UAE Golden visa: requirements for every category

ICP groups Golden Residence into six families: investors (public investment or real estate), entrepreneurs, exceptional talents (culture and arts, scientists and specialists, sports, digital technology and other fields), frontline workers, humanitarian pioneers and outstanding students. ICP describes every category as 10 years with renewal and no sponsor needed.

Investors without property, entrepreneurs and skilled employees each have their own pages in this guide; this page covers the property route and the talent, student and humanitarian categories.

Scientists, doctors, creative professionals, athletes and other talents need a recommendation from the competent body, for example the Emirates Scientists Council or the Ministry of Health and Prevention; artists qualify through awards, recognition or, for the professional tier, at least five years of experience. Skilled professionals need a UAE work permit, a degree and a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000.

Outstanding students qualify with at least 95% in grade 12 at a licensed UAE school, or a degree from a global top-100 university with a GPA of at least 3.5 within two years of graduation, or a UAE university degree with a GPA of 3.5 (category A) or 3.8 (category B). For humanitarian pioneers, ICP lists at least five years of membership or outstanding service in an international, regional, public-benefit or non-profit organisation, or monetary contributions to humanitarian work of at least AED 2 million, and asks for a university degree.

You must own one or more UAE properties worth at least AED 2 million in total, in your own name. ICP and the Ministry of Economy allow a loan from an approved local bank, and off-plan units bought from an authorised local developer count if their value reaches AED 2 million.

Rules differ by emirate. GDRFA Dubai accepts a Dubai Land Department property certificate (or a valuation from a DLD-licensed office), requires a lien on the property for the residence period, accepts mortgaged property, and requires a jointly owned share to be worth AED 2 million on its own. In Abu Dhabi, ADRO requires your own capital in the property to be at least AED 2 million: on an AED 5 million home the outstanding mortgage may not exceed AED 3 million, and off-plan buyers must show payments of at least AED 2 million to date.

GDRFA Dubai lists AED 1,100 for the Golden residence permit, plus AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, AED 10 Innovation Dirham, AED 500 for processing inside the country and AED 20 delivery; the issuance fee rises by AED 100 for each year beyond two. Expected completion is 5 working days.

Dubai property applications are handled through accredited centres named by GDRFA. Medical test, Emirates ID and insurance are paid separately.

Check your category on the ICP Smart Services eligibility tool, or ask the competent body for a nomination (talents, scientists, doctors). Submit the application with the evidence through ICP or GDRFA Dubai; in Abu Dhabi, residents use TAMM and non-residents can email the Abu Dhabi Investment Office.

Applicants who are outside the UAE receive a six-month multiple-entry visa, renewable for six months, to enter and complete the medical test, biometrics and Emirates ID.

Golden residents can sponsor a spouse, children regardless of age and parents, and domestic workers under UAE rules. If the holder dies, family members may stay until their own permits expire.

Standard residence lapses after more than six months abroad; Golden residence does not. GDRFA notes, for students, that the permit becomes void only if it expires while the holder is outside the country.