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.
Golden Visa UAE: Everything You Need to Know
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.
What Is the Golden Visa in the UAE?
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.
Benefits of a UAE Golden Visa
You Don’t Need a Local Sponsor
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.
You Can Own 100% of Your Business
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.
You Can Add Other People to Your Visa
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.
You Can Travel Freely to and from the UAE
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!
Additional Benefits for Golden Visa Holders in Different Emirates
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.
Am I Eligible for a UAE Golden Visa?
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.
Applying for a Golden Visa in UAE
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.
