The UAE will soon offer visas of up to 10-years for specialists working in medicine, science, research and technical fields.
The UAE will soon offer visas of up to 10-years for specialists working in medicine, science, research and technical fields.

UAE Explained: More detail emerges about new long-term visas - but who qualifies?



More details have emerged about a plan to grant long-term residency visas to a group of key professionals in the UAE.

Investors, entrepreneurs, executives, as well as specialists working in medicine, science or research will be granted permission to stay in the country for up to 10 years as part of the plan, which was approved by the UAE Cabinet earlier this year.

Outstanding students will also be eligible for a long-term visa as part of the changes, which are expected to encourage professionals to settle in the Emirates long term.

The Government wants key professionals to stay for longer in order to make the UAE competitive as it tries to shift to a knowledge-based economy and away from a reliance on the oil and gas sector.

But to qualify, they must meet a series of requirements, which were released by the Government this weekend.

What will investors need to qualify and what type of visa will they be granted?

They will be eligible for either a five or 10-year residency visa, depending on the size of their investment in the UAE.

Those who own property worth Dh5 million or more will be eligible for a five-year residency visa, while those who hold an investment through a deposit in an established company or a business partnership worth Dh10m or more will be granted a renewable residency visa every 10 years. Others who have made various investments of no less than Dh10m, including property – which must be worth no more than 40 per cent of the total investment – will also qualify for a renewable residency visa every 10 years.

An investor’s spouse, children, as well as one executive director and one adviser can also obtain long-term visas. Business partners that invest Dh10m will also be eligible. Investors will be granted permission to enter the UAE for a six-month period with multiple entry in order to apply for the long-term visa.

Can a property be mortgaged, or investment financed?

No. Under the rules specified, both the property or investment must be wholly owned, not borrowed. Ownership must be proven by documents showing an investment retention of at least three years, and a standard financial liability with a financial solvency not exceeding Dh10m.

What about entrepreneurs?

Entrepreneurs with a previous project worth a minimum of Dh500,000, or those with the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE, will be granted a five-year visa, with the possibility of upgrading to an investor visa, provided they meet the requirements.

An entrepreneur’s business partners, three executive directors, spouse and children will also be granted visas under the scheme. Entrepreneurs will be given permission to enter the Emirates for a six-month period with multiple entry, and the option to renew for another six months, in order to apply for the five-year visa.

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Read more:

New residency visa rules 'start of a new era' for UAE's professional workforce

UAE's new visa regulations: what we know

Sheikh Mohammed announces sweeping changes to UAE's visa system

Residency changes could open the floodgates to property sector, say experts

UAE foreign ownership changes will boost FDI, spur economic growth

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Are executives eligible for a long-term visa?

Yes. Certain executives are eligible for a long-term visa. The owners of leading, well-known and internationally-recognised companies; those with high academic achievements, professional experience and position, such as an engineer in a rare speciality working in a private company in the UAE, will qualify.

What about scientists, doctors and researchers?

Researchers working in the disciplines of science and knowledge, as well as doctors, specialists, scientists and inventors will be granted a 10-year visa, so will be those working in the fields of culture and art.

To qualify, they must have a valid employment contract in a specialised field considered a priority for the UAE.

In addition, doctors and scientists must meet at least two of the following conditions in their work: a PhD degree from one of the world’s top 500 universities; an award or certificate of appreciation for their work; a contribution to major scientific research; published articles or scientific books in distinguished publications; membership of an organisation which requires excellence to qualify; and a PhD degree, in addition to 10-year professional experience in the applicant's field of work.

Scientists must be accredited by the Emirates Scientists Council. Holders of the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Excellence are also eligible for the 10-year visa.

Spouses and children will also be included under the visa for researchers, scientists and doctors.

What about artists and creatives?

"Creatives" - those working in the fields of culture and art - are also eligible if they are accredited by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development Inventors, hold a patent which adds value to the UAE’s economy with the approval of the Ministry of Economy Exceptional Talents, or have exceptional talents documented by patents or scientific research published in world-class journals.

Who qualifies as an outstanding student and how long will they be granted to stay in the UAE?

Outstanding students with a grade of at least 95 per cent in school and a grade point average of at least 3.75 on graduation from universities in the UAE and abroad will qualify for a five-year visa for themselves and their families.

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Bugatti Chiron Super Sport - the specs:

Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 

Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto 

Power: 1,600hp

Torque: 1,600Nm

0-100kph in 2.4seconds

0-200kph in 5.8 seconds

0-300kph in 12.1 seconds

Top speed: 440kph

Price: Dh13,200,000

Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport - the specs:

Engine: 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 

Transmission: 7-speed DSG auto 

Power: 1,500hp

Torque: 1,600Nm

0-100kph in 2.3 seconds

0-200kph in 5.5 seconds

0-300kph in 11.8 seconds

Top speed: 350kph

Price: Dh13,600,000

Itcan profile

Founders: Mansour Althani and Abdullah Althani

Based: Business Bay, with offices in Saudi Arabia, Egypt and India

Sector: Technology, digital marketing and e-commerce

Size: 70 employees 

Revenue: On track to make Dh100 million in revenue this year since its 2015 launch

Funding: Self-funded to date

 

If you go

The flights

There are direct flights from Dubai to Sofia with FlyDubai (www.flydubai.com) and Wizz Air (www.wizzair.com), from Dh1,164 and Dh822 return including taxes, respectively.

The trip

Plovdiv is 150km from Sofia, with an hourly bus service taking around 2 hours and costing $16 (Dh58). The Rhodopes can be reached from Sofia in between 2-4hours.

The trip was organised by Bulguides (www.bulguides.com), which organises guided trips throughout Bulgaria. Guiding, accommodation, food and transfers from Plovdiv to the mountains and back costs around 170 USD for a four-day, three-night trip.

 

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

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
Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Company profile

Date started: January, 2014

Founders: Mike Dawson, Varuna Singh, and Benita Rowe

Based: Dubai

Sector: Education technology

Size: Five employees

Investment: $100,000 from the ExpoLive Innovation Grant programme in 2018 and an initial $30,000 pre-seed investment from the Turn8 Accelerator in 2014. Most of the projects are government funded.

Partners/incubators: Turn8 Accelerator; In5 Innovation Centre; Expo Live Innovation Impact Grant Programme; Dubai Future Accelerators; FHI 360; VSO and Consult and Coach for a Cause (C3)

Indian construction workers stranded in Ajman with unpaid dues
Naga
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Cryopreservation: A timeline
  1. Keyhole surgery under general anaesthetic
  2. Ovarian tissue surgically removed
  3. Tissue processed in a high-tech facility
  4. Tissue re-implanted at a time of the patient’s choosing
  5. Full hormone production regained within 4-6 months

Paris Can Wait
Dir: Eleanor Coppola
Starring: Alec Baldwin, Diane Lane, Arnaud Viard
Two stars

Other workplace saving schemes
  • The UAE government announced a retirement savings plan for private and free zone sector employees in 2023.
  • Dubai’s savings retirement scheme for foreign employees working in the emirate’s government and public sector came into effect in 2022.
  • National Bonds unveiled a Golden Pension Scheme in 2022 to help private-sector foreign employees with their financial planning.
  • In April 2021, Hayah Insurance unveiled a workplace savings plan to help UAE employees save for their retirement.
  • Lunate, an Abu Dhabi-based investment manager, has launched a fund that will allow UAE private companies to offer employees investment returns on end-of-service benefits.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How the bonus system works

The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.

The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.

There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).

All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.

Terminator: Dark Fate

Director: Tim Miller

Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis 

Rating: 3/5