Taking the World’s Most Popular HNWI Residency Program to Greater Heights
Our latest op-ed, Taking the World’s Most Popular HNWI Residency Program to Greater Heights, co-authored by Yann Mrazek and Hermione Harrison. The piece examines how small but strategic policy adjustments could further enhance the UAE’s Golden Visa regime and cement its position as the global leader in wealth migration.
The UAE has established itself as a premier hub for high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), offering long-term residency options alongside world-class wealth structuring tools. Yet a misalignment remains: investors seeking the real estate investment route are often forced to choose between efficient structuring and Golden Visa eligibility. Aligning the two would unlock meaningful opportunities for clients, institutions, and the country alike.
Key Takeaways:
- The UAE’s Golden Visa is the world’s leading HNWI residency program, with over 500,000 visas issued.
- The most common route to obtaining a Golden Visa is by acquiring property that meets the minimum qualifying value. At present, properties held through DIFC foundations are excluded from eligibility, despite foundations being a central tool for effective wealth structuring.
- Extending eligibility to structured ownership would align residency with modern succession planning.
- This adjustment delivers a “win–win–win–win” for clients, the DIFC, the Dubai Land Department, and the UAE. This simple change would strengthen Dubai’s position as the global benchmark for private wealth migration.
Read our latest OPED, co-authored by Yann Mrazek and Hermione Harrison for a comprehensive perspective on how a marginal policy shift could yield substantial benefits enabling Dubai not only to lead the market, but to set the benchmark worldwide.
