How to apply for the UAE Cultural Golden Visa

Artists, singers, curators, dancers, musicians or performers are eligible for the long-term visa, as mentioned by the UAE Ministry of Culture and Youth (MCY).

However, those who wish to apply for the golden visa must obtain a letter of recommendation from the MCY, after which the applicant will be verified through in-depth checks.

Who can apply for the cultural golden visa?

“Inventors, innovators, and exceptional talents in vital fields such as culture, art, sports and digital technology can obtain a golden visa regardless of their educational qualification, employment status, monthly salary or professional level. The visa requires a recommendation or approval from a federal or local government entity,” according to the UAE government.

Applicants aged 25 years and above can apply for a long-term visa. The visa can take at least 30 days to processed, if accepted.

Acceptance or rejection will be confirmed by email. Officials can reject an application without reason.

The applicant must, however, create original works. As an advantage, there is also no requirement for applicants to have lived in the UAE for a set number of years.

Applicants with a UAE residence or visit visa can also apply for the cultural golden visa, but they must be in the country whilst submitting an application.

According to the MCY, there are two set criteria through which they can obtain the letter of recommendation.

Criteria 1:

The applicant must submit evidence for at least three of the following:

• Certificate of appreciation/nomination from a prestigious International or regional authority in the field
• An honorary position in a prestigious International authority because of his/her outstanding creativity
• An active member of a prestigious international art organisation or association.
• His/her creations must have received attention from critics, media or industry professionals.
• His/her works have been shown in prestigious forums locally, regionally or internationally (exhibitions, forums, festivals, and events).

Criteria 2:

Golden Visa applicants in the category of ‘Media’ must meet the following criteria, in which the applicant must submit evidence for at least three of the following:

• Certificate of appreciation/nomination from a prestigious International or regional authority in the field.
• An honorary position in a prestigious International authority because of his/her outstanding creativity.
• An active member of a prestigious international art organisation or association.
• His/her creations must have received attention from critics, media or industry professionals.
• The candidate should have 7 years’ experience in a reputable media agency and be nominated from his workplace or a media agency, and has work published by media outlets periodically (press reports, articles, programs television, etc.)

“In specific cases and after reviewing the submission form & evidence, you may be asked to additionally submit a recommendation letter from reputable creative/cultural entities, the Customer Happiness Department will contact you and provide you with the appropriate template, if needed,” the MCY said.

How to apply

Here are the documents required when applying for a cultural golden visa:

1. Passport copy
2. Emirates ID copy
3. A CV (curriculum vitae) including (contact information, biography, prominent creative works, and achievements in the cultural and creative fields)
4. Copy of current residency visa (if the applicant is a resident of UAE)
5. Coloured personal photo

“If the applicant is not residing in the UAE, a 6-month visa application is required to be submitted to complete the golden residency procedures,” the MCY said.

“If the applicant is residing in the UAE, the application is made either by the same person as a public service or by the nominating authority,” the MCY added.

According to the Dubai Culture website, obtaining an approval or a permit issuance from Dubai Culture does not comprise a final approval; it is a conditional approval as part of the required procedures to obtain other approvals from local and/or federal authorities concerned with issuing the visa.

“Dubai Culture reserves the right to reject any application without clarifying reasons,” the website said, adding that “Dubai Culture will not receive any application submitted by companies or service centres, as the submission is by the applicant personally.”

What is the process?

• Apply for the accreditation letter from the Dubai Culture and Arts authority website.
• Next, apply for the nomination approval from the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship website, once you receive the letter of approval.
• Apply for the golden via an Amer centre or the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDRFA). Final approval will be based on GDRFA clearance.
• If applying through the Amer centre, select the required service at the reception. Then, submit all documents to the service official. The required documents at the Amer centre include a passport copy, visit or residence visa copy, soft copy of the applicant’s photo, and a recommendation letter from a government entity.
• If applying through the GDRFA portal, download the mobile application, click on the service, attach the required documents and submit the request.

To obtain an accreditation letter, the applicant must submit their portfolio of work – which can include photos and videos – followed by a detailed CV focused on their art and cultural experience, visa, passport and identity card.

What is the cost?

The UAE cultural golden visa can cost anywhere from AED3,000 and above, and will cover submission of application, cancellation of old visa, Emirates ID, medical fitness and visa stamping.