The United Arab Emirates has achieved its highest-ever ranking in the 2026 Henley Global Residence Program Index, leaping from fifth place last year to a joint-second position alongside Italy and Switzerland. Greece retained top spot by a single point, but analysts say the UAE’s surge is the stand-out story of this year’s report.
Behind the jump is a series of regulatory tweaks that have steadily widened the country’s Golden Visa pathways. A February 2026 policy circular scrapped the rule that property investors must have paid 50 per cent of the purchase price before applying; now an AED 2 million (≈ US$545,000) valuation is enough, even if the property is still mortgaged. Coupled with the earlier expansion of 10-year visas for executives and scientists, the change has tilted the cost–benefit calculus for globally mobile entrepreneurs who want a Gulf base without personal income tax.
Henley & Partners also cited the UAE’s tax competitiveness, political stability and deepening bilateral networks—most recently comprehensive economic partnership agreements with India, Turkey and, in draft form, Bangladesh—as factors that strengthen the programme’s long-term durability. Visa processing times have fallen to an average of 30 working days thanks to the immigration authority’s AI-driven case-routing engine, another point the index rewards.
![UAE vaults into the world’s top-three residence-by-investment destinations]()
Professionals eager to capitalise on these streamlined Golden Visa opportunities can simplify the process by using VisaHQ. The firm’s online platform walks applicants through every stage—from compiling documents to booking biometrics—and its dedicated UAE page (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) is continually updated with the latest eligibility rules. Whether you’re an individual investor or an HR manager handling multiple assignees, VisaHQ’s guidance can shave weeks off lead times and minimise costly errors.
For multinationals, the result is a jurisdiction that now rivals classic European options on both lifestyle and regulatory clarity while offering zero tax on most foreign-sourced income. Mobility managers note that the UAE allows sponsored dependants to work without an additional employer permit—an increasingly valuable concession as dual-career expatriate families become the norm. Consultancy EY says enquiries about corporate housing packages in Dubai rose 47 per cent in January compared with a year earlier.
Practically, HR teams should update their mobility policies to flag the lower upfront cash requirement and the possibility of mortgage-backed applications. Finance directors, meanwhile, may want to reassess global payroll strategies: executives who qualify for UAE tax residence can often be compensated at a lower gross cost while maintaining the same net take-home pay, provided permanent-establishment rules are respected.
Behind the jump is a series of regulatory tweaks that have steadily widened the country’s Golden Visa pathways. A February 2026 policy circular scrapped the rule that property investors must have paid 50 per cent of the purchase price before applying; now an AED 2 million (≈ US$545,000) valuation is enough, even if the property is still mortgaged. Coupled with the earlier expansion of 10-year visas for executives and scientists, the change has tilted the cost–benefit calculus for globally mobile entrepreneurs who want a Gulf base without personal income tax.
Henley & Partners also cited the UAE’s tax competitiveness, political stability and deepening bilateral networks—most recently comprehensive economic partnership agreements with India, Turkey and, in draft form, Bangladesh—as factors that strengthen the programme’s long-term durability. Visa processing times have fallen to an average of 30 working days thanks to the immigration authority’s AI-driven case-routing engine, another point the index rewards.
Professionals eager to capitalise on these streamlined Golden Visa opportunities can simplify the process by using VisaHQ. The firm’s online platform walks applicants through every stage—from compiling documents to booking biometrics—and its dedicated UAE page (https://www.visahq.com/united-arab-emirates/) is continually updated with the latest eligibility rules. Whether you’re an individual investor or an HR manager handling multiple assignees, VisaHQ’s guidance can shave weeks off lead times and minimise costly errors.
For multinationals, the result is a jurisdiction that now rivals classic European options on both lifestyle and regulatory clarity while offering zero tax on most foreign-sourced income. Mobility managers note that the UAE allows sponsored dependants to work without an additional employer permit—an increasingly valuable concession as dual-career expatriate families become the norm. Consultancy EY says enquiries about corporate housing packages in Dubai rose 47 per cent in January compared with a year earlier.
Practically, HR teams should update their mobility policies to flag the lower upfront cash requirement and the possibility of mortgage-backed applications. Finance directors, meanwhile, may want to reassess global payroll strategies: executives who qualify for UAE tax residence can often be compensated at a lower gross cost while maintaining the same net take-home pay, provided permanent-establishment rules are respected.
