Media: UAE revoke residency visas and “golden visas” for Iranians abroad — what’s known

Several reports say the United Arab Emirates has started revoking residency permits for Iranian citizens who are currently outside the country. According to the publications, 10-year “golden visas” obtained through property investment may also be affected.

On March 28, the London-based Iranian-language outlet Iran International published accounts from people who say they have been impacted. At the same time, UAE authorities have neither confirmed nor denied the information.

As reported by Iran International, the editorial team reached out to Emirati officials for clarification but received no response.

What sources claim

Iranian residents who left the UAE after fighting began on February 28 say that when they tried to return, their residency status was cancelled. In Iran International’s report, one applicant said he moved with his family to India and later found that his residency visa had been revoked; meanwhile, non-Iranian family members were reportedly able to enter.

The article also describes a case in which a decade-long golden visa tied to an investment program was lost while the person was abroad.

Another source, iranianuae.ae, claims it verified the information through reader inquiries. The outlet says the scale of cancellations began expanding over several days: first, according to its data, those affected were holders of visas linked to employment and family sponsorship who were outside the UAE.

Starting March 27, iranianuae.ae reports that the cancellations have spread to all Iranian citizens abroad, including holders of “golden visas” backed by property investment.

At the same time, both sources say that Iranians who are physically inside the UAE have not yet encountered similar issues. iranianuae.ae also advises people who are currently in the country not to leave until the situation is clarified.

Authorities’ position and tightening rhetoric

As of the time of publication, no official UAE spokesperson commented directly on the reports of cancellations. However, according to Iran International, the rhetoric toward Iran in public statements has noticeably escalated.

UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan called Iran a “terrorist” state, and earlier President Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan described Iran as an “enemy.” At the same time, visa policy was not mentioned in those statements.

On March 29, UAE presidential diplomatic adviser Anwar Gargash, in a post on X, said that any political decision must include guarantees against future attacks and commitments to compensate for damage to civilian-designated infrastructure. Media reports also claim that Iran “misled neighbors” about its intentions before the conflict began.

Potential impact on those affected

If the reports are accurate, the consequences for impacted individuals could be serious. As lawyers note, many arrangements in the UAE—from property ownership to banking operations and children’s education—depend on an active Emirates ID, which in turn is linked to a valid residency visa.

Loss of residency status, as suggested in the materials, may mean more than just entry restrictions. Risks reportedly include freezing of bank accounts, termination of lease contracts, and loss of school places.

It is also reported that corporate mobility specialists are checking employees’ status via the e-channel of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). Possible scenarios being discussed include humanitarian visit visas through passports from third countries and transferring staff to company structures in Qatar and Turkey.

“Golden visa” and a cancellation precedent

The reported cancellations could become the first large-scale reversal of investment-linked “golden visas” in the history of the program. According to figures cited in the publication, in 2023 Dubai’s GDRFA issued 158,000 golden visas—nearly double the number from the previous year.

If the information is confirmed, it would have direct parallels with the past. During the 2017 Gulf crisis, the UAE introduced unannounced nationality-based visa restrictions for Qatari citizens. Some analysts draw a similar line with the current reports.

A recent reverse example is also mentioned: just two weeks ago, the UAE helped around 500 golden visa holders who were stuck abroad due to the closure of airspace. At the time, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) processed electronic return documents in roughly 30 minutes.

Reported cancellations for Iranians—if real—could represent the same administrative infrastructure being used in the opposite direction.

Critics of the “golden visa” program have long argued that it does not provide a direct path to permanent residency or citizenship. For instance, in an earlier analysis, EC Holdings CEO Philip May described the golden visa as a “cheap and easy” tool that makes the UAE attractive for living, but emphasized that it is not a Plan B and does not lead to PR or citizenship.

Considering UAE residency or a Golden Visa and want to track how rules for investors and holders of residency statuses may change? At Digital Nomad we help you stay aligned with the latest requirements, choose the right path for your case, and prepare the documents correctly. Learn more about possible scenarios and risk-reduction steps here: https://digital-nomad.gr/en/goldenvisa.

Our Telegram channel about various types of Greek residence permits, digital nomad programs, and the Greek Golden Visa: @digitalnomadgr