By dubailife 
**Who Can Apply for the Golden Visa?**
Following updates announced in 2022 under the UAE Residence and Entry Scheme, more individuals are now eligible to apply for the golden residence visa.
The following categories of people can apply:
– Investors
– Entrepreneurs
– Exceptional talents
– Scientists and professionals
– Outstanding students and graduates
– Humanitarian pioneers
– Frontline heroes
**Details for Each Category:**
1. **Investors:**
– If you own property in the UAE, you can qualify for a golden visa by purchasing real estate worth at least Dhs2 million.
– The visa is available for properties valued at Dhs2 million or more, regardless of whether they are off-plan, completed, or mortgaged, with no minimum down payment required.
– You may also be eligible if you have made significant public investments, such as a Dhs2 million deposit in a company’s capital, are a partner with at least Dhs2 million in capital, or if you pay the government Dhs250,000 annually in taxes.
– Several banks, including Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank, Ajman Bank, Al Maryah Community Bank, First Abu Dhabi Bank, and RAKBank, offer the incentive of a golden visa for deposits of Dhs2 million.
2. **Entrepreneurs:**
– Real estate entrepreneurs can apply for the golden visa if they meet one or more of the following conditions:
– Be a partner in or own a start-up registered as a small and medium enterprise (SME) in the UAE, generating annual revenues of at least Dhs1 million.
– Have founded and sold an entrepreneurial project for over Dhs7 million.
– Have official approval for a start-up from a recognized business incubator.
3. **Exceptional Talents:**
– Individuals with exceptional talents in areas such as invention, innovation, culture, art, sports, and digital technology can apply for the golden visa regardless of their educational background, employment status, salary, or professional level.
– A recommendation or approval from a federal or local government entity is required, applicable to professionals like doctors, athletes, inventors, and artists.
4. **Scientists:**
– Scientists and researchers with significant achievements can apply if recommended by the Emirates Scientists Council.
– Candidates should hold a PhD or Master’s Degree in engineering, technology, life sciences, or natural sciences from top global universities and have notable research accomplishments.
– High-level professionals, such as CEOs or business leaders, may also qualify if they are classified as skilled labor in the top two professional levels by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, with a minimum basic salary of Dhs30,000 per month.
5. **Professionals:**
– Highly skilled workers with advanced educational qualifications and professional experience can apply across various disciplines, including medicine, science, engineering, IT, business, law, culture, and social sciences.
– Applicants must have an employment contract in the UAE, be classified in the top two occupational levels by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, hold at least a Bachelor’s Degree, and earn a basic salary of Dhs30,000 per month.
6. **Outstanding Students and Graduates:**
– Exceptional students in the UAE’s secondary schools and outstanding graduates from UAE universities or the top 100 universities worldwide can apply.
– Eligibility criteria include academic performance, cumulative grade average, year of graduation, and university ranking.
– Students from top global universities with a GPA of 3.5 or higher, and students in the UAE with a GPA of 3.8 or higher, can apply. High school students with at least 95% average grades are also eligible, and their families can be included in the visa.
7. **Humanitarian Pioneers:**
– Those who have made significant contributions to humanitarian work may qualify under several criteria, such as:
– Working for at least five years in international or regional organizations.
– Being an outstanding employee in a civil association or public interest institution for least five years.
– Receiving an appreciation award from a humanitarian organization.
– Volunteering for at least five years or completing 500 hours of service.
– Funding humanitarian work valued at Dhs2 million.
– Being nominated by a minister as a humanitarian pioneer.
– Holding a relevant university degree and meeting additional requirements set by a ministry or authority.
8. **Frontline Heroes:**
– Healthcare workers and other frontline professionals who have served in extraordinary circumstances, such as during the COVID-19 pandemic, are also eligible to apply for the golden visa.
**How to Apply for a UAE Golden Visa:**
If you fall into one of these categories, you may be eligible for a UAE golden visa. If you’re unsure, you can use the UAE government’s eligibility tool to determine your eligibility.
Once confirmed, head to the golden services section on the same website to request a nomination.
Source : Timeoutdubai