UAE is one of the best places to visit, and people worldwide have it on their travel bucket list. Therefore, the government has introduced a golden visa UAE to meet people’s wishes and attract golden minds to visit and live in the United Arab Emirates. A long-term immigration facility enabling foreign talents to study, live, and work in the Emirates to get permission.

Thus, an exclusive permit allows investors, scientists, frontline heroes, and outstanding graduates to enjoy exclusive benefits through their gold passport. However, golden visa requirements are that easy to meet.

UAE Golden Visa Benefits

A Golden Visa is an arrangement by the government to attract good minds to the country by offering them exclusive benefits, including the following. Other passport types do not enjoy these facilities.

A long-term, renewable permit with a validity of 5 to 10 years
No need for any sponsor
Ability to sponsor unlimited domestic helpers
Offers full ownership of the business
Flexible multiple entries are allowed in addition to the first six-month entry document.
Empowers holders to sponsor family members, including children
If the primary holder dies, the family can stay in the country until the expiry of their permit

Golden Visa Requirements

To apply for a platinum document, you must understand the requirements before formally applying. It is better to meet golden visa requirements instead of getting rejected.

Before we mention requirements, eligible individuals can apply for work permits.

Investors
Entrepreneurs
Specialized talents
Students
Pioneers of humanitarian work
Frontline heroes

Let us now look at the requirements for each category mentioned above.

Investors

You can get immigration by investing in public or real estate investments. However, there are certain limits and requirements which, once fulfilled, will make you eligible for a special visa.

Public Investments

You can get a 10-year visa without a sponsor if you meet the criteria below by investing in public investment funds.

You must deposit AED 2 million in a based investment fund and get it accredited through a letter of confirmation from the same fund or
Submit a valid commercial license or industrial license of the company’s incorporation contract where the investor’s capital in not less than AED 2M or
Investing an amount of AED 2 million (not financed by a loan) in an existing or new company as a partner or
Submitting a confirmation letter by the land department of the respective state stating that the total value of your owned properties/property is not less than AED 2 million
A letter from the Federal Tax Authority confirming the annual tax payment of the investor is no less than AED 250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand) and
Evidence of medical insurance coverage of both the investor and family will also accompany the golden visa application made by an investor and
The invested money is rightly owned by the investor and not obtained through a loan.

Real Estate Investment

Investors willing to invest in Emirati real estate can get a special visa for 5 years by submitting the following documents. Moreover, you can own a single property or a group of properties.

Submit a confirmation letter from the Real Estate Registration Department of the respective state stating that the total value of your owned properties/property is not less than AED 2 million.
Property purchased through a loan from designated banks as approved by the competent local authority.
Proof of housing in the country (house rental contract or home ownership).

Entrepreneurs

An entrepreneur can get a golden visa for 5 years if they own an economic project of a technical nature. In addition, you must fulfill and submit the documents below to become eligible for residency through the entrepreneur category.

A confirmation letter from a Dubai-based auditor confirming that the project value is not less than AED 500,000.
A confirmation letter from concerned emirate authorities endorsing that the project is of a technical or future nature.
An accredited business incubator based in the United Arab Emirates to vet and implement proposed projects.
A valid passport copy.
A valid copy of the health insurance card (validity at least one year).
Proof of housing in the country (house rental contract/home ownership).

Specialized Talents

The special immigration permit UAE is not limited to capital only; if you are special and can invest your brain into the upbringing of society through knowledge and specialized tasks, the government acknowledges such talents.

Here is a list of outstanding specialized talents:

Doctors and scientists
Executive directors
Athletes
Inventors
Creative people of art and culture
Doctoral degree holders
Specialists in the field of science and engineering

You can get a permit for 10 years if you meet any of the mentioned talents. Let us further explore each talent and its requirements.

Doctors and Scientists

Doctors and scientists can submit the documents below to become eligible for a visa application.

Approval letter issued by the Ministry of Health of the Arab Emirates to practice medicine profession (doctor).
Recommendation from the Emirates Council of Scientists or the Secretariat of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Award for Academic Excellence mentioning that the applicant is a recipient of the Academic Excellence Medal (Scholars).
A valid passport copy.
A valid health insurance card (with an expiry of over a year).

Executive Directors

An organization’s executive director can apply for a golden visa by submitting the following documents.

Holding a certified degree from a university approved by the Ministry of Education.
Experience letter of more than 5 years in the same capacity.
A salary slip not less than AED 50,000.
A valid work permit.
A valid passport copy.
A valid health insurance card (with an expiry of over a year).

Athletes

All athletes who excel in certain sports can apply for a special visa by fulfilling the following requirements.

A recommendation letter from the General Sports Authority or one of the sports council.
A valid passport copy.
A valid health insurance card (with an expiry of over one year).

Inventors / Creative Individuals

All those inventors and creative individuals looking to get a UAE golden visa must meet the below-mentioned requirements.

Inventor whose patent is approved by the Ministry of Economy, stating it has added value to the country’s economy (inventors).
Approval letter from the Department of Culture and Arts (creative individuals from art and culture).
A valid passport copy.
A valid health insurance card (with an expiry of over one year).

Doctoral / Engineering and Science Specialists

Doctoral degree holders and engineering-related specialists seeking visas must furnish the below documents.

A verified copy of PhD certificate from the Ministry of Education in priority disciplines (doctoral).
Copy of verified bachelor’s or master’s degree from Ministry of Education (Engineering and Science specialists).
A valid passport copy.
A valid health insurance card (with an expiry of over one year).

Students

Outstanding performing students can apply for an Emirati visa for 10 years after fulfilling the criteria below.

High School Students

High school students aiming for a protocol document must meet the criteria below. The expiry of a gold student visa is 5 years for high school students without needing a sponsor inside the Arab Emirates. However, authorities can extend the license’s expiry date upon completion of 5 years.

Recommendation letter from the Ministry of Education.
Must be a national-level topper (95% grading from a public or private university).
Student’s stay will be extended if he/she has enrolled for a degree over five years.

University Students

All outstanding universities aiming to get a visa can have it for 10 years without a sponsor if:

Universities must belong to the A or B category defined by the Ministry of Education.
Students’ cumulative GPA is not less than 3.5 for A-listed universities, while 3.8 for B-class.
Graduation is not more than 2 years old.
International students’ universities must rank amongst the best 100 universities according to the global rating system and be recognized by the Ministry of Education.
The Ministry of Education verifies the graduation certificate.

Pioneers of Humanitarian Work

Suppose you consider yourself a pioneer of humanitarian work and intend to apply for a residency permit in the UAE. In that case, you must fall amongst the following categories to get your 10-year golden visa.

Outstanding employees with 5 years of experience at international and regional organizations.
Outstanding employees with 5 years of experience in civil associations and institutions of public interest.
You have received an appreciation award for humanitarian work from a local, regional, or international organization.
The support value determined by humanitarian work funders should accumulate to AED 2 million or equivalent.

Frontline Heroes

Individuals who have contributed extraordinary efforts in crises like COVID-19 can also get a golden visa. However, a recommendation from a competent authority is required. The following individuals fall under frontline heroes.

Nurses
Medical assistants
Lab technicians
Pharmacologists

Golden Visa UAE Application Process

You must apply for a Special category passport if you are among the abovementioned categories. Furthermore, the application process is very simple and does not require much ado. Moreover, it takes around one month to approve your nomination and another two weeks to process your golden visa.

You can apply for a UAE platinum permit by following the steps below:

Step 1: Visit ICA Website

Go to the Federal Authority for Identification and Citizenship (ICA) website by clicking on this link: Golden Visa Services.

Step 2: Choose your Category

Choose your Category For Golden Residence

If you fall under any of the sections mentioned above but do not have a nomination, apply by choosing your category from the given menu:

Visa to Finalize the Procedures of Golden Residency
Nomination Request For Golden Residence – New Request
Graduates Of Accredited Universities Outside UAE – New Form
Graduates Of Accredited Universities In UAE – New Issue
High School’s Top Ranked Students In UAE – Latest Edition
Investor In Public Investments – Make a New Issue
Investor In Real Estate – New Issues
Entrepreneur – Now!
Persons Who Are Talented Pioneers – Begin new initiatives
Frontline Heroes – New Edition

Step 3: Start Service

After selecting your preferred category, apply by clicking the Start Service Button.

Step 4: Applicant Information

You need to provide the following information under the applicant information tab:

Applicant English Name
Applicant Arabic Name
Mobile Number
Email
Preferred Language

Note: To avoid rejection, please fill out all fields accurately, including occupation, mother’s name, phone numbers, and email addresses.

Step 5: Request Reason

Select the best reason for your Golden Visa application request from the drop-down menu. Make sure it is relevant; otherwise, the application may be rejected.

Step 6: Service Beneficiary Details

It is necessary to provide the Unified number and the following details:

Choose Identifier: Unified No. OR File Number
Unified No.
Issuance department

Step 7: Personal Information

Ensure that all your details are entered accurately in the appropriate fields:

Name (English)
Name (Arabic)
Current Nationality
Previous Nationality
Occupation
Gender
Date of Birth (DD/MM/YYYY)
Country of Birth
English City Of Birth
Arabic City Of Birth
Passport Number
Passport Type
Passport Issue Place (English)
Passport Issue Place (Arabic)
Passport Country of Issue
Passport Date of Issue (DD/MM/YYYY)
Passport Expiry Date (DD/MM/YYYY)
Religion
Faith
Marital Status
Qualification
Mother Name (English)
Mother Name (Arabic)
Visit Reason
Email

Step 8: UAE Address Details

Provide your inside country address details, including the following:

Emirate
City
Area
Detailed Address
Building / Hotel
P.O. BOX
Residence Tel – 00971 – UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Office Tel – 00971 – UNITED ARAB EMIRATES
Mobile Number

Step 9: Outside UAE Details

If you reside outside of the United Arab Emirates, you must provide the following information:

Permanent Country
Detailed Address Outside Emirates
Permanent Mobile Number

Step 10: Verify Applicant

Under the verify applicant tab, checkmark the captcha box, click Next button, and provide the requested details, including:

Attachments Info
Review Application
Application Fees

Alternative Methods for UAE Golden Visa

If you prefer, you can also apply for a green card through the following channels.

Special Service – You can call “You are Special” 24/7 at 8005111 to apply for a golden visa by providing information as enquired over call.
One Touch- The UAE government has also launched the “One Touch” electronic service to simplify the process.
ICP App – Apply through the ICP app available on Google Play Store and App Store.

UAE Golden Visa Application Status Check

The Federal Authority for Identification and Citizenship (ICA) now offers smart services from the comfort of your home for checking special permit applications. Hence, you no longer need to visit immigration offices and wait in long lines to check your processing status. Just follow these steps to do so:

Step 1: Golden Ticket Tracking

Firstly, click this link to track your Golden Visa application by the Federal Authority for Identification and Citizenship (ICA): Golden Application tracking.

Step 2: Enter Details

Under the Application Tracking Section, provide the following details:

Search By – Email Request OR Submission Date
Email
Request Number

Step 3: Tap Search

You must now mark the captcha box and click the Search button.

Step 4: Application Status

Upon clicking the search button, you will see your application status, which may have been accepted or rejected.

You can also use the Check Visa Status service to verify the validity of your UAE visa and to track your application.

FAQs

How long does the nomination process for golden visa take place?

Generally, it takes 30 days to complete the nomination process for a golden visa. Therefore, You will receive an email confirming your nomination and requesting to upload relevant documents for approval.

Further, the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship will take around 2 weeks to process your passport after uploading the documents. Hence, you will get a temporary one-month document to convert your residence status to a resident if you are currently in the UAE.

Can retirees get a golden visa in UAE?

Yes! Persons over 55 can get a 5-year extendable passport if they meet the following criteria.

Invest AED 2 million in property
Have savings of no less than AED 1 million
Have an active income of AED 20,000 per month

Who is eligible for a UAE golden visa?

Although the eligibility criteria for a green visa depend on the nature of the category you are applying for. However, the general eligibility criteria is mentioned below.

Non-UAE national
Have a valid passport
Have a clean criminal record
Meet specific requirements as set out by the relevant authority

What is the cost of a Golden Residence Card UAE?

The cost varies depending on the nature of the immigration document. However, the latest general cost is as follows:

Public investor – AED 5M
Real estate investor – AED 2M
Entrepreneur – AED 500,000
Students – AED 100,000
Retirees – AED 2M

Final Thoughts

Golden Visa UAE is a privilege for which many individuals strive. Moreover, it is a long-term residence permit awarded to outstanding individuals like students, inventors, scientists, doctors, and foreign investors. However, platinum certificate applications for each category require individuals to meet certain criteria.

Likewise, if you meet the defined parameters, you can apply through the ICP website or mobile app or call the helpline. Moreover, the general stay limit for visitors is 5 or 10 years, depending on the status. Similarly, the general cost for investors is to invest AED 2M in the UAE. At the same time, students can avail of a special passport if they achieve a 3.5 CGPA from A-category universities.

Also, the gold card holders do not need sponsors; they can sponsor their families. We wish you good luck with your Golden Citizenship application.