How UAE entrepreneurs, creatives, and students say the Golden Visa has made a difference in their lives.
Dubai-based Jennifer Blandos, an entrepreneur building a health-tech venture, said she had never seriously considered leaving the United Arab Emirates. Self-sufficient and having built her own business, she bought her home in 2015 and later obtained the Golden Visa in 2024 following the 1 Billion Followers Summit.
As a single mother, she said the visa has made a meaningful difference for her children by easing administrative procedures and reducing paperwork-related stress. “My son has graduated abroad and he is now able to come back freely,” she said. “I’m able to give my children that access and stability, which I didn’t have before.”
She added that the UAE feels like home. “We wouldn’t know where else to go.”
Her experience reflects a broader sentiment among Golden Visa holders, including graduates building careers, entrepreneurs launching businesses, creatives recognised for their work, and parents focused on long-term stability for their families. For many, the visa provides a stronger sense of permanence and security in the UAE.
While the practical advantages are evident, Golden Visa holders say its most significant impact is often psychological. It enables them to plan further into the future, make larger long-term commitments, and establish deeper roots in a country many already consider home.
“I can plan my future here”
For Uma Maheshwari, who earned First Class Honours from Middlesex University Dubai, receiving the Golden Visa reshaped how she views her long-term future in the United Arab Emirates.
She said the visa gave her the confidence to plan her career and personal growth without constant uncertainty about visa renewals. “It means having the confidence to build a career and grow personally. As someone who grew up and started working here, the UAE feels like the place where my life has taken shape and where I imagine a long-term future,” she said.
She added that before obtaining the visa, long-term planning was always tied to renewal timelines. “Before receiving it, there was always a sense that long-term plans depended on the next visa renewal,” she said. “The Golden Visa has made me think less about leaving and more about how I can continue building my life here. It has also made me more confident about pursuing my master’s degree in the UAE, because I can plan my education and career with a longer-term view.”
Maheshwari said the added security has encouraged her to think more ambitiously about the future, making long-term decisions feel more achievable. She noted that while it does not remove all uncertainty, it provides a stronger foundation for taking informed risks, whether in changing career direction or investing in new skills.
Building businesses with confidence
For entrepreneurs, the stability offered by the Golden Visa often translates into tangible confidence to invest, hire, and expand their businesses.
Maréva Koulamallah, founder and CEO of Marevak Consulting, said this predictability forms the foundation for long-term decision-making. “It also means having the confidence to make meaningful long-term financial commitments, knowing they are protected within a well-structured and reliable system,” she said.
She added that the Golden Visa has strengthened her long-term commitment to the United Arab Emirates, while still allowing flexibility to travel and spend time abroad when needed. “Regardless of any potential future relocation, I would always seek to preserve my connection to the UAE and maintain a presence here,” she said.
Koulamallah noted that while running a business is challenging anywhere in the world, the UAE’s evolving ecosystem fosters confidence through a responsive system and an engaged business community. She also highlighted government support during difficult periods as a key factor in building trust in the system.
“Additionally, recent efforts by the authorities to facilitate the safe return of residents and Golden Visa holders during challenging circumstances demonstrated a strong commitment to public well-being. Such actions contribute to a sense of trust and institutional reliability,” she said.
This confidence extends to future ventures. Maréva Koulamallah said she approaches life with a mindset that embraces risk as opportunity, viewing growth as something driven by exploration of new possibilities.
“In this regard, the United Arab Emirates provides a highly supportive environment that encourages entrepreneurship and innovation. If I were to launch a new venture today, the UAE would be my preferred choice, reflecting my confidence in the country’s stability, infrastructure, and forward-looking ecosystem, even amid broader regional dynamics,” she said.
She added that she launched her own business after receiving the Golden Visa, marking a career shift from an in-house PR role.
Entrepreneur and consultant Anna Ivanova-Galitsina shared a similar view, saying the Golden Visa removed uncertainty around where she would build her business. She said it provided a clear timeframe within which she could confidently operate in the UAE.
“Having looked around at other possible locations, I weighed that the UAE is best for me during these 10 years. So unless something completely unexpected happens, such as a very lucrative offer from another country or a family matter, I plan to remain here without relocation for the duration of my Golden Visa,” she said.
At a time when global uncertainty is influencing business decisions worldwide, she added that long-term residency offers a valuable sense of stability and anchoring for entrepreneurs.
“It gives as much permanence as we can hope for in our uncertain times filled with regional hostilities,” she said. “Plus, I am a creative and a consultant—areas where stability isn’t strong even in peaceful times.”
Freedom to travel, freedom to create
One of the less discussed advantages of the Golden Visa is its flexibility.
For globally mobile professionals, the ability to spend extended periods outside the United Arab Emirates without affecting residency status is a significant benefit. Anna Ivanova-Galitsina said, “I often travel and can do my work remotely. So I very much appreciate that the Golden Visa doesn’t have hard rules about the amount of days per year I need to spend in the country.”
She added that the security of long-term residency gave her the confidence to make a major professional shift. “As far as taking risks, yes I have started my own business after getting the Golden Visa and it was a bit of a career switch from an in-house PR role.”
Others describe the impact more in terms of lifestyle freedom rather than long-term planning.
Chandan Soojitra said, “It’s made the UAE feel like home. It has given us the freedom in the sense that a job does not dictate whether we can stay or have to leave the country, more freedom and flexibility to refuse opportunities—whether work or business. It also gives you the time to pause, if required.”
Recognition that matters
For creatives, the Golden Visa also carries an added dimension of recognition and acknowledgement.
Emma Brain received her Golden Visa under the specialised talent category after securing support from Dubai’s cultural authorities. “So the Talent Golden Visa is for people with specialised talents. So mine is under Actor,” she said.
As a freelancer, she acknowledged the inherent uncertainty of working in the creative industries. However, she noted that the visa provides greater flexibility, including the ability to spend extended periods outside the United Arab Emirates.
She also pointed out a practical benefit: reduced administrative and financial burden. “And it also gives me a little bit more financial savings because I don’t have to pay for a new visa every two years,” she said.
She said it feels rewarding to be recognised and to receive the Golden Visa in acknowledgement of the work she has contributed over the past two decades in the United Arab Emirates.
