🇦🇪United Arab Emirates
Golden Visa
Long-term Emirates residence with no employer sponsor and no minimum stay.
Required documents
- ·Property title deed (≥ AED 2M)
- ·Or qualifying salary (≥ AED 30k/mo) and degree (specialist route)
Things to know
- ·No minimum physical presence to maintain status.
- ·Allows sponsoring an unlimited number of domestic workers.
Apostille & legalization
Consular legalizationFull consular legalization — United Arab Emirates is not a party to the Hague Apostille Convention, so the apostille shortcut does not apply.
Documents that must be legalised
- ·Diploma / academic transcript
Bank statements, employment contracts, photos, passport copies and the application form itself do not need an apostille.
- Obtain originals or certified copies of each required document.
- Have them notarised, then certified by the relevant authority in United States (U.S. Department of State — Office of Authentications).
- Submit the certified documents to the United Arab Emirates embassy or consulate in United States for consular legalization (the final stamp).
- Translate the legalised document into the official language of United Arab Emirates — translation is usually required after the consular stamp, not before.
Translation: Most documents must be translated into the local language by a certified translator. Agency translations are usually accepted.
Issuing authority in United States: U.S. Department of State — Office of Authentications
Documents older than 3–6 months are often rejected. Plan to obtain fresh originals shortly before your visa application.
Verified 2026 — confirm current rules before applying.
Other residency programs in Middle East
