UAE RESIDENCY
The UAE Golden Visa
Ten years of residency, renewable, with your family on your file and no sponsor required. Here is what qualifies you, what it costs, and which of the widely repeated claims about it are untrue.
THE LADDER
Most visitors arrive on the wrong rung.
Three property-linked tiers exist. They are routinely confused with each other, and only one of them is the Golden Visa.
10-year Golden Visa
AED 2,000,000 in property. The threshold has been AED 2M since October 2022, cut from AED 10 million under Cabinet Decision 65 of 2022.
The property route TWO YEARS2-year investor visa
A separate, lower tier. Dubai removed its AED 750,000 floor for sole owners on 29 April 2026. Not the Golden Visa, and it does not carry the same absence exemption.
How it differs FIVE YEARS5-year retirement visa
AED 1,000,000 in property for applicants aged 55 and over, or an equivalent deposit or income.
The 55+ routeYou may still see a "5-year property visa" advertised at AED 5 million. For the property route the operative tiers today are the 10-year Golden Visa and the 2-year investor visa. We do not present the 5-year property tier as a live product without a specific ICP citation.
THE TEST
The AED 2M test is not the same in every emirate.
This is the paragraph most competitors get wrong, and the one that decides mortgaged applications.
| Dubai | Abu Dhabi | Ras Al Khaimah | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Test | Full DLD-certified value of AED 2M or more, regardless of how much is mortgaged, with a lender No Objection Certificate | The investor's own equity must independently reach AED 2M. Official example: on a AED 5M property the outstanding mortgage cannot exceed AED 3M | Federal AED 2M rule applied through ICP |
| Extra requirement | None beyond the NOC | Tax return evidencing at least AED 250,000 settled over the two preceding years, where mortgaged | None |
| Visa authority | GDRFA Dubai with ICP | ADRO and TAMM with ICP | Federal ICP only, no emirate directorate |
| Property authority | Dubai Land Department | Department of Municipalities and Transport | RAK Municipality, Lands and Properties |
Figures and rules dated 13 August 2026. Verify with the issuing authority before you act.
In plain terms
A buyer with AED 1 million of equity in a AED 2.5 million Dubai apartment may qualify in Dubai. The same buyer, with the same equity, in an equivalent Abu Dhabi apartment, will not. If the visa is the objective and the mortgage is real, the emirate is not a lifestyle choice.
Status noteDubai's removal of the previous 50 percent or AED 1 million down-payment requirement is dated to around 20 February 2026 and is consistently reported by DLD-linked platforms and immigration law firms. We could not locate a published Cabinet decree, so we label it reported rather than confirmed and will upgrade it when a gazette citation appears.
Last updated 13 August 2026 Next review Q4 2026
WHAT IT GIVES YOU
The rights that come with the permit.
Sponsorship of spouse, children of any age since the age cap was removed, parents and domestic staff. No local sponsor is required, and the visa carries 100 percent mainland business ownership.
Continuity on death of the holder: family members retain the right to remain until their own permits expire.
Renewal continues as long as the qualifying conditions persist. The Emirates ID renews separately, roughly every three years. If you sell the qualifying property and fall below AED 2M, you must acquire replacement property or change category before renewal.
The absence exemptionReported
A standard residence visa is cancelled automatically after 180 consecutive days outside the country. GDRFA Dubai's service page confirms Golden Residence holders are exempt, and that residency becomes void only if it expires while the holder is outside the country. One legal commentator disputes whether a formal exemption was enacted, so our advice is unchanged either way: renew before expiry, and do not assume dependants inherit the exemption identically.
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BEYOND PROPERTY
Routes that do not involve property.
Capital and enterprise
Investors in public investments or deposits at AED 2 million, and entrepreneurs with an approved SME or startup and an endorsement.
Talent and merit
Specialised talent, outstanding students and graduates, humanitarian pioneers and frontline heroes.
Recently added
Categories added recently including content creators and long-serving nurses. Several run through a nominating authority that must endorse you before the ICP file is submitted.
CORRECTIONS
Three claims we are asked about constantly.
It gives visa-free travel
No. A residence permit is not a passport. Access depends on your nationality plus bilateral rules.
The correctionIt ends my tax obligations at home
No. Most countries tax on residence, and some on citizenship. Residency here does not sever residency there.
Residency and taxThere is a AED 100,000 lifetime visa
That one is a confirmed hoax. ICP publicly denied it on 9 July 2025.
What ICP saidTHE CLUSTER
Every page in this section.
The AED 2M property route
Off-plan, mortgages, joint ownership, the GDRFA lien and what happens if you sell.
OpenWhat it actually costs
Itemised and dated, with worked examples for a single applicant and for a family of four.
OpenRequirements by emirate
Documents and process for Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah, separated properly.
OpenEvery non-property category
Investors, entrepreneurs, specialised talent, students, and the recently added routes.
OpenGolden Visa in Abu Dhabi
The equity rule that decides mortgaged applications in the capital.
OpenWhat residency unlocks for travel
The short, accurate list, with every condition stated, plus the padding audit.
OpenQUESTIONS
What people ask first.
What is the property threshold for the UAE Golden Visa?
AED 2,000,000. It has been AED 2 million since October 2022, cut from AED 10 million under Cabinet Decision 65 of 2022. How that AED 2 million is measured differs between Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Ras Al Khaimah.
Can I qualify with a mortgaged property?
In Dubai the full DLD-certified value of AED 2 million or more is assessed regardless of how much is mortgaged, with a lender No Objection Certificate. In Abu Dhabi your own equity must independently reach AED 2 million, so on a AED 5 million property the outstanding mortgage cannot exceed AED 3 million. Ras Al Khaimah applies the federal AED 2 million rule through ICP.
Does the Golden Visa lead to UAE citizenship?
No. It is a renewable ten-year residency. It does not confer citizenship and there is no naturalisation pathway attached to it.
Does the 180-day absence rule apply?
A standard residence visa is cancelled automatically after 180 consecutive days outside the country. GDRFA Dubai's service page confirms Golden Residence holders are exempt, and that residency becomes void only if it expires while the holder is outside the country. One legal commentator disputes whether a formal exemption was enacted, so renew before expiry and do not assume dependants inherit the exemption identically.
What happens if I sell the qualifying property?
The residency is tied to the qualifying holding. If you sell and fall below AED 2 million you must acquire replacement property or change category before renewal.
Who can I sponsor?
Spouse, children of any age since the age cap was removed, parents and domestic staff. No local sponsor is required and the visa carries 100 percent mainland business ownership.
WHY THIS DESK
We do not sell the visa. We price the asset.
The Golden Visa is a consequence of a sound purchase, not a reason to make a poor one. We buy, sell, lease and let in the buildings we write about, which is why our numbers exist at unit level and why we will tell you when a building clears the threshold but is not worth owning.
Check the route before you commit capital
Send us the emirate, the budget and whether there is a mortgage. We will tell you which tier the purchase reaches and where it fails.
WhatsAppAlready own here?
If you hold property already, we will check whether the current registered value and structure meet the threshold as it stands today.
WhatsAppSources
- Cabinet Decision No. 65 of 2022, property threshold reduction, October 2022
- Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 on entry and residence of foreigners
- GDRFA Dubai, Golden Residence service pages
- ICP Smart Services, Golden Visa categories and public statements
- Abu Dhabi Residents Office and TAMM guidance on the equity requirement