Now that yacht owners are also qualified to acquire Dubai’s Golden Visa program, you need to understand the importance of golden visa opportunities in the UAE. For your help, we have curated an in-depth Dubai golden visa guide.
In this guide, you will learn which individuals are eligible to apply for the Dubai golden visa. If you check any one of the boxes, congratulations, you’re set to apply. Let’s begin with knowing who qualifies for the UAE golden visa and who doesn’t.
Before we jump to the qualifiers part, remember that you can always get premium golden visa services and possibly even start a company in Dubai if you want.
Dubai Golden Visa Guide: Eligible Individuals
This Dubai golden visa guide shows the list of people who are eligible for golden visa:
- 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. To acquire a golden visa, an investor must:
- They submit a letter from a UAE accredited investment fund that claims that the investor holds a AED two million deposit, or
- submission of a commercial license or an industrial license that is valid and a memorandum of association to the effect that the investor capital is not less than AED two million
- submission of a letter from the Federal Tax Authority to the effect that the investor remits to the government at least AED 250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand) per annum.
- own the invested capital fully; it should not be a loan and
- give evidence of medical insurance for himself and his family members (if any).
2. 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. The golden visa can be renewed on the same conditions and without a sponsor. Having property and acquiring Dubai golden visa is a great way to kickstart your business venture. You can easily open company in Dubai, but first you must provide:
- grant of a letter issued by the department of the respective emirate to the effect that he is owner of one or more properties the value of which does not fall below 2 million dirhams
- purchase of a property by way of a loan taken from certain local banks approved by the competent local authority.
3. Entrepreneurs
If you are an entrepreneur and own an economic project of a technical or future nature based on risk & innovation, you may get a Golden visa for a period of 5 years. This is a great opportunity for company setup in Dubai. Seek approval letters from:
- an auditor in the UAE that the value of the project is not less than 500,000 dirhams
- the emirate authorities informing them that the project is technical or future in nature
- an accredited business incubator of the UAE to set up the proposed activity within the country.
4. Outstanding specialized talents
Under new Dubai regulations, workers applying for a Golden Visa under the “Highly Skilled Professional” category have to have served the same local organization for a period of not less than two years. Individuals who had employed themselves with a different employer during the two-year period preceding the application for the Golden Visa will not qualify. Exceptional specialist skills include:
- 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.
Subjects relating to engineering and science include:
- epidemiology and viruses
- artificial intelligence
- big data
- computer engineering
- electronic engineering
- software engineering
- electrical engineering
- genetics and biotechnology engineering.
Through excellent visa services Dubai, specialized individuals who meet the requirements mentioned below may get a Golden visa for 10 years:
Doctors and scientists
- an approval Letter from the Ministry of Health and Prevention in the UAE to practice the medical profession (for physicians)
- a letter of recommendation from Emirates Council of Scientists or a letter from Secretariat of the Mohammed bin Rashid Medal for Scientific Excellence that the candidate has been granted the Medal of Scientific Excellence (for scientists).
Inventors
- A letter of recommendation from ministry of economy that your patent carries an additional value to the economy of the country.
- An approval letter from the department of culture and arts of the said emirate.
Related services
- Apply for creative talented accreditation (cultural visa) – Dubai Culture
- Obtain an endorsement certificate for creative individuals – Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism
- Obtain a golden visa request recommendation letter – Ministry of Culture and Youth
Executive Directors
- a copy of a Ministry of Education accredited university degree with educational qualifications not lower than a bachelor’s degree
- a letter of experience of at least 5 years in the same position
- a salary certificate with a minimum salary of AED 50,000
- a valid work contract.
Athletes
- A recommendation letter from general sports authority or one of the sports councils
Specialists in engineering and science
- a copy of a Bachelor’s or a Master’s degree certified by the Ministry of Education and a work contract.
5. Gaming Individuals
Dubai has introduced the Dubai Gaming Visa under the Dubai Program for Gaming 2033 (DPG33), providing a 10-year Golden Visa for gaming industry professionals. Announced by His Highness Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
To qualify, the applicants must get an accreditation certificate issued by Dubai Culture and must be over 25 years of age. Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) also provides incentives for gaming experts, further advancing the UAE’s stake in the e-sports industry.
6. Outstanding Students
High school students
If you’re a secondary student topper, i.e. at the national level (grade minimum 95 per cent, from public or private secondary schools) you’ll be issued with a Golden visa for 5 years without having to have a sponsor, with conditions:
- Release of a Ministry of Education (Emirates Schools Establishment) recommendation letter.
University students
If you are a top university student, you can be issued a Golden visa for 10 years without a sponsor if:
- the university should be graded either A or B class by Ministry of Education
- a university recommendation letter or an accredited graduation certificate or an accredited academic record indicating that the cumulative GPA of the student is not below 3.5 for A class universities and 3.8 for B class universities is produced.
- It is not more than 2 years since you graduated.
Excellent students at foreign universities can be issued a Golden visa for 10 years without a sponsor subject to the conditions that:
- The university is classified among the top 100 universities worldwide by the rating system endorsed by Ministry of Education
- The cumulative GPA of the student is not below 3.5
- It is not more than 2 years since you graduated
- Graduation certificate is accredited by the Ministry of Education
7. Humanitarian Work Category
If you are a pioneer in humanitarian work, you can obtain a Golden visa valid for 10 years. You should be one of the following categories to become a pioneer of humanitarian work:
- members and exemplary employees who have been employed in international and regional organizations for a minimum period of five years
- members and excellent workers who have worked for civil organizations and public interest institutions for a period of not less than five years
- individuals who have been awarded an appreciation award from a local, regional or international organization that is involved in humanitarian work
- financiers of humanitarian work provided that the value of the financing does not go below two million UAE dirhams or its equivalent.
- Essential Workers
Frontline workers who showed exceptional effort during crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic may also receive the Golden visa upon a recommendation by an able authority. Frontline heroes are:
- Nurses
- Medical assistants
- Lab technicians
- Pharmacologists, and
- Other cadres authorized by the frontline heroes office.