Thrive in Abu Dhabi: 5 and 10-Year Visas for Talented Expats to Settle in the UAE’s Capital
As part of its effort to encourage talents, professionals, students, and investors, to settle down in the UAE capital Abu Dhabi, the emirate launched ‘Thrive in Abu Dhabi’ campaign highlighting long-term visas and paths to citizenship that are available for expats who are working, creating, studying, or investing in priority sectors such as healthcare, real estate, culture, and research and development (R&D).
Building on the city’s five-year Culture Sector Strategy which was unveiled in November 2019, the campaign aims to preserve Abu Dhabi’s cultural heritage, increase awareness and engagement with cultural arts; stimulate creativity, promote and enhance Abu Dhabi’s culture sector, and eventually contribute to the emirate’s economic growth and diversification.
Investors are eligible for a 10-year-visa, and are classified into two types: Investor visa, for those who invest in non-real estate projects and companies in Abu Dhabi, and Real Estate Investor visa – for the ones who invest in real estate in Abu Dhabi, as long as they fulfill the announced criteria. On the other hand, entrepreneurs are eligible for a 5-year visa if they have an existing project with capital of minimum AED 500,000, or have approval of an accredited business incubator in Abu Dhabi. The city also offers a 10-year-visa for talented doctors, scientists, creatives, innovators, executive directors, educators, athletes, engineers, and PhD holders.
Those interested can learn more about eligibility, criteria, and requirements of Abu Dhabi’s Golden Visa here.
