The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) quietly added a powerful new safety net for the country’s 160,000-plus Golden Visa residents on 4 November 2025. From this week, any Golden Visa holder who loses or damages a passport while travelling can obtain an electronic “Return Document” in under 30 minutes—free of charge—via the MoFA website or mobile app. Applicants log in with UAE Pass, upload a police report of loss, a recent photo and their Golden Visa details and, once approved, receive a single-entry permit valid for seven days.
The move plugs a long-standing gap in emergency consular support. Until now, residents usually had to queue at UAE missions for a temporary travel document, pay fees and sometimes wait days for re-entry clearance. The new process is fully digital and synchronised with immigration systems at UAE airports, meaning travellers can board the first available flight home without visiting an embassy.
![UAE rolls out 30-minute Return Permit for Golden Visa holders stranded abroad]()
MoFA also unveiled a 24/7 hotline (+971 2 493 1133) dedicated to Golden Visa families. Services range from evacuation coordination in crises to assistance with repatriation or burial in the unfortunate event of death overseas. The package was showcased at the GITEX Global 2025 technology summit, underscoring how the UAE now treats long-term residents more like citizens when it comes to mobility rights and emergency help.
For multinational employers, the enhancement reduces travel-risk exposure for executives who hold Golden Visas, removes costly delays in repatriation and supports duty-of-care obligations. Immigration advisers recommend that HR teams brief eligible staff to download UAE Pass, store digital copies of their residency and add the hotline to their phones before the next business trip. The change further buttresses the attractiveness of the 10-year permit, which already allows unlimited time outside the UAE and family sponsorship without age caps. Expect a jump in Golden Visa applications as word spreads that the UAE will now get investors and key talent back home faster—no matter where problems occur.
The move plugs a long-standing gap in emergency consular support. Until now, residents usually had to queue at UAE missions for a temporary travel document, pay fees and sometimes wait days for re-entry clearance. The new process is fully digital and synchronised with immigration systems at UAE airports, meaning travellers can board the first available flight home without visiting an embassy.
MoFA also unveiled a 24/7 hotline (+971 2 493 1133) dedicated to Golden Visa families. Services range from evacuation coordination in crises to assistance with repatriation or burial in the unfortunate event of death overseas. The package was showcased at the GITEX Global 2025 technology summit, underscoring how the UAE now treats long-term residents more like citizens when it comes to mobility rights and emergency help.
For multinational employers, the enhancement reduces travel-risk exposure for executives who hold Golden Visas, removes costly delays in repatriation and supports duty-of-care obligations. Immigration advisers recommend that HR teams brief eligible staff to download UAE Pass, store digital copies of their residency and add the hotline to their phones before the next business trip. The change further buttresses the attractiveness of the 10-year permit, which already allows unlimited time outside the UAE and family sponsorship without age caps. Expect a jump in Golden Visa applications as word spreads that the UAE will now get investors and key talent back home faster—no matter where problems occur.
