30 July 2026 · Overview
What Is the UAE Golden Visa
The UAE Golden Visa is a long-term, renewable residence permit — typically 10 years for investors, professionals and specialists, and 5 years for entrepreneurs — that lets holders live, work and study in the UAE without a national or employer sponsor. Unlike a standard employment visa, it survives a job change or company closure, allows extended stays abroad without cancellation, and lets the holder sponsor a spouse, children and domestic staff on the same long-term basis. It is issued through five broad routes — property investors, public investors and business owners, skilled professionals, entrepreneurs, and specialists or outstanding talent — each judged on its own evidence rather than a single formula.
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Why it is prized
A Golden Visa is not simply a longer visa stamp — it changes the legal relationship between the holder and the UAE. Because it is not tied to an employer or a national sponsor, holders keep their residency status even if they change jobs, resign, or wind down a company, which is not possible on a standard employment or investor visa. It also removes the usual six-month absence rule that can void other UAE residence permits, so holders who travel or live abroad for long stretches do not risk losing status.
- Long-term, renewable residency (5 or 10 years).
- Not tied to an employer or a UAE national sponsor.
- Sponsor spouse, children and domestic staff.
- Extended stays abroad allowed without cancellation.
- Residency survives a job change or business closure.
- Supports a UAE Tax Residency Certificate application.
The main categories
Eligibility runs across five broad routes, and most applicants qualify through only one. Property and public investors bring capital into UAE real estate or approved funds; business owners qualify through a trading company's revenue; skilled professionals qualify on salary and qualification; entrepreneurs qualify on an approved project; and specialists, scientists and top students qualify on recognised achievement rather than money. Each route has its own evidence trail, so the right starting point depends on what you already have — property, a company, a job offer, or a project — rather than which route sounds most prestigious.
- Property and public investors (from AED 2 million).
- Business owners via company revenue or investment.
- Skilled professionals (from AED 30,000/month salary).
- Entrepreneurs with an approved project (AED 500,000+).
- Specialists, scientists, doctors and outstanding talent.
- Top students and university graduates.
How it differs from a standard UAE visa
Most UAE residence visas are sponsored — by an employer, a UAE national, or a free zone licence — and end when that sponsorship ends. A Golden Visa holder sponsors themselves, so resigning from a job, selling a company, or letting a trade licence lapse does not automatically cancel the visa, provided the qualifying basis (the property, the investment, or the credential) is still in place. This independence is what makes it attractive to investors and senior professionals who want residency that does not depend on staying with one employer.
- No employer or national sponsor required.
- Visa is tied to your qualifying asset or credential, not a job.
- Can be held alongside employment, a company, or retirement.
- Cancellation risk shifts from job status to ongoing eligibility.
Legal basis and renewal
Long-term residence in the UAE sits under Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 on entry and residence of foreigners and its Executive Regulation, implemented federally by the ICP and, in Dubai, by the GDRFA. Category thresholds are set and updated administratively, which is why the qualifying figures can change between years — the property route's 2026 rule change is a recent example. Renewal is not automatic: holders should keep evidence of the qualifying basis current, since the same test that got the visa issued is applied again at renewal.
- Governed by Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 and its Executive Regulation.
- Administered federally by the ICP, and by GDRFA in Dubai.
- Category thresholds can be updated administratively over time.
- Renewal re-tests the same qualifying basis used at issuance.
Related guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers to the questions we hear most often before someone commits to a Golden Visa route.
How long is the Golden Visa?
It is typically issued for 10 years to investors, business owners, professionals and specialists, and for 5 years to entrepreneurs. Both terms are renewable, provided the qualifying basis — the property, the investment, the salary, or the project — is still valid at renewal.
Can I sponsor my family?
Yes. Golden Visa holders can sponsor a spouse, children (including sons above the standard dependency age, in defined circumstances) and domestic staff, all on residence that mirrors the holder's own long-term status rather than the shorter terms typical of standard sponsorship.
Do I need a national sponsor?
No. This is one of the defining features of the visa — unlike most UAE residence categories, the Golden Visa does not require a UAE national sponsor or an employer sponsor, which is why it survives a change of job or company.
What happens if I lose my job after getting a Golden Visa?
Nothing changes automatically. Because the visa is not employer-sponsored, resigning or being made redundant does not cancel it — the visa remains tied to whichever qualifying basis, such as property, investment or credential, got it issued in the first place.
Can I be outside the UAE for long periods?
Yes. The Golden Visa is designed to allow extended absences without the automatic cancellation that applies to some other UAE residence visas, which suits investors and business owners who split time between the UAE and elsewhere.
Is the Golden Visa the same as a Tax Residency Certificate?
No. The Golden Visa is a residence permit; a Tax Residency Certificate is a separate document with its own day-count and ties tests. Long-term residence supports a TRC application, but the two are assessed independently.
Can Exiloz assess my eligibility?
Yes. We review your property, business, salary or project against the current category thresholds, identify the strongest route, and prepare the supporting evidence before you submit anything to the ICP or GDRFA.
Can I hold a Golden Visa and still work for a company?
Yes. The Golden Visa does not restrict employment — a holder can work for any employer, run a business, or do both, since the visa's validity depends on the qualifying basis rather than a specific job. This is different from a standard employment visa, which is cancelled the moment the sponsoring employment ends.
Is the Golden Visa for you?
Exiloz assesses your eligibility for the UAE Golden Visa.