In recent years, the UAE has become more and more welcoming to expatriates looking to commit to living and working in the country for a longer time horizon. One such mechanism is the ‘Golden Visa’, a long-term residence visa that negates the need of a national/work sponsor. This particular pathway provides the option to continue living in the UAE if your work contract (and, subsequently, residence visa) ends–which normally only includes a 6-month grace period before needing to leave the country. The Golden Visa is therefore an extraordinary step in providing long-term security as it is akin to permanent residency due to its renewable nature. While there are multiple categories of eligibility, this article is meant to be a guide specifically for the 10-year Golden Visa in the University Graduate category, often referred to as ‘Outstanding Students’.

While I will not get into the multiple reasons to want to apply for the Golden Visa, I will share that I decided to apply after updates announced in mid-April, 2022, describing expanded Golden Residence rules which included: 10-year renewable residence; Duration of stay outside the UAE not nullifying the Golden Residence; No sponsor or employer required; Residence for family members including spouse and children with no age limit.

Investigation of my eligibility on the web portal made it clear that the University Graduates category was only open to university graduates from the Class of 2019 and beyond. Additionally, these graduates had to fulfill the below criteria: Must be a graduate of an accredited university in Abu Dhabi; OR (a new provision) Graduates of the best 100 universities worldwide; Have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.8/4.0.

Reviewing these criteria, I felt more urgency to apply. Moreover, as an NYU Abu Dhabi staff member working as Student Life’s A5 Residential College Director at the time, I had already gone through the multiple steps required post-graduation to attest my NYUAD degree (which also involved equivalency and attestation of my secondary school certifications). Attestation of my degree was something not clearly written on the web portal as a prerequisite for the Golden Visa application, but it seems to be a very important step in ensuring there are no roadblocks when applying. Degree attestation is its own article, but essentially it involves securing equivalency from the UAE Ministry of Education. If you are reading this as an NYUAD student and still have access to the NYUAD Student Portal, I recommend reviewing those resources as well. Degree attestation is generally needed in order to work in the UAE.

Instructions for the Golden Visa application process were hard to track down, particularly as rules were being updated. As an NYUAD employee, I leveraged the instructions provided by our internal Intranet breakdown (accessible for NYUAD employees here) and began my process on the Federal Authority for Identity & Citizenship, Customs & Port Security Smart Services website, also known as ICP Smart Services.

Applying for the UAE Golden Visa as a University Graduate:

Conclusively, the digitization of the Golden Visa application service was incredibly effective in making this process efficient, trackable, and tangible. I applaud this accessibility and feel that the UAE government should be lauded for its efforts in digitizing these platforms and processes. I likewise had a very supportive employer through NYUAD Immigration to help guide me on next steps. I also want to note that while the ICP Smart Services website is extremely convenient, there were some technical difficulties with data entry. I recommend saving forms as drafts if this is the case, or reaching out on the website for support.

The only in-person steps needed were the mandatory medical fitness test and the collection of Emirates ID. I also had the continuous support of my Immigration contacts for follow-up questions and guidance, so I recommend speaking with your local sponsor as you move through the steps. From start to finish, I completed my Nomination Request for Golden Residence on April 22, 2022, and received my new Golden Card Emirates ID on May 23, 2022 (this included a five-business day administrative holiday for Eid al-Fitr).

Reflecting on what the Golden Visa means, being able to continue living, working and building a life in the United Arab Emirates with more long-term security is truly an extraordinary development for expatriates. This structured and intentional access provides the same type of opportunities that I saw NYU Abu Dhabi offering in the early 2010s. It is a mutual investment that encourages not only citizen participation but true devotion to mutual success and prosperity. This mentality is what initially drew me to the UAE and what inspired me to author a memoir about my own journey to NYUAD. I am very grateful for receiving the UAE Golden Visa and to New York University Abu Dhabi for all of the opportunities it has created for me; first as a student, then as an employee, and now as a recipient of this long-term residency due to the irreplaceable foundation it has provided for my future. My hope is that you, too, are able to harness this opportunity in the spirit of continued collaboration and synergy that the UAE invests in.