests your personal details, plus the category under which you believe you can be nominated.
You will also need your Unified Identification Number (UID) - a six-digit number automatically assigned to anyone who enters the UAE.
Dubai's General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs has also set up a new team to handle applications for golden visas and other important people.
Called "You are Special", the service can be accessed 24-7 online or by calling 800 5111.
How do exceptional pupils or graduates apply?
The Golden Residency is granted to outstanding pupils who have obtained an average rate of at least 95 per cent in the high school certificate from public or private schools; and to university students from inside or outside the country who have a cumulative GPA of no less than 3.75, or its equivalent in specific scientific disciplines.
The visa includes the students' families.
Applications for Golden Residency are submitted through the Emirates Schools Establishment.
How long does the nomination process take?
Within 30 days you will receive an email notifying you of the outcome of your application to be nominated.
Once your nomination has been approved, you will receive an emailed link to upload the required documents for the visa.
Within weeks of uploading your documents, your application will be verified by the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship, and you will receive your visa.
If you are currently residing within the UAE, you will be given a temporary one-month visa and will be required to convert your temporary visa into a residency permit during this period.
What if I am applying from outside the UAE?
If you currently live outside of the UAE, you will be given a six-month visa to enter the country, explore its opportunities, and settle.
To apply for this multi-entry visa, you need to fill in an online form. There is one for investors, and one for entrepreneurs and outstanding students. It costs Dh1,150.
The six-month visa for talented people is only single entry.
During this period, you will be required to convert your temporary visa into a residency permit.
Does my golden visa qualify me to work in the UAE?
To work in the UAE, you need to have a valid employment contract, work permit or a licence.
However, the UAE's Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation has started to issue work permits for golden residency holders.
These are required by those who were unemployed when they received their golden visa and wish to start working for a specific employer, and by those who plan to start a new job with a new employer.
Need more help?
The Federal Authority for Identity and citizenship (ICA) has a toll-free number, 600 522222, and a feedback platform.
A version of this story was first published on April 19, 2022, written by Georgia Tolley.
Stars who received UAE's golden visa – in pictures
THE BIO
Occupation: Specialised chief medical laboratory technologist
Age: 78
Favourite destination: Always Al Ain “Dar Al Zain”
Hobbies: his work - “ the thing which I am most passionate for and which occupied all my time in the morning and evening from 1963 to 2019”
Other hobbies: football
Favorite football club: Al Ain Sports Club
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
RIDE%20ON
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
England squad
Joe Root (captain), Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings, Gary Ballance, Jonny Bairstow (wicketkeeper), Ben Stokes (vice-captain), Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson, Toby Roland-Jones, Stuart Broad, Mark Wood, James Anderson.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
The more serious side of specialty coffee
While the taste of beans and freshness of roast is paramount to the specialty coffee scene, so is sustainability and workers’ rights.
The bulk of genuine specialty coffee companies aim to improve on these elements in every stage of production via direct relationships with farmers. For instance, Mokha 1450 on Al Wasl Road strives to work predominantly with women-owned and -operated coffee organisations, including female farmers in the Sabree mountains of Yemen.
Because, as the boutique’s owner, Garfield Kerr, points out: “women represent over 90 per cent of the coffee value chain, but are woefully underrepresented in less than 10 per cent of ownership and management throughout the global coffee industry.”
One of the UAE’s largest suppliers of green (meaning not-yet-roasted) beans, Raw Coffee, is a founding member of the Partnership of Gender Equity, which aims to empower female coffee farmers and harvesters.
Also, globally, many companies have found the perfect way to recycle old coffee grounds: they create the perfect fertile soil in which to grow mushrooms.
Who was Alfred Nobel?
The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.
- In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
- Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
- Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
FINAL RESULT
Sharjah Wanderers 20 Dubai Tigers 25 (After extra-time)
Wanderers
Tries: Gormley, Penalty
cons: Flaherty
Pens: Flaherty 2
Tigers
Tries: O’Donnell, Gibbons, Kelly
Cons: Caldwell 2
Pens: Caldwell, Cross
Rocketman
Director: Dexter Fletcher
Starring: Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, Jamie Bell
Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
Scores
Bournemouth 0-4 Liverpool
Arsenal 1-0 Huddersfield Town
Burnley 1-0 Brighton
Manchester United 4-1 Fulham
West Ham 3-2 Crystal Palace
Saturday fixtures:
Chelsea v Manchester City, 9.30pm (UAE)
Leicester City v Tottenham Hotspur, 11.45pm (UAE)
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Starring: Jamie Foxx, Angela Bassett, Tina Fey
Directed by: Pete Doctor
Rating: 4 stars
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if you go
The flights
Air France offer flights from Dubai and Abu Dhabi to Cayenne, connecting in Paris from Dh7,300.
The tour
Cox & Kings (coxandkings.com) has a 14-night Hidden Guianas tour of Guyana, Suriname and French Guiana. It includes accommodation, domestic flights, transfers, a local tour manager and guided sightseeing. Contact for price.
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
A cryptocurrency primer for beginners
Cryptocurrency Investing for Dummies – by Kiana Danial
There are several primers for investing in cryptocurrencies available online, including e-books written by people whose credentials fall apart on the second page of your preferred search engine.
Ms Danial is a finance coach and former currency analyst who writes for Nasdaq. Her broad-strokes primer (2019) breaks down investing in cryptocurrency into baby steps, while explaining the terms and technologies involved.
Although cryptocurrencies are a fast evolving world, this book offers a good insight into the game as well as providing some basic tips, strategies and warning signs.
Begin your cryptocurrency journey here.
Available at Magrudy’s , Dh104
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
Company%20Profile
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Draw:
Group A: Egypt, DR Congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe
Group B: Nigeria, Guinea, Madagascar, Burundi
Group C: Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania
Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Namibia
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Angola
Group F: Cameroon, Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau
if you go
BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE
Starring: Winona Ryder, Michael Keaton, Jenny Ortega
Director: Tim Burton
Rating: 3/5
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
Manchester City (0) v Liverpool (3)
Uefa Champions League, quarter-final, second leg
Where: Etihad Stadium
When: Tuesday, 10.45pm
Live on beIN Sports HD
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
