United Arab Emirates
Golden Visa (Talented Individuals)
- Scientists and researchers with high citations (H-index 10+)
- Doctors with Ministry of Health approval
- Creative professionals with international recognition
- Inventors with patents of economic value
- Athletes with outstanding achievements
- Digital technology specialists
The UAE Golden Visa for Talented Individuals is a 10-year renewable residence permit for foreign nationals who demonstrate exceptional ability or outstanding achievement in fields of importance to the country. Unlike other Golden Visa categories, this stream is granted purely on merit — it requires no employment contract, minimum salary, or specific educational qualification. The program is self-sponsored, meaning no local employer or guarantor is needed, and holders are exempt from the 180-day absence rule.
Applicants must fall into one of the following talent categories and obtain a nomination or recommendation letter from the relevant UAE authority:
- Scientists and researchers: High achievements and citations. Must have a Master's or PhD from a top-ranked university with a Field Weighted Citation Index of 1.0+ and H-index of 10+ (exemption available at H-index 20+). Nominated by the Emirates Council of Scientists.
- Doctors: Must hold Ministry of Health approval to practice. Nominated by the Ministry of Health.
- Creative professionals: International recognition in culture and arts. Three tiers: Global Pioneer (international awards), Top Talent (regional recognition), and Distinguished Practitioner (5+ years with published works). Nominated by the Ministry of Culture and Youth.
- Inventors: Patents of economic value to the UAE. Nominated by the Ministry of Economy.
- Athletes: Outstanding achievements in their sport. Nominated by the General Sports Authority.
- Digital technology specialists: Nominated by the Emirates Council for Artificial Intelligence and Digital Transactions.
No minimum income or salary is required. The applicant must demonstrate financial independence (ability to support themselves without government assistance).
- Colored personal photograph
- Passport copy (valid 6+ months)
- Nomination or recommendation letter from the relevant UAE authority
- Portfolio or CV demonstrating achievements
- Health insurance copy
- Scientists additionally: academic credentials with Ministry of Education equivalency certificate, citation index and H-index documentation
- Creative professionals: samples of creative work, evidence of international recognition
- Inventors: patent certificate
The visa is granted for 10 years and renewable for the same period, provided the conditions that qualified the holder continue to be met. Updated nomination letters from the relevant authority are required for renewal.
Holders may sponsor their spouse, sons of any age, unmarried daughters of any age, parents, and unlimited domestic helpers. Family members receive residency matching the Golden Visa duration. There is no age restriction on children — a significant advantage over standard UAE residence visas. If the primary holder passes away, family members retain residency until the original visa expiry date.
The UAE does not levy personal income tax. Holders residing 90+ days (with permanent residence or employment) may apply for a Tax Residency Certificate from the Federal Tax Authority via the EmaraTax portal for AED 100, useful for claiming foreign double taxation agreement relief.
Applicants must first obtain a nomination letter from the relevant UAE authority for their talent category. With the nomination in hand, applications are submitted through the GDRFA smart services portal, ICP portal, or TAMM platform (for Abu Dhabi) using UAE Pass. Applications can also be submitted in person at Amer Service Centers.
Total fees via GDRFA Dubai are approximately AED 2,790. Processing takes 5 days for the Talented Geniuses category and 48 hours for Specialized Scientists.
Upon approval, the holder receives an entry visa and must enter the UAE to complete medical fitness test, biometric registration, and Emirates ID issuance within 60 days.
- Each talent category requires nomination from a specific UAE authority, which can be a bottleneck — nomination criteria vary by category and emirate
- Some talent sub-categories (Exceptional Talents in Other Fields, Senior Scholars, Digital Technology Talents) are listed as "currently unavailable" through the Abu Dhabi Residents Office and may only be accessible via GDRFA Dubai or ICP
- Golden Visa holders are exempt from the 180-day continuous absence rule that applies to regular residence visas
- Overstay fines are AED 50 per day
Links
Other Digital Nomad Visas in Asia
Country↑ | Program↕ | Income↕ | Investment↕ | Funds Required↕ | Capital Required↕ | Duration↕ | Dependants↕ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | Highly Skilled Migrant Programme | — | — | — | — | |||
🇦🇿 Azerbaijan | Investor Temporary Residence Permit | — | — | — | ||||
🇧🇭 Bahrain | Golden Residency Visa for Property Owners | — | — | — | ||||
🇧🇭 Bahrain | Golden Residency Visa for Talented Individuals | — | — | — | — | |||
🇧🇭 Bahrain | Self-Sponsorship Residence Permit (Investor) | — | — | — | ||||
🇧🇭 Bahrain | Self-Sponsorship Residence Permit (Property Owner) | — | — | — | ||||
🇧🇭 Bahrain | Self-Sponsorship Residence Permit (Retired Foreigner) | — | — | — | ||||
🇧🇩 Bangladesh | Investor Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇧🇹 Bhutan | Digital Nomad Residence Programme | — | — | — | ||||
🇧🇹 Bhutan | Investor Card | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇭 Cambodia | Cambodia My 2nd Home (CM2H) | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇭 Cambodia | Retirement Visa (ER Extension of Stay) | — | — | — | ||||
🇨🇳 China | Permanent Residence Permit (Investment Category) | — | — | — | ||||
🇨🇳 China | Private Affairs Residence Permit (Entrepreneurship) | — | — | — | ||||
🇬🇪 Georgia | Investment Residence Permit | — | — | — | ||||
🇬🇪 Georgia | IT Residence Permit | — | — | — | ||||
🇬🇪 Georgia | Remotely from Georgia | — | — | — | ||||
🇬🇪 Georgia | Short-Term Residence Permit (Property Ownership) | — | — | — | ||||
🇭🇰 Hong Kong | Entry for Investment as Entrepreneurs | — | — | — | ||||
🇭🇰 Hong Kong | New Capital Investment Entrant Scheme | — | — | — | ||||
🇭🇰 Hong Kong | Quality Migrant Admission Scheme | — | — | — | — | |||
🇭🇰 Hong Kong | Top Talent Pass Scheme | — | — | — | ||||
🇮🇳 India | Permanent Residency Status for Foreign Investors | — | — | — | ||||
🇮🇩 Indonesia | Golden Visa (Global Talent) | — | — | — | ||||
🇮🇩 Indonesia | Golden Visa (Investor) | — | — | — | ||||
🇮🇩 Indonesia | Remote Worker KITAS | — | — | — | ||||
🇮🇩 Indonesia | Retirement KITAS | — | — | — | ||||
🇮🇩 Indonesia | Silver Hair Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇮🇷 Iran | Investor Residence Permit | — | — | — | ||||
🇮🇷 Iran | Special Residence Permit for Non-Iranian Elites | — | — | — | — | |||
🇮🇶 Iraq | Investment Residency | — | — | — | ||||
🇮🇱 Israel | B/5 Investor Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇮🇱 Israel | Innovation Visa for Foreign Entrepreneurs | — | — | — | ||||
🇯🇵 Japan | Business Manager Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇯🇵 Japan | Designated Activities (Long Stay for Sightseeing and Recreation) | — | — | — | ||||
🇯🇵 Japan | Digital Nomad Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇯🇵 Japan | Future Creation Individual Visa (J-Find) | — | — | — | — | |||
🇯🇵 Japan | Startup Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇯🇴 Jordan | Annual Residence Permit Based on Bank Deposit | — | — | — | ||||
🇯🇴 Jordan | Citizenship by Investment | — | — | — | ||||
🇯🇴 Jordan | Residency by Investment | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | A6 Investor Visa (Golden Visa) | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | C5 Business Immigrant Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | Digital Nomad Residency | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | Neo Nomad Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇿 Kazakhstan | Permanent Residence Visa for In-Demand Professions | — | — | — | — | |||
🇰🇼 Kuwait | Investor Residency Permit | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | Digital Nomad Status | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇬 Kyrgyzstan | Investment Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇱🇦 Laos | Investor Visa (NI-B2) | — | — | — | ||||
🇱🇧 Lebanon | Annual Residence Permit (Cash Bond Deposit) | — | — | — | ||||
🇱🇧 Lebanon | Permanent Residence Permit (Financial Independence) | — | — | — | ||||
🇲🇴 Macau | Major Investment Temporary Residency | — | — | — | ||||
🇲🇴 Macau | Talent Recruitment Residence Permit | — | — | — | — | |||
🇲🇾 Malaysia | DE Rantau Nomad Pass | — | — | — | ||||
🇲🇾 Malaysia | Malaysia My Second Home (MM2H) | — | — | — | ||||
🇲🇾 Malaysia | Malaysia Tech Entrepreneur Programme (MTEP) | — | — | — | ||||
🇲🇾 Malaysia | Premium Visa Programme (PVIP) | — | — | — | ||||
🇲🇾 Malaysia | Residence Pass-Talent (RP-T) | — | — | — | ||||
🇲🇻 Maldives | Corporate Resident Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇲🇳 Mongolia | Investor Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇳🇵 Nepal | Residential Visa for Investors | — | — | — | ||||
🇳🇵 Nepal | Residential Visa for Persons of Exceptional Merit | — | — | — | — | |||
🇳🇵 Nepal | Residential Visa for Retirees | — | — | — | ||||
🇴🇲 Oman | Golden Residency Program | — | — | — | ||||
🇴🇲 Oman | Retiree Residence Card | — | — | — | ||||
🇵🇰 Pakistan | Business-Investor Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇵🇰 Pakistan | Long-Term Residency (LTR) | — | — | — | ||||
🇵🇭 Philippines | Digital Nomad Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇵🇭 Philippines | Special Investor's Resident Visa (SIRV) | — | — | — | ||||
🇵🇭 Philippines | Special Resident Retiree's Visa (SRRV) | — | — | — | ||||
🇶🇦 Qatar | Mustaqel Visa (Entrepreneur) | — | — | — | ||||
🇶🇦 Qatar | Mustaqel Visa (Talent) | — | — | — | — | |||
🇶🇦 Qatar | Real Estate Investment Residency | — | — | — | ||||
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Entrepreneur Residency | — | — | — | ||||
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Gifted Premium Residency | — | — | — | — | |||
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Investor Residency | — | — | — | ||||
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia | Real Estate Owner Residency | — | — | — | ||||
🇸🇬 Singapore | EntrePass (Entrepreneur Pass) | — | — | — | ||||
🇸🇬 Singapore | Global Investor Programme (GIP) | — | — | — | ||||
🇸🇬 Singapore | Overseas Networks & Expertise Pass (ONE Pass) | — | — | — | ||||
🇸🇬 Singapore | Tech.Pass | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇷 South Korea | D-10 Job Seeker Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇷 South Korea | Immigrant Investor Scheme for Public Business | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇷 South Korea | Permanent Residence for Overseas Pension Beneficiaries | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇷 South Korea | Technology Startup Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇷 South Korea | Tourism and Leisure Facility Investment Immigration | — | — | — | ||||
🇰🇷 South Korea | Workation (Digital Nomad) Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Colombo Port City Investor Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Condominium Investment Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Digital Nomad Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Golden Paradise Residence Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇱🇰 Sri Lanka | Individual Investor Residence Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇸🇾 Syria | Investment Residency Permit | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇼 Taiwan | Digital Nomad Visitor Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇼 Taiwan | Employment Gold Card | — | — | — | — | |||
🇹🇼 Taiwan | Entrepreneur Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇼 Taiwan | Investor Resident Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇼 Taiwan | Plum Blossom Card (Investment APRC) | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇯 Tajikistan | Investor Visa (Category C) | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇭 Thailand | Destination Thailand Visa (DTV) | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇭 Thailand | Long-Term Resident Visa (Work-from-Thailand Professionals) | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇭 Thailand | LTR Visa (Wealthy Global Citizens) | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇭 Thailand | LTR Visa (Wealthy Pensioners) | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇭 Thailand | Non-Immigrant Visa (Investment) | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇭 Thailand | Non-Immigrant Visa O-A (Long Stay) | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇭 Thailand | Non-Immigrant Visa O-X (Long Stay 10 Years) | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇭 Thailand | SMART Visa S (Startup) | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | Business Visa Class II | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇱 Timor-Leste | Investor Residence Authorization | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇷 Turkey | Citizenship by Investment | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇷 Turkey | Digital Nomad Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇷 Turkey | Short-Term Residence Permit (Tourism Purpose) | — | — | — | ||||
🇹🇷 Turkey | Turkiye TechVisa (Startup) | — | — | — | — | |||
🇹🇷 Turkey | Turquoise Card | — | — | — | — | |||
🇹🇲 Turkmenistan | Investor Residence Permit | — | — | — | ||||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Golden Visa (Entrepreneur) | — | — | — | ||||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Golden Visa (Investor) | — | — | — | ||||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Golden Visa (Talented Individuals) | — | — | — | — | |||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Green Visa (Freelancer / Self-Employed) | — | — | — | ||||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Green Visa (Investor/Partner) | — | — | — | ||||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Job Exploration Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Retirement Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates | Virtual Work Residence Permit | — | — | — | ||||
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | Golden Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | Investment Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇺🇿 Uzbekistan | IT Visa | — | — | — | ||||
🇻🇳 Vietnam | Investor Visa (DT1-DT4) | — | — | — | ||||
🇻🇳 Vietnam | Special Visa Exemption Card | — | — | — | — |