The Abu Dhabi Golden Visa is a long-term residency programme offering 10-year renewable visas to investors, entrepreneurs, specialised professionals, outstanding students, and other categories of exceptional talent. The programme was introduced across the UAE in 2019 and subsequently expanded in scope and eligibility criteria.
Eligibility Categories
The Golden Visa is available to several categories of applicant. Investors qualify through property investment (minimum AED 2 million) or capital investment in UAE-based enterprises. Entrepreneurs qualify through ownership of approved businesses or participation in accredited incubators and accelerators. Specialised talent includes scientists, researchers, engineers, medical professionals, and creative practitioners with demonstrated achievement in their fields. Outstanding students from UAE universities and high-performing secondary school graduates may also qualify.
The programme has been expanded multiple times since its launch, with eligibility thresholds lowered and new categories added to broaden the pool of qualifying residents.
Benefits
Golden Visa holders receive a 10-year renewable residency visa without the need for a national sponsor or employer. The visa permits holders to live, work, and study in the UAE, sponsor family members, and maintain residency even during extended periods abroad. This represents a significant departure from the standard UAE residency model, which ties visa status to employment sponsorship and limits absence periods.
Strategic Significance
The Golden Visa programme is designed to attract and retain high-value human capital. The UAE’s demographic structure — with expatriates comprising approximately 90 percent of the population — means that talent retention is an economic imperative. The traditional sponsorship model created uncertainty for long-term residents, discouraging permanent commitment to the UAE economy. The Golden Visa provides stability that encourages investment in property, business formation, and long-term professional engagement.
Scale
Since its introduction, the UAE has issued hundreds of thousands of Golden Visas across all emirates. Abu Dhabi has been particularly active in promoting the programme as part of its broader talent attraction strategy.
Role in Vision 2030
The Golden Visa supports the Abu Dhabi Economic Vision 2030’s human capital objectives. The vision calls for attracting world-class talent across priority sectors including technology, financial services, healthcare, and advanced manufacturing. By offering residency security to high-value professionals and investors, the Golden Visa reduces one of the structural barriers to talent acquisition that has historically constrained Gulf economies.