The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has introduced a new category under its Golden Visa programme specifically for donors to Islamic Waqf endowments, allowing them to obtain long-term residency as "financial supporters of humanitarian work." This initiative was announced during GITEX Global 2025 in Dubai and stems from a cooperation agreement between the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs – Dubai (GDRFA-Dubai) and the Endowments and Minors Affairs Foundation (Awqaf Dubai).

Under this agreement, Awqaf Dubai will nominate eligible donors, both residents and non-residents, who meet the criteria outlined in Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022, which governs Golden Visas for humanitarian contributors. Upon approval, GDRFA-Dubai will issue 10-year renewable residency permits to nominated individuals. A joint committee will oversee the program's implementation and ensure it achieves its social and humanitarian goals.

The programme aims to promote Dubai as a global hub for tolerance, humanitarian giving, and sustainable community development by recognising and rewarding philanthropy. The new Waqf Golden Visa category reflects the UAE’s broader commitment to linking charitable giving with national development and social welfare, encouraging high-impact humanitarian contributions worldwide.

This move further expands the Golden Visa scheme, which began in 2019 to attract global talent and investors, by officially including philanthropy as a pathway to long-term residency, thus supporting the UAE's vision of becoming the most sustainable and human-centred city in the world.