In 2025, the UAE announced a massive expansion of the Golden Visa program aiming to attract even more talent and investor categories. The additional categories added to the Golden Visa include some new benefits that give the visa a further boost, along with easing the application submission.
More Profession Inclusions
The Golden Visa has been broadened to include the following professional groups as of 2025:
- Educators: Teachers and education professionals with exceptional qualifications are now eligible for a Golden Visa.
- Gaming Professionals: Noting the surge of e-sports and gaming in our entertainment space, professionals and specialists may now claim the long-term residency they had never enjoyed before.
- Luxury Yacht Owners: Individuals of high net worth that invest in luxury yachts are included in the new criteria.
For Real Estate Investors In New Investment Criteria
The UAE reviewed the previous investment requirements for real estate investors in their quest to be a Golden Visa holder:
- Property Value Threshold: AED 2 million worth of property was property that an investor would have to own from now on.
- Off-Plan Properties: Off-plan properties are now eligible for investors as long as they have paid 50% in value or secured a bank guarantee for the remaining amount.
Upgraded Benefits for Golden Visa Holders
Golden Visa holders are endowed with unique benefits that include
- Lengthened Residency: Residence permits that are renewable, valid for 10 years and are open to holders for living, working, and studying without the need for a national sponsor.
- Family Sponsorship: The right to sponsor immediate family members, including both the spouse and any children, irrespective of their ages.
- Residence Flexibility: Inability to run out of the duration of the residency permit; they are free to be outside the UAE for months and years on end.
Simplified Process on How to Apply
A more streamlined application process has been introduced by the government as measures to enhance the Golden Visa application:
- ‘One Touch’ Service: This is an all-encompassing chrono service designed to simplify application and renewal processes. ‘One Touch’ assists the investor in visa issuance, allowing them back to the right residency time, and then at one time checks the recipient’s legal status in the field before the issuance of residency and identity documents.
The changes in the Golden Visa system revealed in 2025 underscore the UAE’s long-term perspective for attracting diverse talent and investments. In its proposition for innovation, education, and extravagant companies, the UAE viewed a further expansion of the eligibility and an increase in the bi-products of benefits.
