Golden visas allow residents to change jobs more easily and spend periods of time out of work without having to worry about their legal status in the country

Who is eligible and how to apply for the UAE's golden visa


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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.

UFC president Dana White pictured receiving his golden visa. Photo: DCT Abu Dhabi
UFC president Dana White pictured receiving his golden visa. Photo: DCT Abu Dhabi

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.

Expat Sinan Al Awsi, an Abu Dhabi community champion honoured by President Sheikh Mohamed for his efforts to make the emirate greener, was granted a golden visa this year. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Expat Sinan Al Awsi, an Abu Dhabi community champion honoured by President Sheikh Mohamed for his efforts to make the emirate greener, was granted a golden visa this year. Chris Whiteoak / The National

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".

Ruxeena Musthafa, an artist who set up a studio in Dubai, was among those who were granted a golden visa under the cultural category given to artists. Antonie Robertson / The National
Ruxeena Musthafa, an artist who set up a studio in Dubai, was among those who were granted a golden visa under the cultural category given to artists. Antonie Robertson / The National

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.

Nurse Silpa Suresh and her husband, ER nurse Jephy Antony, at NMC Royal Hospital, Dubai. both received golden visas. Victor Besa / The National
Nurse Silpa Suresh and her husband, ER nurse Jephy Antony, at NMC Royal Hospital, Dubai. both received golden visas. Victor Besa / The National

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

  • Lebanese singer Najwa Karam is one of many celebrities offered UAE's golden visa.
    Lebanese singer Najwa Karam is one of many celebrities offered UAE's golden visa.
  • Lebanese singer Ragheb Alama
    Lebanese singer Ragheb Alama
  • Egyptian actor Mohamed Ramadan Chris Whiteoak / The National
    Egyptian actor Mohamed Ramadan Chris Whiteoak / The National
  • Fashion influencer Ola Farahat
    Fashion influencer Ola Farahat
  • Tunisian singer Latifa El Arfaoui
    Tunisian singer Latifa El Arfaoui
  • Lebanese singer Marwan Khoury
    Lebanese singer Marwan Khoury
  • Egyptian actress Nelly Karim
    Egyptian actress Nelly Karim
  • Lebanese singer Walid Toufic
    Lebanese singer Walid Toufic
  • Egyptian singer and composer Hani Shaker
    Egyptian singer and composer Hani Shaker
  • Lebanese television presenter Annabella Hilal
    Lebanese television presenter Annabella Hilal
  • Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan
    Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan
  • Chef Izu Ani
    Chef Izu Ani
  • Chef Reif Othman
    Chef Reif Othman
  • Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim
    Lebanese actress Nadine Nassib Njeim
  • Syrian actor Kosai Khauli
    Syrian actor Kosai Khauli
  • Indian actor and director Sanjay Dutt
    Indian actor and director Sanjay Dutt
  • Lebanese designer Karen Wazen
    Lebanese designer Karen Wazen
  • Lebanese-Canadian basketball player Ali Kanaan
    Lebanese-Canadian basketball player Ali Kanaan
  • Film director Mohammed Samy with his wife, actress Mai Omar
    Film director Mohammed Samy with his wife, actress Mai Omar
  • Lebanese actress Jessy Abdo
    Lebanese actress Jessy Abdo
  • Lebanese singer Myriam Fares
    Lebanese singer Myriam Fares
  • South Indian actor Mohanlal
    South Indian actor Mohanlal
  • Kerala star Mammootty
    Kerala star Mammootty
  • Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty
    Bollywood actor Suniel Shetty
  • Kerala actor Tovino Thomas
    Kerala actor Tovino Thomas
  • South Indian actor Prithviraj.
    South Indian actor Prithviraj.
  • Moroccan singer Imad Benaomar
    Moroccan singer Imad Benaomar
  • Egyptian actor Karim Fahmi.
    Egyptian actor Karim Fahmi.
  • Egyptian actress Safia Alemary
    Egyptian actress Safia Alemary
  • Bollywood film producer Boney Kapoor.
    Bollywood film producer Boney Kapoor.
  • Indian Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam.
    Indian Bollywood singer Sonu Nigam.
  • Lebanese singer Elissa.
    Lebanese singer Elissa.
  • Giorgio Armani with his UAE golden visa in Dubai. Photo: Giorgio Armani
    Giorgio Armani with his UAE golden visa in Dubai. Photo: Giorgio Armani
  • Pakistani actor Ali Zafar. Photo: Yash Raj Films
    Pakistani actor Ali Zafar. Photo: Yash Raj Films
  • Pakistani actor Fakhr-e-Alam.
    Pakistani actor Fakhr-e-Alam.
  • Bollywood star Ranveer Singh being presented his UAE golden visa in Abu Dhabi by Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, the chief executive of Miral. Photo: Yas Island
    Bollywood star Ranveer Singh being presented his UAE golden visa in Abu Dhabi by Mohamed Abdalla Al Zaabi, the chief executive of Miral. Photo: Yas Island
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
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  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

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Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

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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.”

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Limited-edition art prints of The Sofa Series: Sultani can be acquired from Reem El Mutwalli at www.reemelmutwalli.com

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The cost of Covid testing around the world

Egypt

Dh514 for citizens; Dh865 for tourists

Information can be found through VFS Global.

Jordan

Dh212

Centres include the Speciality Hospital, which now offers drive-through testing.

Cambodia

Dh478

Travel tests are managed by the Ministry of Health and National Institute of Public Health.

Zanzibar

AED 295

Zanzibar Public Health Emergency Operations Centre, located within the Lumumba Secondary School compound.

Abu Dhabi

Dh85

Abu Dhabi’s Seha has test centres throughout the UAE.

UK

From Dh400

Heathrow Airport now offers drive through and clinic-based testing, starting from Dh400 and up to Dh500 for the PCR test.

Tailors and retailers miss out on back-to-school rush

Tailors and retailers across the city said it was an ominous start to what is usually a busy season for sales.
With many parents opting to continue home learning for their children, the usual rush to buy school uniforms was muted this year.
“So far we have taken about 70 to 80 orders for items like shirts and trousers,” said Vikram Attrai, manager at Stallion Bespoke Tailors in Dubai.
“Last year in the same period we had about 200 orders and lots of demand.
“We custom fit uniform pieces and use materials such as cotton, wool and cashmere.
“Depending on size, a white shirt with logo is priced at about Dh100 to Dh150 and shorts, trousers, skirts and dresses cost between Dh150 to Dh250 a piece.”

A spokesman for Threads, a uniform shop based in Times Square Centre Dubai, said customer footfall had slowed down dramatically over the past few months.

“Now parents have the option to keep children doing online learning they don’t need uniforms so it has quietened down.”

 

 

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GAC GS8 Specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo

Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh149,900

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Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
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4,872 matches 

1,942 teams

116 pitches

76 nations

26 UAE teams

15 Lebanese teams

2 Kuwaiti teams

The specs: 2018 Nissan Patrol Nismo

Price: base / as tested: Dh382,000

Engine: 5.6-litre V8

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 428hp @ 5,800rpm

Torque: 560Nm @ 3,600rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 12.7L / 100km

Updated: January 29, 2024, 6:47 AM