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UAE Grants Doctors 10-Year Golden Visa

An Emirati doctor looks on as nurses prepare beds in a huge field hospital being built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on April 14, 2020. - KARIM SAHIB/AFP
An Emirati doctor looks on as nurses prepare beds in a huge field hospital being built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on April 14, 2020. - KARIM SAHIB/AFP
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UAE Grants Doctors 10-Year Golden Visa

An Emirati doctor looks on as nurses prepare beds in a huge field hospital being built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on April 14, 2020. - KARIM SAHIB/AFP
An Emirati doctor looks on as nurses prepare beds in a huge field hospital being built in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, on April 14, 2020. - KARIM SAHIB/AFP

The government of the United Arab Emirates announced on Wednesday granting doctors and their families a 10-year residency.

The decision came upon the directives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to grant golden visas to those with scientific competencies and distinguished expertise, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic.

All doctors licensed in the UAE were invited to apply for the golden visa between July 2021 to September 2022 through the website smartservices.ica.gov.ae.

UAE hopes that the initiative will strengthen the national healthcare sector and makes it a global model in terms of efficiency and quality of medical services.

Concerned government departments will receive and review the applications to issue the golden visa for those who qualify, according to the decision.

Also, seven offices, affiliated with the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA), will be established across the UAE for doctors who wish to apply for the golden visa in person.

The UAE government recently announced the start of the golden visa application process for coders through the National Program for Coders, launched by Sheikh Mohammed to grant golden visas to 100,000 coders, available for both residents and non-residents of the UAE.

The UAE has applied the conditionally-renewable long-term residence visa for 5 or 10 years for certain categories, including investors, entrepreneurs and specialized talents to allow UAE residents and foreigners with their families who wish to work, live and study in the country, to have a long-term residence visa without the need of an Emirati sponsor.

Last November, the cabinet announced the approval of major procedural changes for residents to obtain the golden visa, as well as the inclusion of new categories eligible for the 10-year golden visa, including all doctorate degree holders, doctors, engineers in the fields of computer engineering, electronics, coding, electricity and biotechnology, as well as outstanding students with a GPA of 3.8 or higher in accredited universities across the country.

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Gulf

GCC-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue Focuses on Strengthening Cooperation

The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue held in Kuwait. Photo: KUNA
The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue held in Kuwait. Photo: KUNA
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GCC-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue Focuses on Strengthening Cooperation

The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue held in Kuwait. Photo: KUNA
The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue held in Kuwait. Photo: KUNA

Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers and their counterparts from Central Asia discussed in Kuwait on Wednesday consolidating cooperation in several fields.

The Third Ministerial Meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council-Central Asia Strategic Dialogue focused on enhancing the strong relations between the GCC and Central Asian countries and discussed a joint action plan to advance cooperation in the political, economic, cultural, and tourism sectors.
Preparations were also reviewed for the upcoming summit between the GCC and Central Asian countries, scheduled to take place in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, next month. This summit follows the inaugural one held in Saudi Arabia in 2023.

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah attended the meeting.

Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Abdullah Al-Yahya said the meeting marks a significant milestone in establishing a sustainable partnership based on mutual respect and shared interests.

Speaking at a joint press conference with GCC Secretary-General Jassem Al-Budaiwi after the meeting, Al-Yahya, current President of the GCC Ministerial Council, highlighted the growing historical, cultural, and human ties between the two regions, and emphasized the shared political will to strengthen strategic cooperation.

The meeting focused on several key areas of priority, including enhancing economic and trade cooperation, encouraging investment, and developing sectors such as transport and energy, clean energy transitions, green economies, and modern technologies, Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) reported.

Discussions also focused on food and water security, digital infrastructure, and artificial intelligence, aiming to support stability and sustainable development.

On political and security matters, the foreign minister stressed the importance of consultation and coordination on shared challenges, especially in combating terrorism, extremism, and cyber threats, and praised the GCC Secretariat for its role in advancing joint action mechanisms.

Regarding regional and international issues, Al-Yahya reaffirmed the GCC's steadfast support for the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people, including the establishment of an independent state based on the 1967 border with East Jerusalem as its capital.

On his part, Al-Budaiwi said that both the GCC and Central Asian states are committed to advancing cooperation across various sectors, as outlined in the Joint Action Plan for 2023-27.

He stated that the meeting included an exchange of views on regional and global developments, particularly the Israeli occupation's violations against the Palestinian people, and reiterated the GCC's rejection of these violations and called on the international community to act decisively in support of Palestinian rights, including the establishment of a sovereign state.