More than 167,000 family residency grants tied to the UAE’s Golden Visa program have been recorded in Dubai since 2021, with the latest data covering through the first quarter of this year showing sustained momentum in long-term family settlement across the emirate.
The figures, released by the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs, Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) to coincide with International Day of Families on May 15, break down across several categories: 100,286 residencies went to families of real estate investors, 70,247 to families of scientists and specialists, 37,022 to families of investors, and 3,259 to families of retirees. The largest share — 167,124 — covered families of specialised talent holders.
GDRFA Dubai Director General Lieutenant General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri said the numbers reflect a deliberate policy direction. “Dubai continues to reinforce a global model that places people and families at the heart of development,” he said. “At GDRFA Dubai, we are committed to developing a flexible and digital service ecosystem that enhances stability and quality of life while strengthening families’ sense of security and belonging.”
The Golden Visa, first launched in 2019, grants long-term UAE residency to holders without requiring a local sponsor or employer. It targets individuals deemed to add significant value to the country — among them investors, athletes, entrepreneurs, physicians, and high-achieving students — and has since been extended to cover their first-degree family members across multiple qualifying categories.
Al Marri said the upward trend in family residencies signals growing international confidence in Dubai as a place to put down roots. “The continuous growth in family residencies and Golden Visa reflects the increasing global confidence in Dubai as a destination for living and stability,” he said.
The program forms part of the broader Dubai Social Agenda 33, initiated by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, under the theme “Family is the Foundation of the Nation.” GDRFA Dubai has built out a digital service infrastructure covering visit visas, residency issuance, passports, and family records to support this framework.
