United Arab Emirates · Talent schemes
United Arab Emirates Golden · Top students
First stay: 10 yrs
Golden Residency - Outstanding Students and Graduates
Checked against official sources on Change log
Key facts
Golden · Top students is a talent schemes route for United Arab Emirates. Checked 2026-10-12 against the official source.
- Government fees
- AED 100 ≈ $27 · +2 more
- First stay
- 10 yrs
Cost, time and long term
Government feesAED 100 ≈ $27 · +2 more
- AED 100 (≈ $27)Application fee for the Golden Residence residence service.
- AED 100 (≈ $27)Smart service fee.
- AED 100 a year (≈ $27)Residence issuance fee per year of validity (AED 1,000 (≈ $270) for 10 years).
RenewalRenewable
Ten-year residence with automatic renewal and no sponsor needed.
Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security
Where to applyAbroad or in-country
If you are outside the UAE you receive a six-month multiple-entry entry visa, renewable once for six months, to complete the procedures.
Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security
Presence rulesStay rule
Holders can stay outside the UAE for longer than the usual six months that would otherwise cancel a residence visa.
Why this route may not fit
Check this before you apply.
- Needs earlier residence or an existing status in United Arab Emirates
What you'll need
Who can apply5
- Secondary school students hold a Grade 12 certificate attested by the Ministry of Education with a minimum grade of 95% or equivalent.
- International university graduates hold a bachelor's degree from a world top-100 university per the ranking the Ministry of Education recognises.
- International graduates have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 and graduated within the last two years.
- UAE university graduates come from a Category A university with a GPA of at least 3.5 out of 4.0, or Category B with at least 3.8 out of 4.0.
- UAE graduates graduated within two years.
What you must show and pay3
- A fee of AED 100 (≈ $27) · Application fee for the Golden Residence residence service.
- A fee of AED 100 (≈ $27) · Smart service fee.
- A fee of AED 100 a year (≈ $27) · Residence issuance fee per year of validity (AED 1,000 (≈ $270) for 10 years).
When you become tax resident
How United Arab Emirates decides tax residence and treats foreign-source income, from its tax records.
- Stay on this route
10 years at first, renewable
- Tax residence
- At least 183 days in 12 consecutive months
- At least 90 days in 12 consecutive monthsApplies to UAE nationals, holders of a valid residence permit, or GCC nationals who also have a permanent place of residence in the UAE or work or carry on business there.
- Foreign-source income
No personal income tax
The UAE levies no income tax on individuals; foreign-source salary, investment and rental income of an individual is outside Corporate Tax.
All tax rules for United Arab Emirates Tax records checked
Full official text
10-year Golden Residency for top-performing UAE secondary-school leavers (95% or equivalent) and top bachelor, master and doctoral graduates of accredited universities. 1 2 3 4
What you must show and pay
- A fee of AED 100 (≈ $27) · Application fee for the Golden Residence residence service. 3
- A fee of AED 100 (≈ $27) · Smart service fee. 3
- A fee of AED 100 a year (≈ $27) · Residence issuance fee per year of validity (AED 1,000 (≈ $270) for 10 years). 3
Requirements
- Secondary school students hold a Grade 12 certificate attested by the Ministry of Education with a minimum grade of 95% or equivalent. 1
- International university graduates hold a bachelor's degree from a world top-100 university per the ranking the Ministry of Education recognises. 1
- International graduates have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 and graduated within the last two years. 1
- UAE university graduates come from a Category A university with a GPA of at least 3.5 out of 4.0, or Category B with at least 3.8 out of 4.0. 1
- UAE graduates graduated within two years. 1
Stay
- 10-year residence with automatic renewal for each outstanding-student category, according to the ICP Golden Residency guide; the u.ae golden visa page listed 5 years for secondary-school achievers when read on 11 October 2026. Applicants outside the UAE receive a six-month multiple-entry entry visa, renewable for another six months, to complete the procedures.
- Initial permitted stay: 120 months.
- Visa validity: 120 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.
- Renewable, subject to the conditions in force at renewal.
- Entry visa to complete procedures up to 6 months: Six months multiple entry, renewable once for six months (applicants outside the UAE).
- Golden Residency up to 120 months: 10 years, automatically renewed.
Work
Golden Residency holders may live, work, study and invest in the UAE without a sponsor.
Family
Spouse and children of any age and parents may be sponsored; the holder may sponsor domestic workers. If the sponsor dies, family may stay until their own permits expire. Your spouse or partner needs their own work permit to work in the United Arab Emirates.
Fine print
Two official pages differ on the length for secondary-school students: the ICP guide (updated 10 September 2026) states 10 years for every outstanding-student category, while the u.ae golden visa page listed 5 years for secondary-school achievers when read on 11 October 2026. The u.ae page did not load on 12 October 2026.
Official sources
- Golden Residency Guide · Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security · checked 2026-10-12
- Golden visa · UAE Government Portal (u.ae) · checked 2026-10-11
- Issuing Residency Permit (terms, fees and documents for each applicant category) · Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) · checked 2026-10-12
- Work permits · The UAE Government Portal (u.ae) · checked 2026-10-10
Golden · Top students and its alternatives
| Route | Money needed | Stay | Work |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden · Top students | – | 10 yr, renewable | – |
| Blue Residence | – | 10 yr, renewable | – |
| Golden · Exceptional talent | – | 10 yr, renewable | – |
| Golden · Humanitarian pioneer | – | 10 yr, renewable | – |
| Golden · Scientists | – | 10 yr, renewable | – |
Questions people ask
How much money do I need for the Golden · Top students?
A fee of AED 100 (≈ $27). Application fee for the Golden Residence residence service. A fee of AED 100 (≈ $27). Smart service fee. A fee of AED 100 a year (≈ $27). Residence issuance fee per year of validity (AED 1,000 (≈ $270) for 10 years).
How long can I stay on the Golden · Top students?
10-year residence with automatic renewal for each outstanding-student category, according to the ICP Golden Residency guide; the u.ae golden visa page listed 5 years for secondary-school achievers when read on 11 October 2026.
Can I work on the Golden · Top students?
Golden Residency holders may live, work, study and invest in the UAE without a sponsor.
Can I bring my family on the Golden · Top students?
Spouse and children of any age and parents may be sponsored; the holder may sponsor domestic workers.
More in United Arab Emirates
Special talent visas elsewhere
≈ USD figures are approximate: daily reference rates from ExchangeRate-API, dated 12 Oct 2026, refreshed when the site is updated.
Ask the AI about this route AI
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How this was checked
Checked on 2026-10-12 against 4 official sources. Status: verified against the official sources.
Every figure on this page comes from the official source it links to. The record was researched against these sources, then reviewed separately, with special attention to effective dates and amendments. Where a source does not state something, the page leaves it out.
- Golden Residency Guide · Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security · checked 2026-10-12
- Golden visa · UAE Government Portal (u.ae) · checked 2026-10-11
- Issuing Residency Permit (terms, fees and documents for each applicant category) · Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) · checked 2026-10-12
- Work permits · The UAE Government Portal (u.ae) · checked 2026-10-10
Tracked since 2026-10-10. Rule changes and corrections are listed on the changes page, and the methodology page explains how facts are checked. Found something out of date? Email contact@stayglobe.app with a link to the official source.