How do I obtain an investor Golden Visa in Abu Dhabi

How do I obtain an investor Golden Visa in Abu Dhabi

- Jade Wong

“Thrive in Abu Dhabi” is the name of the initiative rolled out by the government of Abu Dhabi aimed at making the emirate home for more investors and entrepreneurs. The program promotes long-term residency via “Golden Visas” where international investors are invited to live, set up, and run their own business within Abu Dhabi for up to 10 years and beyond.

With the added benefit of 100% ownership in the Freezones and more relaxed ownership laws, cost reductions and incentives implemented recently in the mainland, Abu Dhabi is creating a favourable environment for high-net-worth investors, entrepreneurs and innovators to thrive and grow.

For more on other long-term visas offered by the government of the UAE please see our previous article on the topic: www.propartnergroup.com/blog/2019/01/long-term-visa

For investors, entrepreneurs, and property owners to qualify for the Abu Dhabi Golden Visa they must meet the following set of criteria:

General Investors

To obtain a 10-year Golden Visa, general investors are required to fulfil the following conditions:

  1. Ownership of a company with AED 10m share capital, with 60% of the capital value in non-real estate assets
  2. Provided proof of full ownership of the investment. Assets under loan or mortgages are not accepted unless investment rights are reserved for a minimum of 3 years with provided proof
  3. Investment hold period of at least 3 years
  4. Comprehensive documentation of personal and family insurance
  5. Regular annual federal government tax payment of AED 25,000 or more.

Real Estate Investors

For UAE real estate investors, the conditions for obtaining a Golden Visa are similar. Investors need to provide evidence of Abu Dhabi unmortgaged property investment of AED 2m or more.

A real estate investor Golden Visa has a validity of 5 years until renewal.

Golden Visas can be renewed every 5 years as long as the investor continues to meet the required criteria.

Entrepreneurs

Entrepreneurs are eligible for applying for a 5-year Golden Visa if they satisfy one or more of the following criteria:

  1. Owning a project worth AED 500k or more with the relevant government accreditation certificates.
  2. Authenticating their entrepreneurship experience with relevant documentation.
  3. Having the legal responsibility and willingness to set up a business and relocate to mainland Abu Dhabi.
  4. Having a clear understanding and planning of the ongoing entrepreneurial venture with relevant documentation.
  5. Demonstrating authentic entrepreneurial experience with relevant documentation.

Required documents

Applying for either a 5-year or 10-year Gold Visa investors need to provide the following documents:

  1. Passport copy
  2. Passport photo
  3. Emirates ID and existing UAE resident Visa

Depending on the visa type applied for, investors are required to provide the following additional documents, depending on the owned assets:

  1. Proof of investment
  2. Bank statements for proof of deposit and value in UAE
  3. Property valuation certificate from the Department of Urban Planning and Municipalities

Additional validation documents that certify that the property or the investment have not been loaned or mortgaged.

Application process

There are two methods for investors to apply for long term investor Golden Visa:

  1. Direct via the eChannel system in Abu Dhabi with MOI (Ministry of Interior) portal:
    1. Setting up and obtaining pre-approval for the Golden Visa application
    2. Start the eChannel portal service from the ‘Visit Visa for Investors’ section
    3. Choose the correct desired Golden Visa
    4. Complete the application forms and uploading the necessary documents
    5. Await approval
    6. Once approved then undertake standard New Visa process, or transfer of Visa onto the Golden Visa

  2. Through an authorised PRO company in Abu Dhabi such as PRO Partner Group

PRO Partner Group (PPG) can assist you in collating the required documentation, choosing the ideal desired Golden Visa to meet your criteria and then we can assist you fully with the application for a Golden Visa. Once approved PPG can then assist you fully from A to Z with the standard visa processing for yourself and your family as required. Note that obtaining a Golden Visa is subject to the approval process. Please contact us below for further information.

Approximate registration costs

When applying through a standard Visa processing centre in Abu Dhabi the standard government costs for a 5 or 10 year visa are as follows:

  1. Visa cancellation: AED 165
  2. Entry permit: AED 400
  3. Change of status: AED 625
  4. Issuing new visa: AED 1,400 (for 10-year visa) and AED 900 (for 5-year visa)
  5. Emirates ID: AED 1,075 (for 10-year visa) and AED 575 (for 5-year visa)

Please note that these fees are an indicative estimate and are subject to change. Fees will also vary depending on if you are applying from inside or outside the UAE. There are additional fees for document preparation, foreign document and qualification attestation, legal translation, medical fees, health insurance and other third party costs that may be required to prepare the documents and process to apply for a Golden Visa.

It is always advisable to seek professional assistance when setting up a resident visa for business purposes. At PRO Partner Group we have extensive experience in processing visa applications with all the relevant government authorities and required departments. We can act as your government liaison agent or ‘PRO’ and liaise on your behave with local authorities to ensure a swift and seamless registration, application and Visa processing.

We expect that Abu Dhabi’s Golden Visa scheme will bring about significant positive changes to the region’s various business sectors and its global perception, opening up the emirate to allow more foreign nationals to settle and create businesses in Abu Dhabi.

The new Golden Visa rules will encourage expatriates to consider long-term future options in terms of domicile and professional occupation with a greater sense of permanency. Thus, long-term residents will be more inclined to buy residential property, office space and other commercial premises to operate their businesses. This has the added benefit of driving additional property sales as well as creating a sense of stability and security in the market.

Overall, the UAE Golden Visa program could be a game-changer for the business landscape as more and more investors will be driven to settle and set up their business in the country. It is at this stage that professional help in business formation is essential.

How can PRO Partner Group help?

Whilst applying for an Abu Dhabi Golden Visa can be relatively straightforward, many pitfalls can be avoided by seeking professional help. At PRO Partner Group, our team of expert advisors can help with the registration process throughout all the required steps. If you need assistance looking at the options to obtain an Abu Dhabi Golden Visa please get in touch with us on +971 (0)2 448 5120 for Abu Dhabi, email us at info@propartnergroup.com, or complete the contact form below and we will be delighted to assist you.

Get in touch with Jade Wong

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