UAE Golden Visas for Stundent

Introduced in 2019, the Golden Visa UAE has quickly become a known phenomenon around the world, especially among those who look forward to staying in the UAE for various opportunities.

This new visa allows students, scientists, individuals of exceptional talents, and more from other countries to study in the UAE with long-term residency benefits. With this type of visa, you can have a 10-year stay in the emirates and even renew it later.

This visa, expectedly, has piqued the curiosity of students as well. The UAE has numerous eminent universities and facilities that attract students from various regions of the world. So if you are wondering how to apply for Golden Visa UAE for students, or simply wish to know more about this visa, please continue reading the article below!

What is the Golden Visa UAE?

As we saw earlier, the Golden Visa is a type of visa that allows individuals from outside the UAE to stay in the country for the long term. If you belong to any of the categories listed by the Government (excellent student, scientist, frontline worker, investor, and more) and fulfil the prescribed criteria, you can enjoy a long-term residency without requiring a sponsor in the UAE.

Here are some categories of individuals that have been allowed under the Golden Visa scheme-

Outstanding students/university graduates
Investors (public /real estate)
Businesspersons
Specialists in engineering and science
Scientists
Specialised talents
Creative Specialists
Athletes
Humanitarian pioneers
Frontline heroes

Golden Visas have several advantages over other visa types, owing to their unique features and benefits. For instance, a standard resident visa gets cancelled if the holder spends more than six months outside the UAE. With a Golden Visa, however, the visa would remain valid even if the visa holder stays outside the UAE for more than 6 months.

Golden Visa UAE Application for Students

If you are a student outside the UAE and want to enrol in universities in the UAE, you would be required to obtain a student visa in the UAE.

Based on the admission letter from the concerned university in UAE, you can contact the university as a student for assistance regarding visa. A university can make the required arrangements to get a residency visa from the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA). Generally, student visas (with a validity of one year that can be renewed) are sponsored by the university in UAE.

Students who want to get enrolled in a university in the UAE based on their excellence in academics can apply for a Golden Visa. With other documents, they must submit the university's recommendation letter, an accredited graduation certificate, or academic records to show the average cumulative grade points. In this case, applicants can opt for self-sponsoring.

What is the Golden Visa UAE validity?

One of the core features of the UAE Golden Visa is how it permits long-term residency in the UAE. This type of visa for students can be issued for 10 years and can be renewed if the conditions for the same are fulfilled by the student.

Eligibility Criteria for a Student Golden Visa

Outstanding students of any recognised UAE high school, UAE-based university, or belonging to any of the top 100 universities around the world (as recognised by the Ministry of Education UAE) can apply for the Golden Visa. The eligibility criteria would include the student’s academic performance (cumulative average), the university classification, the year of graduation, and more.

You would be required to fulfil the following criteria to be eligible for Golden Visa UAE if you are one such student –

1. For Graduates from Universities in the UAE

A degree of Bachelor's, Master's, or PhD from an accredited university classified as A or B by the Ministry of Education UAE.
Your GPA must be more than 3.5 for A-classified universities and 3.8 for B-classified universities
You must have passed less than two years ago

2. For Graduates from Universities Outside the UAE

The university must be among the top 100 international universities as per the classification of the Ministry of Education (MoE)
Your GPA must be more than 3.5
You must have graduated less than two years ago
The degree must be attested by the MoE

Documents Required for Student Golden Visa UAE

While searching for the answer to how to apply for Golden Visa UAE for students, it’s important to be aware of the required documents as well.

Here are a few documents that may be required to get a student visa in the UAE-

Admission letter from the university
Passport
Biometrics
Medical test reports for fitness
health insurance - local or non-local health insurance recognised in UAE. Non-residents may obtain local health insurance by providing a signed undertaking form.
Emirates ID or ID card registration form

What are the Benefits of a Golden Visa?

Golden Visa can bring several exclusive advantages compared to other visas. For instance, you can sponsor the residence of your family (spouse and children) if you hold a Golden Visa. This visa also removes any limitation on the number of domestic helpers that you can sponsor. Moreover, even if you stay outside the UAE for more than 6 months, your visa wouldn’t be cancelled.

Where and How to Apply for Golden Visa UAE for students?

The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) provides digital services for the Golden Residency in the UAE. You can apply online at its official website (icp.gov.ae) or through the smart application called ICA UAE Smart.

Here is how to apply for Golden Visa UAE for students –

Step 1: Log into the website and the Service. If you have not yet been nominated, you would be required to make a new Nomination Request For a Golden Residence at the official website of the ICP.
Step 2: Fill in the information in the specified fields – this includes personal details and the category under which you want to be registered.
Step 3: Upload the required documents as per the applicable category, which would be ‘student’ in this case.
Step 4: Pay the service fees online on a secure electronic portal as per the category you are applying for.
Step 5: Submit the application

What are the Charges for the Golden Visa?

For individuals in the UAE, the Golden Visa cost can range between AED 2,800 and AED 3,800. For individuals outside the UAE, this range would be between AED 3,800 and AED 4,800.

The exact amount would depend on the category that you fall under. The above-mentioned ranges are not exhaustive, as further fees can be applied such as a fee for medical examination and Emirates ID processing (around AED 1,000). Additionally, you would be required to purchase UAE health insurance, which may vary in cost with different insurance companies.

In case the Federal Authority rejects the application for Identity and Citizenship, the applicant can get a refund after a deduction of the cancellation fee.

Key Takeaways

If you are a student and want to have a long stay in the UAE, whether for work or further studies, you can apply for a Golden Visa. With easy-to-fulfil documentation requirements and eligibility criteria, you can easily complete your application and enjoy benefits with respect to sponsorship requirements, sponsoring your family’s residence, staying outside the UAE, and more.

Before starting your application, don’t forget to have a look at the eligibility parameters and the documents required for the same. Being aware of details regarding these can help you speed up your application and minimise the chances of error.

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