UAE Announces Residency Duration for Foreigners Eligible for Golden Visa

• The UAE Golden Visa programme has named the specific occupations that make foreign nationals eligible for long-term residency
• Doctors, scientists, inventors, executives, athletes, PhD holders and creatives are among the professionals listed under the scheme
• Each qualifying category carries its own set of requirements that applicants must satisfy before a Golden Visa is granted

The UAE has outlined the professions and talent categories that can earn foreign nationals a decade-long residency permit under its Golden Visa programme, according to the country's official government portal.

The scheme targets individuals with exceptional talent or rare specialisations across a broad range of sectors, including medicine, science, invention, culture and the arts, business leadership, sports, academic research and priority engineering disciplines.

Who qualifies for a UAE Golden Visa

The list of eligible professionals covers several distinct groups. Doctors and scientists qualify, as do inventors and individuals working in cultural and artistic fields.

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Corporate executives, professional athletes, PhD holders and specialists in high-demand scientific and engineering sectors are also named among those eligible to apply.

All qualifying occupations grant the holder a residency period of 10 years, offering considerably greater stability than standard UAE residence permits, which are typically tied to employment contracts and require renewal every two to three years.

However, holding a qualifying job title alone is not sufficient. The UAE government stipulates that each subcategory carries its own specific conditions.

Depending on the profession, applicants may be required to submit recommendation letters from recognised institutions, demonstrate a defined number of years of practical experience in their field, or hold an accredited educational degree.

What Golden Visa means for foreign professionals

Introduced to attract and retain skilled individuals from around the world, the Golden Visa programme offers qualifying professionals the opportunity to establish long-term lives in the UAE without the uncertainty that shorter-term work visas typically carry.

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For professionals in fields such as medicine, engineering and the arts, the 10-year permit removes the pressure of frequent renewals and employer dependency. The programme holds particular relevance for African professionals already working in the UAE or considering relocation, as the occupations listed are common among those who have trained in medicine, technology and the sciences.

Full eligibility details and the specific requirements for each subcategory are available on the UAE's official Golden Visa portal.

UAE lists 2026 minimum salary for visa sponsorship

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the UAE had announced income thresholds that residents must meet to sponsor a visit visa for a family member or friend in 2026.

Residents who want to bring in a parent, spouse, son, or daughter, categorised as first-degree relatives, must earn a minimum monthly income of AED 4,000 (GHS 12,533) per month.

Source: YEN.com.gh