UAE Golden Visa for Indians
Your Gateway to Long-Term Residency

The UAE Golden Residency is available across five main categories. Each category carries its own eligibility criteria, visa duration, and required documents. All applicants must be over 18 years of age and have a clean criminal record.

Indians represent the largest single expatriate community in the UAE, accounting for nearly 30% of the total population. As India prohibits dual citizenship and requires renouncing an existing passport before acquiring foreign citizenship, the UAE Golden Visa is often a more practical long-term solution for Indian nationals seeking stable and independent residence in the UAE without committing to citizenship renunciation.

Indian nationals can apply for the UAE Golden Visa under all the same categories available to other nationalities. There is no nationality-based restriction. The most common routes for Indians are real estate investment, public investment, executive professional talent, doctor and engineer pathways, and the entrepreneur category.

Indian Certificate Attestation Chain for UAE Golden Visa

All educational and professional certificates issued in India must be attested through the official chain before UAE immigration authorities will accept them. GloboPrime India manages every step of this chain from our Chennai office:

1. HRD Attestation (State-level): The degree or diploma is first attested by the Human Resource Development department of the issuing state – Tamil Nadu HRD, Kerala HRD, Karnataka HRD, Andhra Pradesh HRD, Maharashtra, etc. This is the mandatory first step for educational certificates.
2. MEA Apostille (Ministry of External Affairs, New Delhi): Once HRD-attested, the document goes to the MEA in New Delhi for Apostille or attestation. India joined the Hague Convention, so an MEA Apostille is issued for most educational and personal documents.
3. UAE Embassy Attestation in India: After the MEA Apostille, the document is submitted to the UAE Embassy in New Delhi or the UAE Consulate General in Mumbai for further attestation confirming acceptance by UAE authorities.
4. UAE MOFA Attestation (in UAE): The final step is attestation by the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MOFAIC) in the UAE, making the document fully valid for submission to UAE immigration, ICP, and GDRFA.

The investment route is the most commonly pursued path to UAE Golden Residency, particularly among Indian investors and NRIs who are already resident in the UAE or investing from India.

Real Estate Investment (5-Year Golden Visa)

• The property must be valued at AED 2 million or more at the time of application.
• The property must be fully owned – properties purchased on mortgage do not qualify unless the paid portion of the property value reaches AED 2 million.
• Ownership must be registered with the relevant Real Estate Registration Department (Dubai Land Department for Dubai properties; ADREC for Abu Dhabi).
• Multiple properties can be combined to reach the AED 2 million threshold, provided all are fully registered under the applicant’s name.
• Off-plan properties from approved developers may qualify subject to approval from the relevant authority in each emirate.

Public Investment (10-Year Golden Visa)

• A letter from an approved UAE investment fund confirming a deposit or investment of no less than AED 2 million.
• Alternatively, a valid commercial or industrial license with Articles of Association showing paid-up capital of at least AED 2 million.
• Or a letter from the Federal Tax Authority confirming the applicant pays a minimum of AED 250,000 in annual corporate tax.

The Exceptional Talent and Rare Specializations category covers a wide range of professionals. Each sub-category has a specific sponsoring authority and documentary requirements. Indian professionals are among the most frequent applicants in this category.

Indian applicants can initiate the full UAE Golden Visa process from India. The application is processed through ICP Smart Services (for non-Dubai visas) or GDRFA Dubai (for Dubai-issued visas). GloboPrime India manages all India-side steps from our Chennai office and coordinates with our Dubai team for UAE-side steps.

1. Eligibility assessment: Confirm which category you qualify under. GloboPrime India conducts a free assessment – call +91 44 4203 3480.
2. Obtain qualifying document: Property ownership letter, investment fund letter, MOHAP approval, salary certificate, or ministry recommendation – depending on category.
3. Indian certificate attestation: All Indian-issued degrees and certificates must be attested through HRD (state-level), MEA Apostille (New Delhi), UAE Embassy attestation (New Delhi or Mumbai), and UAE MOFA attestation. GloboPrime India manages the full chain.
4. Medical fitness certificate: Complete a medical fitness test at an ICP-approved health center in the UAE after arrival on a valid entry permit.
5. Submit application online: Log into ICP Smart Services or GDRFA Smart Services using UAE Pass. Upload all documents and pay the applicable government fees.
6. Ministry nomination (if required): For talent and creative categories, GloboPrime guides the nomination process with the relevant UAE ministry.
7. Emirates ID issuance: Once the Golden Visa is approved, issue or renew Emirates ID through the ICP portal or an approved typing center.
8. Residence visa stamp: Golden Residence visa stamp is placed in the passport at an ICP or GDRFA service center, completing the residency process.

Documents Required by All Applicants (All Categories)

• Valid passport with minimum 6 months validity
• Recent passport-size photograph against white background
• Valid UAE residence visa copy (if already resident in the UAE)
• Emirates ID copy (if applicable)
• Medical fitness certificate from an ICP-approved health center in UAE
• Valid health insurance policy covering the UAE
• UAE ICP Entry and Exit Movement Statement (travel history report)

Additional Documents by Category

• Real estate investors: Property ownership letter from the Real Estate Registration Department; proof of UAE residence
• Public investment investors: Investment fund confirmation letter or commercial license with Articles of Association; or Federal Tax Authority letter confirming AED 250,000+ annual tax
• Entrepreneurs: Certified auditor letter confirming project value; incubator or authority letter confirming innovative nature of project
• Exceptional talent: Relevant ministry recommendation or approval letter; attested degree and experience certificates – for Indian applicants, full HRD + MEA + UAE Embassy + UAE MOFA attestation chain required
• Outstanding students: Ministry of Education recommendation (high school) or university recommendation/graduation certificate (university); proof of financial capability and housing
• Humanitarian pioneers: Certificates of appreciation; proof of volunteer hours or humanitarian contribution; documentation of financial support for humanitarian initiatives

• Real estate investor applications where all property documents and attestations are ready typically complete in 5 to 10 working days from submission.
• Public investment and business investor applications typically take 7 to 15 working days, depending on fund confirmation times.
• Exceptional talent applications that require a ministry nomination letter may take 2 to 6 weeks, as the ministry recommendation step runs independently of the ICP or GDRFA application.
• Entrepreneur applications requiring incubator letters or auditor certificates may take 3 to 8 weeks depending on business incubator turnaround.
• Student and graduate applications typically complete in 5 to 10 working days from submission with a complete file.
• Indian certificate attestation lead time: The HRD, MEA, UAE Embassy, and UAE MOFA chain typically takes 3 to 6 weeks for educational certificates depending on the issuing state and current processing volumes. GloboPrime India initiates this chain in parallel with other application steps to minimize total timeline.

The UAE Golden Visa process for Indian applicants involves two parallel workstreams – the Indian certificate attestation chain (HRD, MEA, UAE Embassy, UAE MOFA) and the UAE immigration application (ICP or GDRFA). GloboPrime is one of the few companies with offices in both Chennai and Dubai, managing both workstreams simultaneously.

• India office in Chennai managing the full attestation chain: We handle HRD attestation across all Indian states, MEA Apostille from New Delhi, UAE Embassy attestation in India, and UAE MOFA attestation without you needing to travel or manage multiple agencies.
• Free pickup and delivery in Chennai: Send us your original documents. We pick up, process, and return them to your address in Chennai with no additional courier charges.
• Dubai office for UAE-side steps: Our Dubai team handles the ICP or GDRFA application, medical test coordination, and Emirates ID issuance, giving you a single point of contact across both countries.
• Correct portal confirmed first: We identify whether your application goes through ICP Smart Services or GDRFA Dubai before a single form is completed.
• All document types covered: We handle degree certificates, marriage certificates, experience certificates, police clearance certificates, and UAE equivalency certificates as linked services in a single request.
• Transparent pricing: Full fee breakdown including government fees, attestation costs, and service charges provided upfront. No hidden charges.
• 4.9 stars on Google: One of the highest-rated attestation and visa services companies across India and the UAE.