Investors, entrepreneurs, people with exceptional talent, scientists and specialists, skilled professionals, outstanding students and humanitarian pioneers. The Golden Visa is a long-term, renewable UAE residence permit, valid for five or ten years, that needs no sponsor.
Each category has its own test. Some depend on a figure you can check today, such as property value or salary. Others depend on a nomination from a government body. NXTSTAR tells you which category you fit and handles the application.
Last reviewed: by the NXTSTAR team.
Rules are set by the authority and can change. Confirm the current position before you apply.
What the Golden Visa gives you
- A long-term, renewable residence visa.
- No sponsor or employer needed to hold it.
- The ability to stay outside the UAE for longer than the usual six months without losing residence.
- The ability to sponsor family members, including your spouse and children.
Categories you can check yourself
- Property investors: property worth at least AED 2,000,000.
- Business investors: a company share or bank deposit of at least AED 2,000,000, or tax payments of at least AED 250,000 a year.
- Skilled professionals and executives: a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000, with a degree and a professional-level job.
- Students and graduates: grade thresholds set by the authorities.
Categories that need a nomination
- Entrepreneurs with innovative projects: Dubai Future Foundation, in Dubai.
- Content creators and people of culture and art: Ministry of Culture, Dubai Culture or the UAE Media Council.
- Doctors and health specialists: the health ministry or local health authority.
- Scientists and researchers: the Emirates Council of Scholars.
- Inventors and innovators: the Ministry of Economy or relevant local authority.
- Athletes: the Ministry of Sports or the Dubai Sports Council.
A nomination does not guarantee the visa. GDRFA Dubai says the final decision rests with the immigration authority.
Where you apply
In Dubai, applications go to the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), online or at an Amer centre. In the other emirates they go to the federal authority, ICP. The conditions on these pages are the ones GDRFA Dubai publishes.
What NXTSTAR does, and what we do not
We assess your category, list the documents you are missing, prepare nomination requests where one is needed, and submit the visa and family applications.
We do not issue nominations or approvals, and we do not promise an outcome. The authorities decide.
Common questions
How long is a Golden Visa valid?
Five or ten years depending on the category, and it is renewable while you continue to meet the conditions.
Do I need a job or a sponsor?
No. The federal portal lists not needing a sponsor as one of the visa's benefits. Some categories do require an employment contract as evidence.
Can I live outside the UAE and keep it?
Golden Visa holders are exempt from the rule that cancels residence after 180 days abroad.
Which category is easiest?
The ones with a clear figure: property value, company share, or a salary of at least AED 30,000. Nomination routes depend on another body's decision.
How much does NXTSTAR charge?
We do not publish prices. Ask us for a written quote that separates government fees from our service fee.
Sources
The rules on this page come from the authority's own published material, checked on 6 October 2026.
Not sure which category you fit?
Tell us what you want to do and we will tell you which route fits, what it involves and what we would need from you.