UAE: Does admission in a medical university make a student eligible for Golden visa?

Question: I am a foreigner and got admitted to a local university for a medical degree. Would I be automatically eligible for the Golden Visa or are there any other requirements that I have to meet to be eligible for the 10-year visa?

Answer: Pursuant to your queries, it is assumed that you are pursuing a medical degree in the emirate of Dubai after completion of your secondary education or its equivalent qualification.

In the UAE, a resident student who has completed secondary education with an aggregate score of not less than 95 per cent may be entitled to apply for a golden residency visa under the student category. The criteria to apply for a golden residency visa under the student category who have completed secondary education may include documents of a student such as a general secondary school certificate from a public or private school in the UAE with a score not less than 95 per cent, an approval letter from UAE Ministry of Education, copy of passport and copy of UAE residency.

However, a student who has completed graduation in a foreign country and seeking a golden residency visa in the UAE under the student category for higher studies in the UAE may need to fulfil criteria which include conditions and documents of a student such as the previous university from where the student graduated should be among top 100 universities in the world as per the international classification approved by the Ministry, cumulative average in the graduation should be not less than 3.5 grade, should have been graduated within two years during the date of application and a copy of passport.

Moreover, if a student has completed his graduation in the country and intends to apply for a golden residency visa in the UAE under the student category for higher studies in the UAE, such a student needs to hold a bachelor’s/master’s or doctorate degree licensed by the Ministry, with 3.5 cumulative average for classification ‘A’ and 3.8 cumulative average for classification ‘B’, and should have graduated within two years from the date of the application and also provide a copy of passport and UAE residency visa issued in Dubai.

However, the General Directorate of Residency & Foreigners Affairs of Dubai may approve your application for a golden residency visa under the student’s category based on other criteria such as excellence in studies, sports or co-curricular activities in the previous institution where you have completed your education.

For further clarification on this matter, you may contact the Ministry and the GDRFA.

Ashish Mehta is the founder and Managing Partner of Ashish Mehta & Associates. He is qualified to practise law in Dubai, the United Kingdom and India. Full details of his firm on: www.amalawyers.com. Readers may e-mail their questions to: news@khaleejtimes.com or send them to Legal View, Khaleej Times, PO Box 11243, Dubai.

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