A Guide on How to Get a UAE Golden Visa and Citizenship in 2024

The initiative Golden Visa UAE is a program that grants people a long-term residency in the country of the United Arab Emirates. There are several eligible individuals who can enjoy the benefits of the UAE Golden Visa. These people include real estate investors, entrepreneurs, students, selected talents, and more. Their benefits include:

• A renewable residency permit with five to ten-year limit
• No need to have a sponsor or resident support
• Significantly fewer requirements during their stay in the country
• Being able to sponsor a family relative and domestic helpers
• No personal income tax is required

When applying for Golden Visa UAE, here are the steps you need to follow. The processing for this program is very easy and convenient in the UAE. As long as you have all the requirements at hand, you can have a straightforward process for the golden visa. 

Step 1 – Secure your UAE Entry Visa

To apply for the Golden Visa, you need to have an entry visa first. This is if your country requires it. You can easily apply for this online through certified websites. After you arrive in the country, you can now follow the other steps.

Step 2 – Complete your Investment or Requirements

You need to finalize your investments, whether in real estate, bank accounts, or investment funds. Other eligible persons can prepare all their needed requirements for application. 

This will serve as evidence for your eligibility to apply for Golden Visa UAE. You also need to prepare other necessary documents to push through with your application. The number of documents needed depends on which eligibility category you fall into. Eligible people who can apply are:

Investors

• Entrepreneurs
• Outstanding Talents
• Foreign Students

Step 3 – Legalizing of Documents

All documents needed for your application have to be notarized. Additionally, these should all be written in Arabic. For this, you need to have a certified translation for your documents before proceeding to the next step. 

Step 4 – Go Through Medical Checkup

After you have ticked off the previous steps, you need to go through a comprehensive medical checkup. This applies to you and any family members if they are included in your application. This aims to determine if you have a socially dangerous medical illness before you can proceed with your application.

Step 5 – Officially Start Your Golden Visa UAE Application

After going through the documents you need and passing the medical exam, you can continue with your application. You can submit this application online through specific portals on the GDRFA or ABUDHABI website. Afterwards, they will send you a notice of the status of your application either through email or SMS. If you are missing a document, you still have 30 days to pass this. Once done, you will receive the approval notification.

The UAE Golden Visa processing time normally takes around 30 days, give or take.

There are factors that influence how quickly the processing time takes for your application. For example, if you are an investor who included your family members in the application, you need a multi-entry permit. This would usually take up to 7 days.

There are also other factors that come to play in this matter. 

Applicant Type

Due to the varying applicant eligibility and requirements, they will also have different processing time. Other applications might have more requirements hence, more time needed to look it over.

Nationality

Diplomatic considerations or additional security checks may also play a part in the processing time. Some applicants in certain countries may experience faster processes than others.

Immigration History

If you have a clean immigration record, you might have a chance for faster processing time. In contrast, others might need to pass through rigorous background checks before they get approved.

Correctness and Completeness of Submitted Documents If you have submitted complete and correct document requirements, you may experience less waiting time for your approval.

Eligible people who can apply for a Golden Visa are grouped into categories. They can either be real estate investors, non-real estate investors, entrepreneurs, talents, students, and others. There are particular minimum requirements that people who want to apply for the Golden Visa need to know. After you have ticked all the boxes in these basic requirements, you will have to be guided to specific requirements. Applications for UAE Golden Visa will depend highly on the background, purpose for applying, and so on.

These are the minimum requirements for a UAE Golden Visa:

• You need to be of legal age at 18 years old.
• You will need to have a notarized copy of your passport.
• You must have no criminal history.
• You must not have any health issues that are highly transmittable.
• You need to have health insurance.

Specific requirements for the UAE Golden Visa would highly depend on which category you fall into.

There are specific requirements you need to fulfill based on your eligibility category. It is different with investors, foreign students, entrepreneurs, and other talents.

Real Estate Investors

Foreign nationals who own real estate properties in the country may be granted a Golden Visa UAE. This Golden Visa will provide them with a renewable ten-year residency limit. They can buy these properties through a loan, provided that it does not exceed 50% of the property value. They can file these loans with specific local banks.

Here are the specific requirements you can present during the application:

• You may provide a provision letter from Dubai Land Department (DLD). This will declare that you own one or more properties in the country. These properties should have a value of more than AED 2 million or USD 545k.
• You can present a DLD permission letter or one from another emirate where your property settles.

Other Investment Ventures

Other than real estate investments, there are other types of investments that are eligible for Golden Visa UAE application. These investments can be categorized into three different types, investor or partner, tax collection, and bank deposit. Let’s discuss the requirements for application within these three categories.

Investor (Partner)

• Trade permit together with the appendix of the investor
• Financial document or report from the previous tax year
• A valid certificate from the free zone area with the financial information of the partner
• Financial statement (from the previous six months) 
• UAE’s Federal Tax Authority registration document. The transaction values must be more than AED 100k or USD 27k per year.
• If applicable, a property ownership proof

Tax Collection

• Documentation proof from the Federal Tax Authority affirming your partnership with certain establishments.
• Proof that you paid your taxes to the UAE government with taxes amounting to more than AED 250,000.
• A verified commercial license with an appendix of the partner

Bank Deposits

• Proof that the investor is the sole owner of the deposited money. 
• Proof of residency in any emirate in the UAE 
• Documentation proof of at least AED 2 million in a local bank in the UAE. It can be an acknowledged UAE investment fund accredited by Sukuk or the Ministry of Finance.

Entrepreneurs

Businesses or any projects owned by foreign entrepreneurs can apply for the Golden Visa UAE with a five-year limit. These projects must have a technical or future nature to them. Entrepreneurs must secure approvals from these entities:

• Federal entity in any emirate to confirm the nature of the business 
• A certified UAE-based auditor is required to validate that your venture or project has a value of or more than AED 500k.
• Licensed business incubator within the country to ensure support for your business venture.

Outstanding Talents

Specialized talents are acknowledged in Abu Dhabi and Dubai’s Golden Visa initiative. These can be:

• Scientists
• Doctors
• Inventors
• Artists
• Executives
• Specialists within the engineering and scientific field
• Doctoral degree holders
• Athletes

These outstanding talents have the privilege to have a chance in having a ten year Golden Visa UAE. These are the following specific eligibility requirements they need to accomplish.