Investors • Entrepreneurs • Professionals • Exceptional Talent
The UAE Golden Residency provides qualifying investors, entrepreneurs, professionals, exceptional talents and other eligible applicants with long-term renewable residence without the need for a traditional sponsor.
Depending on the qualifying category, Golden Residency can provide five- or ten-year renewable residence together with opportunities for qualifying family members to reside in the UAE.
Start Your Assessment Discuss UAE Residency WhatsApp NKICThe UAE Golden Residency framework includes several distinct categories. Eligibility, documentation and residence duration depend on the particular category under which the applicant qualifies.
Qualifying investors owning one or more UAE properties with a combined qualifying value of at least AED 2 million may be eligible under the real-estate investor category.
Qualifying applicants may obtain Golden Residency through approved investment-fund, company-capital or other eligible public-investment routes meeting the applicable requirements.
Qualifying entrepreneurs with innovative, technology-based or future-oriented projects may be considered under the entrepreneur Golden Residency category.
Certain doctors, scientists, executives, specialists and other highly qualified professionals may qualify under designated Golden Residency categories.
Inventors, creatives, athletes and other qualifying exceptional talents may qualify subject to the approvals or endorsements applicable to their particular category.
High-achieving secondary-school and university students and graduates may qualify under designated categories when the applicable academic requirements are satisfied.
Golden Residency provides qualifying applicants with renewable long-term UAE residence under the applicable category.
Golden Residency holders do not require the traditional individual or employer sponsor applicable to many other UAE residence categories.
Golden Residency holders can obtain residence permits for qualifying spouses and children under the applicable rules.
The program supports long-term living, working, studying and investment in one of the world's major international business centres.
Real-estate investment is one of the principal Golden Residency routes. Immigration eligibility should, however, be verified separately from the commercial decision to purchase UAE property.
The current federal Golden Residency framework identifies ownership of one or more qualifying properties with a total value of at least AED 2 million for the real-estate investor category.
Golden Residency categories can have different residence periods. Applicants should confirm the applicable duration under the current federal or relevant emirate-level process when the application is made.
A letter from an accredited UAE investment fund confirming a qualifying deposit of at least AED 2 million may support the public investment route.
A qualifying commercial or industrial company investment may be considered where the applicable capital and corporate requirements are satisfied.
An owner or partner may potentially qualify where the Federal Tax Authority confirms the required annual tax contribution.
ICP's current consolidated Golden Residency guide identifies public investment as a ten-year Golden Residency category.
The UAE provides a Golden Residency category for qualifying entrepreneurs whose projects meet the applicable innovation, technology or future-oriented criteria.
ICP's current Golden Residency guide identifies an auditor's letter confirming that the project value is at least AED 500,000 among the entrepreneur-category documentation.
Meeting the project-value requirement alone does not establish eligibility. The required innovation or authority/incubator confirmation must also be considered.
Qualifying medical professionals, scientists and researchers may be eligible subject to the approvals, recommendations and professional requirements applicable to their category.
Qualifying senior executives and specialists in designated fields may be eligible when they satisfy the applicable education, experience, employment and professional criteria.
Qualifying creatives, inventors and athletes may be considered where the appropriate UAE authority provides the required endorsement or approval.
One of the principal benefits of Golden Residency is the ability of qualifying holders to obtain residence permits for their spouse and children. Each family member's identity, relationship documentation and immigration position should be reviewed as part of the overall application strategy.
Applicants should first determine whether Golden Residency is actually the most appropriate UAE immigration route for their circumstances.
Long-term sponsor-free residence for applicants who meet one of the qualifying investment, entrepreneurial, professional, academic or talent categories.
Company ownership, business establishment and other investment structures may provide alternative UAE residence options depending on the applicant's objectives.
Employment, Green Residency, remote-work and other residence categories may be more appropriate for some applicants.
Review nationality, family structure, UAE objectives and the most appropriate residence category.
Confirm the investment, property, business, professional, academic or talent requirements applicable to the selected category.
Coordinate the required investment, property, corporate, professional and family documentation with the relevant UAE professionals and authorities.
Complete the applicable federal or emirate-level immigration, medical, biometric and Emirates ID procedures.
UAE residence planning can involve immigration, real estate, corporate structuring, taxation, banking, employment and investment considerations.
NKIC coordinates the international mobility strategy with appropriately qualified UAE professionals where local legal, property, corporate, financial, investment or tax advice is required.
Complete the NKIC Online Intake Questionnaire so we can review your nationality, family composition, property or investment plans, business or professional background and UAE objectives before discussing the appropriate residence strategy.
Complete Online Intake Book a Consultation WhatsApp +41 76 818 00 66UAE residence and Golden Residency requirements can change. Eligibility depends on the applicant, qualifying category, property, investment, business activity and requirements in force at the time of application. Government guidance and emirate-level procedures may differ. Nothing on this page constitutes UAE legal, property, financial, investment or tax advice.