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Golden Visa UAE
Let our team help you unlock the benefits of a UAE Golden Visa, which include long-term residency, 100% company ownership and more.
Find Out If You Qualify for a Golden Visa!
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Golden Visa UAE
The UAE Golden Visa was launched in 2019 to attract and retain professionals, investors, entrepreneurs and outstanding students from all over the world. Our team will assist you and help you have a seamless application process for a golden visa, so you can fully enjoy its benefits, which include long-term residency in the UAE, 100% company ownership in the mainland, and the opportunity to live, work and study in the country.
The standard application processing time may take 2 to 4 weeks, subject to additional requirements.
Imagine kickstarting the business of your dreams in a luxurious foreign city with yearlong sunshine and beautiful beaches. Sound good? Imagine if that foreign city didn’t make you pay tax. Even better! Want to know the best part? You don’t have to imagine. That’s what’s on offer in the United Arab Emirates. The only catch is that to stay in the country long-term you’ll need a UAE Golden Visa. What’s a Golden Visa in the UAE? We’ve prepared this guide to answer all your questions about the United Arab Emirate’s prestigious Golden Visa. Read on to find out how you could live the dream in reality.
Unlike many other international Visa programs, the United Arab Emirates’ unique Golden Visa program allows eligible individuals permanent residence with a 10 year visa. However, it also comes with a range of attractive privileges that most typical residence visa programs would not offer. Launched in 2019, the famous Golden Visa program functioned as a bid to attract and retain foreign talent with permanent residence in a tax-friendly environment. The program also aimed to foster business development to boost the UAE’s economy. It worked. By late 2021, 44,000 Dubai residents had secured long-term residency through the Golden Visa. The program may also form part of the reason the UAE fared so well through the pandemic. The program has certainly bolstered the UAE’s global standing as an attractive place to live, work and kickstart new businesses. The Golden Visa program specifically aims to attract budding entrepreneurs, investors and talented individuals in specific fields. Medical staff, engineers, researchers and even high-achieving university students can be eligible for the program. Golden Visa Residency is applicable for ten years. In some situations, the visas can also be renewed automatically – a handy feature for those who struggle with the endless monotony of bureaucracy. Features like this prove that the UAE government wants to make the visa application process simple. Anyone who’s ever applied for a foreign visa will know how painful these processes can sometimes be.
The UAE government has designed the Golden Visa program to attract top talent from around the globe. With benefits like year-round sunshine, ultra-modern infrastructure, and stunning beaches, it’s an appealing option for many. However, the visa's real perks are what make it stand out.
Golden Visa holders do not need to obtain a local sponsor to live, study, or work in the UAE.
For those unfamiliar with common residency processes, this may not seem significant. But for those who are, securing a local sponsor can be time-consuming and complex, especially if you're not employed by a local company or don’t know any nationals. By removing the need for a national sponsor, the Golden Visa simplifies the residency process, making it even more attractive.
Another major benefit of the Golden Visa is that holders can own 100% of a business in the UAE.
This is a huge advantage. Previously, foreigners starting a business in the UAE needed to partner with an Emirati national, who would own a percentage of the company. While there were exceptions for certain industries and zones, the Golden Visa removes these barriers for eligible foreign entrepreneurs, business owners, and investors.
If you secure a Golden Visa, you don’t need to go through the hassle of obtaining separate visas for your family members or key business associates. You can add your family members, business partners, or associates to your visa, subject to certain conditions.
If you have a partner or children travelling with you to the UAE, this feature can save you a lot of paperwork and help prevent family separation.
Golden Visa holders can travel to and from the UAE as many times as they like. In this regard, holding a Golden Visa is like being a UAE citizen. You can visit friends and family back home or schedule as many overseas business meetings as you want. There are no limits — you're free to come and go!
The Golden Visa programs across different Emirates offer various benefits to you and your family members in different sectors. When considering applying for citizenship or permanent residency, it's important to explore all the visa options available.
The UAE government recently expanded its eligibility criteria for the Golden Visa, making the program even more accessible to all kinds of people around the world. However, it’s worth noting that the goal of the Golden Visa program is to foster business development. The UAE government is seeking people of a particular calibre to boost the economy and build a skilled workforce. As such, the criteria for the Golden Visa is still highly specific. If you do not fall into any of the specified categories or you cannot meet the specified conditions for your particular category, it’s unlikely your Golden Visa application will be approved. The following are the major groups eligible to apply for residency in the UAE under the Golden Visa program: Investors Owners of specialised talents and researchers in various fields of science and knowledge High-level executives Athletes Specialists in the fields of engineering and science Creative people and people of culture and art Inventors Outstanding students with promising scientific abilities Individuals applying for the Golden Visa under each of those categories will have to meet different conditions and criteria to be successful. The next section will discuss some of these requirements.
The Golden Visa application process will vary according to your profession and the category under which you are applying. We’ll discuss the specific requirements for each professional category in the next section. However, the basic steps you’ll need to follow to apply for a UAE Golden Visa are as follows: Identify the category under which you want to apply and prepare the application form and relevant documentation Submit the documentation and pay the relevant fees Wait for contact regarding whether your application has been successful or not, which can take up to 30 days If you are successful and have a current UAE visa, cancel it Submit your Golden Visa application and passport, after which your new visa will be inserted into your passport
How do you know if you can apply for a UAE Golden Visa? In this section, we’ll take a look at the various requirements individuals from each professional category will need to meet to obtain one.
Investor in an investment fund (commercial investor) Requirements Company audit (financial report for the previous year) Licence copy and the partners’ list (commercial-industrial) Residence photo Company account statement for the last 3 months (VAT returns) Note: Only accepted licences are from the Emirate of Dubai (commercial or industrial only) If the licence is from free zones or special development zones, it is required to bring a ‘To Whom It May Concern Certificate’ from the relevant free zone authorities Investor in an investment fund (deposit) Requirements A letter from the bank with the deposit in Arabic. A note must be mentioned that the deposit will not be broken until after two years, and if it’s broken, the deposit will be reported to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai Residence photo Rental lease Occupation when applying – not specified Investor in an investment fund (tax return investor) Requirements A letter from the Federal Tax Authority A copy of the licence and the partners’ list Residence photo Occupation when applying – not specified Given profession – investor
Doctors Certificate of practicing a profession in Arabic from Health Authority – Ministry of Health – Dubai Healthcare City A copy of the labour card from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation or a contract work certified by one of the bodies under The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs and free zones A photo of the residence Occupation when applying – according to the licence certificate The profession granted – as per the licence Scientists Recommendation letter from the Emirates Scientists Council or a letter from the Secretariat of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Academic Excellence as Recipient of the Medal of Scientific Excellence A copy of the passport Occupation when applying – not specified
Requirements Recommendation letter from the Culture and Arts Authority A copy of the passport Occupation when applying – not specified The profession awarded as per the letter of recommendation
Requirements Recommendation letter from the Ministry of Economy A copy of the passport Occupation when applying – not specified The profession awarded as per the letter of recommendation
Requirements Company NOC letter regarding the golden visa, and it is mentioned in the letter the term of service is 5 years as a general manager – executive director – Chairman of the Board of Directors Bachelor’s degree or higher (certificate certified by The Ministry of Education) A monthly salary certificate of AED 30,000 thousand or more Work contract with the same profession and salary Personal account statement for 6 months Occupation upon application – General Manager – Executive Director – Chairman of the Board of Directors. Profession awarded – Executive Director
Recommendation letter from one of the sports councils or the General Authority for Sports A copy of the passport Occupation upon application – not specified Profession Awarded – the profession is defined as per the letter of recommendation
A Bachelor’s degree or higher certified or degree equivalency letter from the Ministry of Education (in case the certificate is from an outside country) A copy of the residence Employment contract for a profession in one of the following specialisations: Epidemiology Viruses, Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Computer Engineering – Electronics Engineering – Software Engineering – Electrical Engineering, Genetic Engineering, Biotechnology Engineering Profession when applying – according to the approved major, higher. Awarded Profession – The profession is determined by specialisation.
A recommendation from the Ministry of Education (ensure that a text message is received) A copy of the residence permit (Emirate of Dubai) A copy of the passport. Occupation upon application – not specified Profession awarded – Outstanding Student A university graduate with a GPA of 3.8 or above from within the approved state universities only (Bachelor’s) (Master’s) A certified university degree and academic transcript A copy of the residence permit (Emirate of Dubai) A copy of the passport Occupation when applying – not specified Profession Granted – Outstanding Student
Want to take advantage of the UAE’s yearlong sunshine, luxurious lifestyle and lucrative business opportunities? With 10 year visa options a Golden Visa in the UAE might just be your golden ticket! If you think you might be eligible for a UAE Golden Visa, now is the time to make your move and begin exploring the idea. Get in touch with one of our company formation experts in Dubai. We’ll show you how easy it can be to obtain a Golden Visa and establish a business in the UAE with our BizVibez process.