The UAE Golden Visa Programme

Some Key Facts About UAE

Population: The UAE Population Is 9.8 Million, Made up of 200+ Nationalities
Currency: The Emirati Dirham is the official currency of the UAE, abbreviated officially as AED.
Capital City: Abu Dhabi, city and capital of Abu Dhabi emirate.
Languages: The Official Language of the UAE Is Arabic
Although many residents speak English, the official language of the UAE is Modern Standard Arabic.
Climate: The United Arab Emirates has an arid climate with very dry, hot and humid summers from April to September and generally warm and dry conditions in winter from October to March.
GDP: The economy of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the 4th largest in the Middle East , with a gross domestic product (GDP) of US $498 billion (AED 1.83 trillion) in 2023.

About UAEs

The United Arab Emirates is situated in the Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman and the Persian Gulf, between Oman and Saudi Arabia.

The United Arab Emirates comprises seven emirates. The Emirate of Dubai is the most populous emirate with 35.6% of the UAE population. The Emirate of Abu Dhabi has 31.2%, meaning that over two-thirds of the UAE population lives in either Abu Dhabi or Dubai.

Abu Dhabi has an area of 67,340 square kilometers (26,000 square miles), which is 86.7% of the country's total area, excluding the islands. It has a coastline extending for more than 400 km (250 mi) and is divided for administrative purposes into three major regions.

What is the UAE Golden Visa?

The UAE Residency and Entry Scheme have recently been amended, expanding the opportunities for individuals who previously were not eligible, to now be able to obtain the UAE long-term residency permit. One of the easiest and straightforward investment criteria, is the purchase of a qualifying property, which allows investors to obtain this extremely sought after status, giving them and their family members the right to live, work and study in the UAE, one of the most important business hubs and destinations in the world.

What are the benefits of obtaining the Golden Visa?

• Ability to live, work and study in the UAE: A country which boasts a large international community with excellent education opportunities, infrastructure and high standards of living
• Extended validity: Residency permit validity of a maximum of 10 years, unlike other UAE Immigration visas which are valid for only 2-3 years
• Extended time outside of the UAE: Applicants can remain outside the UAE for longer than 6 months and keep their Golden visa status, unlike other UAE Immigration permits
• No sponsorship needed: The applicant has the privilege of not needing a UAE sponsor and sponsorship, in order to apply for and maintain the Golden visa
• Residency for family members: The Golden visa allows the Main applicant to include a spouse, parents and children up to the age of 25, as well as an unlimited number of domestic helpers
• Favorable tax scheme: For tax residents of the UAE who are holders of the Golden visa, no income tax, no capital gains tax, no wealth tax, no inheritance tax and very minimal corporate tax is applicable
• Receive the Esaad Privilege Card as a gift: This initiative enables cardholders to benefit from extensive discounts and offerings across several sectors (7000+ businesses and brands) in the Emirates and across the world (92 other countries) such as flights, automobiles, health-related services, residential, education, food catering, restaurants and entertainment, hotels and tourism, travel, shopping and more.

Does the UAE Golden Visa offer permanent residency?

No, the Golden Visa is a long-term residence scheme that is renewable every 10 years, depending on the category of the visa, and upon meeting the eligibility criteria.

What are the requirments to obtain the Golden Visa?

There are a variety of ways to obtain the UAE long-term Golden Visa, and the program is available to various categories of applicants. Whether a professional, entrepreneur or investor, one of the easiest and most straightforward investment routes, is the purchase of a qualifying real estate property. Other options include the investment into a fund, owning an economic project of a technical nature based on risk and innovation, or possessing outstanding professional and specialized talent.

What are the standard transaction costs associated with applying for the Golden Visa?

Costs include Golden Visa Processing costs, medical assessment costs, private Health Insurance costs, Real Estate Acquisition costs, if proceeding with this route, and Legal/Professional fees. If proceeding with the real estate investment option, property acquisition costs are also applicable, and once a property is selected, Holborn shall calculate the exact costs.