DUBAI: Dubai has announced that it will grant its highly coveted long-term residency visa, called the Golden Visa, to preachers, imams, and religious researchers who meet certain conditions.
The Dubai Crown Prince, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, decided to extend the eligible candidates for the decade-long residency permit.
The latest inclusion covers preachers, muezzins, muftis, religious researchers, and mosque imams. Eligible candidates must have spent at least twenty years in their role in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
The UAE’s Golden Visa program is designed to attract and retain foreign talents, providing people with the opportunity to live, work, or study there.
It offers visa holders the autonomy to reside in the UAE without needing a sponsor, the ability to work outside the country for extended periods without compromising the validity date of their visa status, and the ability to sponsor family members.
Dubai Golden Visa program
The program was previously limited to investors in the public sector and real estate, outstanding specialized talents, entrepreneurs, inventors, doctors, scientists, and creatives in art and culture.
However, the program has been expanded three years later to cover more professions and businesspersons. The recent inclusion of imams, preachers, and religious researchers demonstrates the UAE’s commitment to recognizing the important contributions of religious leaders to society.
The announcement came just before Eid-ul-Fitr, an occasion celebrated by Muslims worldwide as it marks the end of the month-long sunrise-to-sunset fasting period known as Ramadan.
In addition to the Golden Visa announcement, the Dubai Crown Prince also announced a financial award to mark the Islamic occasion, the amount of which has not been disclosed.
Expatriates in the UAE highly seek the Golden Visa program, as it provides them with long-term security and stability in the country.
Including imams, preachers, and religious researchers in the program are expected to further enhance the UAE’s reputation as a tolerant and inclusive society that values the contributions of all members, regardless of their profession or background.
