Giorgio Armani has obtained a Golden Visa for his contributions to the development of Dubai

Since its launch in 2019, the golden visa scheme has become the most cherished ticket in the Middle Eastern world. The visa is aimed at not only attracting investors from all over the world, but also to acknowledge the cultural contributions made by creatives, including composers, singers and actors from the Arab world and beyond. Among the most famous cultural personalities, are the Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan, the Lebanese pop star Elissa, the Egyptian actor and rapper Mohammed Ramadan and the Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo, just to name a few.

On October 24, 2021, the iconic Italian designer Giorgio Armani, aged 87, also received a 10-year gold visa in recognition of his special contributions to the fashion industry, cementing his status as a close friend of the Emirate of Dubai. The Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest building, was set up 10 years ago, so this is a special milestone in the career of the designer. To mark the tenth anniversary of the hotel and the fortieth anniversary of the Armani brand, the brand held One Night Only on 26 October 2021. The exclusive show at the Armani Hotel presented looks from spring/summer 2022 womenswear, menswear and couture collections, as well as a one-off capsule collection designed especially for Dubai. In order to reduce the impact on the environment, Armani used reused and recycled materials for his latest creations.

The UAE Golden Visa provides a 5 or 10-year residency, targeting individuals in categories such as entrepreneurs, investors, outstanding scientists, researchers, medical professionals, artists, lawyers and students. As well as that, in August 2021, the UAE government granted a golden visa to humanitarian workers, as the country strives to become a second home to specialists and pioneers of this sector. Visa holders obtain a right to work, study and live in the UAE without a sponsor, with the visa extending to both a spouse and children, along with advisors and business partners.