Studied abroad? Your university degree could qualify you for a UAE Golden Visa
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Graduates who earned their degrees outside the UAE can qualify for a 10-year Golden Visa, provided they meet requirements covering academic performance, university ranking and degree recognition.
The international university graduate category offers a route to long-term residency for applicants who completed their bachelor’s studies overseas. A university’s reputation alone, however, does not establish eligibility.
Under the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security’s Golden Residency criteria, applicants must have graduated from an institution ranked among the world’s top 100 under an international classification recognised by the UAE’s education authorities.
They must also have a cumulative bachelor’s degree GPA of at least 3.5 or its equivalent. Applications must be submitted within two years of graduation and the qualification must have the required UAE accreditation.
Graduates need to prepare their academic documents as well as check their university’s eligibility.
The Abu Dhabi Residents Office lists a bachelor’s degree certificate, official transcripts showing a final GPA of at least 3.5 and a UAE equivalency certificate among the documents required from overseas graduates.
Its current guidance identifies the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research as the authority responsible for degree equivalency.
Check the recognised university lists
Applicants can consult university lists published by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Abu Dhabi Residents Office.
Institutions listed include Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, the University of Oxford and the University of Cambridge.
Graduates should check the applicable recognised ranking and current eligibility requirements before submitting an application. Attendance at a well-known university does not remove the GPA, graduation-date or documentation requirements.
Eligibility does not guarantee approval
Meeting the academic conditions does not automatically result in a Golden Visa. Applicants must submit their documents for assessment through the relevant residency channel.
The Abu Dhabi Residents Office provides a Golden Visa nomination route and also directs applicants to ICP’s online services. In Dubai, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs provides a Golden Residence service for outstanding students and graduates, including those from international universities.
Applicants should follow the nomination and application procedures specified by the authority handling their request.