By Priya Raman

Abu Dhabi has announced a minimum grade point average that foreign graduates must hold to qualify for the emirate's 10-year Golden Visa. The rule directly targets graduates of foreign institutions who want long-term residency without a national sponsor.

What does the new rule change?

The change concerns the Golden Visa, the UAE's long-term residence category valid for 10 years. Foreign graduates were previously able to apply on the basis of their degrees alone. Now Abu Dhabi has attached a GPA condition to that route.

Practitioners should read this as a tightening of the talent pipeline. The emirate is filtering applicants by academic performance, not just credential level.

• Applies to: foreign graduates applying for the 10-year Golden Visa through Abu Dhabi
• Condition: a required minimum GPA announced by the emirate
• Visa validity: 10 years

Takeaway: a degree alone no longer opens the door; the transcript now matters.

Who is affected?

Foreign nationals who completed their studies outside the UAE fall squarely within the new requirement. Applicants already holding the visa, or those applying through other Emirates or other Golden Visa categories, sit outside the scope of this specific announcement.

Advisers should re-screen pending files before submission. A client who qualified yesterday may now fail on grades alone.

Takeaway: check the GPA first, before spending effort on documentation.

What should applicants do now?

Graduates planning to apply should obtain official academic transcripts and confirm their GPA against the announced threshold. The Golden Visa remains renewable and does not require a sponsor, which keeps it attractive despite the stricter entry bar.

This article does not constitute legal advice. Applicants should verify the exact GPA threshold and document requirements through the official Abu Dhabi residency authorities and the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship before filing.

Takeaway: verify grades against the official threshold, then build the file.