UAE: Change in salary requirement causes spike in Golden Visa demand
Ever since the UAE decreased the salary requirement for Golden Visas for skilled professionals, the demand for the long-term residency has skyrocketed. Arabian Business Centre (Amer Centre – Sheikh Zayed Road) in Dubai has been issuing about 30-40 Golden Visas daily since the scheme was expanded back in October.
Firosekhan, operations manager at the centre, said most of the applications they handle are for professionals and businessmen. “This year, we have issued more than 12,000 long-term residency visas.”
As part of the expanded Golden Visa scheme, more skilled professionals can get the long-term residency, with the minimum monthly salary requirement dropping from Dh50,000 to Dh30,000. Disciplines include medicine, sciences and engineering, information technology, business and administration, education, law, culture and social sciences.
The applicants should have a valid employment contract in the UAE, and be classified in the first or second occupational level as per the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation system. The minimum educational level is a bachelor’s degree or equivalent.
According to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), over 151,600 Golden Visas were issued in Dubai between 2019 and 2022. This is expected to go up significantly now that more categories of expatriates can get the coveted visa.
Typing centre agents said that the 10-year residency is the most popular among residents after the Advanced Visa System went into force.
For applicants within the UAE, the visa costs between Dh2,800 and Dh3,800. Among the new benefits that its holders enjoy are:
- Staying outside the UAE for over six months won’t affect the validity of residency.
- They can sponsor parents on the long-term residency.
- They can sponsor children without any age limits.
- There is no cap on the number of support staff they can sponsor.
