Immigration
Sponsored residence plus Golden and Green long-term visas
Most residence is employer-sponsored and renewable in two-year cycles. The Golden Visa gives ten years and the Green Visa five, both without an employer sponsor.
Key rules
- Jurisdiction — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). Dubai residence is processed through GDRFA Dubai.
- Deadline — 60 days to complete residence formalities after an entry permit is issued
- Deadline — Golden Visa valid 10 years, Green Visa 5 years, both renewable
Governing law
- Federal Decree-Law 29 of 2021 on Entry and Residence of Foreigners
- Cabinet Resolution 65 of 2022 — visa categories
- Nationality and Passports Law, Federal Law 17 of 1972, amended 2021
In practice
The Golden and Green visas were designed to break the link between residence and a single employer, and they matter because under the ordinary sponsored route losing the job ends the residence within a grace period. Golden Visa eligibility covers investors, entrepreneurs, specialised talent, outstanding students and some professionals meeting salary thresholds, and it permits self-sponsorship and family sponsorship. The 2021 nationality amendment created a narrow discretionary route to naturalisation for investors, professionals and exceptional talent by nomination, which is the first meaningful crack in a system where citizenship was effectively unavailable to residents.