Abu Dhabi Lists 7 Categories of Foreigners Eligible for Its 10-Year Golden Visa

• Abu Dhabi officially released the full criteria for its 10-year Golden Visa scheme, targeting global talent and investors
• Authorities grouped eligible applicants into 7 distinct categories, ranging from scientists to frontline workers
• Successful Golden Visa holders gain access to family and lifestyle benefits designed to support long-term settlement in the UAE

Abu Dhabi has published the full list of criteria for its 10-year Golden Visa programme, formally identifying seven groups of foreign nationals who qualify for the long-term residency scheme.

The announcement forms part of a wider national push to position the emirate as a global centre for business, innovation, and specialised expertise.

Authorities described the programme as "a long-term residence permit offering benefits to foreign talents, allowing them to prosper in the emirate of Abu Dhabi."

The 7 groups eligible for Abu Dhabi's golden visa

Abu Dhabi has organised eligible applicants into the following categories:

Read also

Canada announces 7 skilled worker categories eligible for Express Entry in 2026

• Investors
• Entrepreneurs
• Brilliant talents
• Scientists
• Outstanding students
• Pioneers of humanitarian work
• Frontline workers

The breadth of the list signals Abu Dhabi's intention to attract not only wealthy investors and business founders, but also high-achieving academics, community contributors, and healthcare professionals who served on the frontlines.

Beyond the decade-long residency itself, successful applicants receive a range of family and lifestyle benefits.

These are designed to allow visa holders and their households to relocate and settle comfortably within the UAE, building stable, long-term futures in the emirate.

The structured benefits reflect a deliberate effort by local authorities to make Abu Dhabi genuinely competitive with other global talent destinations, where the ability to bring family members and access quality services often proves as important as the residency status itself.

For African professionals, entrepreneurs, scientists, and students who meet the eligibility requirements, the programme represents a significant opportunity to establish roots in one of the Gulf's most dynamic cities.

Read also

Thailand names 4 categories of foreigners eligible for 10-year residency visa

UAE lists 46 visa-free entry countries

Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh had reported earlier that the UAE had published a complete list of European nations whose citizens were able to enter the country without obtaining a visa in advance.

The list covered 46 countries across the continent, spanning major economies such as Germany, France, and the UK alongside smaller states like Monaco and Vatican City.

Several Eastern European and post-Soviet nations, including Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, and Georgia, also featured among the eligible countries.

Source: YEN.com.gh