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Time Out Dubai

How being an epic gamer could get you a 10-year Golden Residency Visa in Dubai

Yes, you read that correctly. If you know what Up, Down, Up, Down, Left, Right, Left, Right, B, A, Start means, then you could unlock a 10-year Golden Residency Visa in Dubai. The golden visa is the final boss of living in Dubai and the rest of the UAE as it allows you a long-term stay without having to regularly renew your visa. To qualify you need to meet very high standards in your field and, naturally, the gaming visa is no different. You might also like: 7 major Dubai visa changes you need to know about in 2025 The gaming industry is big business globally with latest estimates valuing it in the hundreds of billions of American dollars per year. For context, this is multiple times the amount that the music and film industry generates. So, it's no surprise that Dubai wants in on the action. The city government has set up a special website dedicated to the Dubai Program For Gaming 2033, which will focus on bringing talent, content and tech for the industry to the emirate. Dubai aims to increase its Gross Domestic Product by Dhs3.6 billion ($1 billion) by 2033 from gaming alone and create 30,000 jobs in the industry. Working in gaming tech such as VR could soon be big business in Dubai (Credit: Adobe Express) However, the visa is targeted at professionals involved in making the games that we love rather than those of you who are amazing at Mario Kart or Football Manager (such as the editor of this article perhaps). So, how exactly do you get the Dubai gaming visa? What you need for the Dubai Gaming Visa On the Dubai government's gaming website, there's a portal where you're able to apply for accreditation for the gaming residency visa. The golden visa has several industry categories for talented workers and investors to fall into. The gaming visa will fall under the culture and arts category. But without first completing the step with Dubai Culture, your application will likely be unsuccessful. Applicants must be 25 years old and personally submit their application. The documents you'll need are a copy of our passport (with your residence permit and ID card if available), your professional CV, a portfolio of your best work in the video game industry from the past five years and a cover letter. The video gaming visa form will ask you which sub-category you fall under and you may choose from the following: Animation/illustration Educator – video games Game designer Game developer Game producer Game publishing/operations So, while the visa is a gaming visa in name, the likes of eSports athletes or any gaming champions likely would not be eligible for this specific visa. You will also be advised to fill in at least one social media profile link, with the website strongly hinting to put your Instagram account name in if nothing else. The second stage, or level if we want to keep up the gaming parlance, will ask you to expand on your career information. Here, you'll need to provide: Years of experience Number of artistic works Number of artistic and creative participation Number of academic certifications Number of local and international memberships Number of local and international memberships Number of intellectual dissemination of creative works locally and internationally On level three, you'll then upload the usual documents you need to get your hands on a visa. These are: Valid passport copy Portfolio CV Cover letter Employment letter Academic certificates Local and international memberships\ The Dubai gaming visa aims to grow the industry in the emirate (Credit: Adobe Express) And once you've supplied all of that information, you'll then be able to submit your application. You'll eventually be notified via email whether or not you've been successful. If you have obtained the Dubai Culture gaming visa accreditation then you'll be able to start the golden visa application process. You can find out more about the golden visa application in our complete guide to obtaining one. Good luck gamers. Essential guides to living in Dubai How to live in Dubai without working You need a self-sponsored visa The best restaurants in Dubai More than 50 tried and tested venues Dubai happy hours: Best bar deals, offers and discounts Cheap drinks every night of the week? You've come to the right place