Golden visas for investors and entrepreneurs

What is the UAE golden visa?

The UAE's Golden visa is a long-term residence permit offering benefits to foreign talents, allowing them to live, work or study in the UAE. Eligible individuals include investors, entrepreneurs, scientists, outstanding students, humanitarian pioneers and frontline heroes.

Types of UAE Golden visas

The Golden visa offers:

• A 5 year Green Residence visa

  
  Who is it for:
  This is for skilled professionals, freelancers, investors and entrepreneurs.
  
  Who can be added?
  Three executives and family
  
  

• A 10-year visa

  
  Who is it for?
  This is for investors and entrepreneurs
  
  Who can be added?
  Family can be added
  Domestic support staff can be added
  One executive director
  One advisor
  Business partners contributing AED2 million (approx. US$544,484)

Both allow for free UAE travel and the flexibility to live and own business in Dubai. The 10-year visa also allows for members to stay in the UAE in the event of the death of the original Golden visa holder for the term of the permit.

For the 5-year entrepreneur visa, three executives can be added to this visa as well as the applicant's family.

The 10-year long-term visa for investors can include the spouse and children irrespective of their age, sponsorship of domestic support services staff without restrictions on the number of employees, as well as one executive director and one advisor. It can also be extended to include business partners on the condition that each partner contributes AED2 million (approx. US$544,484).

There are other benefits for family members enabling individuals to stay in the UAE in the event of the death of the original holder of the Golden visa until the permit expires.

Successful Golden visa applicants from abroad are initially given a six-month visa with which they can enter the UAE, explore the opportunities, and settle. During this period, they are required to convert their temporary visa into a residency permit. There are no age or nationality restrictions for Golden visa applications.

Golden visa eligibility

Explore the requirements and eligibility criteria for investors and entrepreneurs to apply for the UAE Golden visa: 

5-year visa for property investors:

Granting a visa is subject to the following conditions:

The investor must invest in a property of a gross value of not less than AED2 million (approx. US$544,484).

The amount invested in real estate can be with a loan from certain local banks.

The property must be retained for at least two years.

The investor buys one or more off-plan properties of no less than AED2 million (approx. US$544,484). from approved local real estate companies.

5-year visa for entrepreneurs:

This category includes those having an existing project with a minimum capital of AED500,000 (approx. US$136,129), or those who have the approval of an accredited business incubator in the UAE.

10-year visa for investors

Investment may take a number of forms including:

A deposit of at least AED2 million (approx. US$544,484) in an investment fund inside the country.

Establishing a company in the UAE with a capital of not less than AED2 million (approx. US$544,484).

Partnering in an existing or a new company with a share value of not less than AED2 million (approx. US$544,484).

Having a total investment of not less than AED2 million (approx. US$544,484) in all areas mentioned, on condition that the investment in sectors other than real estate is not less than 60 per cent of the total investment.

Granting a visa is subject to the following conditions: the amount invested must not be loaned, and the investment should be retained for at least three years.

An entrepreneur should own or be a partner in a start-up registered in UAE under the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) category, generating annual revenue of not less than AED1 million (approx. US$272,280).

In addition, obtaining approval for a startup idea from an official business incubator of the Ministry of Economy or the competent local authorities is sufficient.

The person is a founder (one of the founders) of a previous entrepreneurial project(s) that was sold for a total value of not less than AED7 million (approx. US$1.9 million).

The approval of the Ministry of Economy or the competent local authorities is required for projects or ideas.