Can a UAE Golden Visa holder travel outside the UAE freely?
Golden Visa
UAE Golden Visa is a residence visa granted to foreign investors and talented individuals to enable them to live in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It is a unique programme that allows individuals from various backgrounds to invest their capital and expertise in the country. Upon completing the required steps, the individual will be granted a residency visa valid for up to 10 years. The visa holder will have access to top-quality healthcare and education, while also enjoying the UAE’s favourable tax environment.
In addition, the visa holder will be allowed to bring their family along and enjoy the same benefits as UAE citizens. Moreover, they will be eligible to apply for citizenship after a certain period of time. As a result, the Golden Visa UAE programme is one of the most attractive in the world.
The visa will not require the holder to be employed by any local entity and will give them greater flexibility in their professional life. This is especially beneficial for founders and executives, who can enjoy the freedom of working with a global company. Moreover, the visa will allow them to have more control over their investments and personal lives.
Can a UAE Golden Visa holder travel outside the UAE freely?
Despite being one of the most developed countries in the world, the UAE remains an affordable place to live, with low costs for housing and food. The UAE also has a high quality of life, ranking 24th in the Global Peace Index and offering a combination of strict Islamic values with Western culture and freedoms. The country’s strategic location, robust infrastructure, economic stability and political stability are some of the reasons why it has become a popular destination for international investors and talents.
As the UAE’s Golden Visa scheme grows, more and more individuals are seeking to relocate to the country for a better quality of life. This is largely due to the fact that it offers many different investment and visa options for top talent and entrepreneurs, allowing them to have more control over their lives. Furthermore, the visa is not tied to a specific company or employer and will not expire if the business fails.
The country’s government has launched a number of initiatives to promote its Golden Visa scheme and attract investment from a wide range of international nationalities. Some of these initiatives include easing the requirements for investors, lowering the minimum required investment amount and expanding the eligibility criteria to cover more professionals.
Those who want to obtain a Golden Visa can either do it online through the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship — ICA (the eChannel for residency and citizenship) or offline through the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs — GDRFA. The former enables online applications only, while the latter enables both online and offline applications.
The list of qualifications that can apply for a UAE Golden Visa is quite extensive, including doctors, scientists, creative people of culture and art, inventors, executive directors, athletes and doctoral degree holders. This includes specialists in fields such as epidemiology and viruses, artificial intelligence, big data, computer/electronic/software engineering, electrical engineering and genetics and biotechnology.