UAE Approves 10-Year Visas for International Investors, Professional Talents

The United Arab Emirates announced on Sunday a number of sweeping changes to its residency system that will make doctors, engineers, specialists working in medicine, science, research and technical fields and their families eligible for long-stay visas.

During a session chaired by Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the UAE cabinet adopted a new system of entry visas for investors and professional talents, providing them with a long-term visa for up to 10 years.

The new system will increase the chances of attracting investors and competencies to the UAE and thus increase the country's economic competitiveness globally, with global investor ownership expected to reach 100 percent by the end of the year.

The system will grant investors and talents up to 10-year residency visas for specialists, as well as five-year residency visas for students studying in the UAE and 10-year visas for exceptional students.

"The UAE will remain a global incubator for exceptional talents and a permanent destination for international investors," Sheikh Mohammed was quoted as saying by WAM news agency.

"Our open environment, tolerant values, infrastructure



and flexible legislation are the best plan to attract global investment and exceptional talents to the UAE," he added.

The new decision will also review the current residency system to extend the residency time for dependent students after they complete their university studies. This will give them the opportunity to study their practical options in the future.

The government also approved a resolution on the Hajj and Umrah system, which aims to develop regulations and procedures in line with the electronic pathway program for pilgrims in Saudi Arabia, which includes Hajj permits and permit-granting regulations.

The Cabinet also approved the restructuring of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Diplomatic Academy under the chairmanship of Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and Chairman of the Board of Trustees Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The re-formation of the UAE Committee for the Coordination of Foreign Humanitarian Assistance was also approved during the session. The committee is headed by Minister of State for International Cooperation, Reem al-Hashemi and will coordinate and organize the UAE's humanitarian response to all international humanitarian crises and situations.