UAE Golden Residence Permit for Investors
A long residence permit granted against AED 2,000,000 of public investment or UAE real estate, renewable while the asset is held.
The most common misunderstanding is that this is a settlement route. It is not. It is a renewable permission whose value depends on the asset staying above the threshold. The second misunderstanding is the duration, and that one is not the applicant’s fault: the federal portal states five years for real estate, while Dubai’s immigration and land authorities state ten. Both are official.
Programme snapshot
| Item | Current rule |
|---|---|
| Main audience | Property buyers and public investors |
| Route family | investment |
| Validity | 10 years for public investment. Real estate is 5 years per the federal portal, 10 years per Dubai authorities |
| Stay per entry | Residence status, no per-entry cap while valid |
| Threshold | AED 2,000,000, about USD 545,000, 2026 |
| Threshold formula | Flat capital threshold, no multiple of salary or national income |
| Renewal | Renewable while the qualifying asset is retained |
| Settlement | Discretionary |
| PR clock | None |
| Citizenship clock | None, no ordinary route |
| Family | Spouse and children. Sons without age limit and unmarried daughters on the Dubai reading |
| Local employment | Not required. The permit is sponsor-free |
| Tax headline | No personal income tax on salary. 9 percent corporate tax above AED 375,000 of profit. Take advice |
| Processing | Roughly 2 to 6 weeks once the valuation letter or title deed is accepted |
Application flow
- Identify the qualifying asset: real estate at AED 2,000,000 or public investment at the same level.
- Obtain a certified valuation letter, or use the title deed where value is already established.
- For off plan property, complete Oqood registration and obtain the developer’s no objection certificate.
- File through ICP federally, GDRFA Dubai and the Land Department in Dubai, or TAMM in Abu Dhabi.
- Complete medical screening and Emirates ID enrolment.
- Collect the permit and confirm the issued duration in writing.
- Diarise the renewal against the asset, not the calendar.
Good fit
Someone already buying Dubai property at or above AED 2,000,000 who wants residence without an employer. An investor with a wholly owned share of a larger unit, since a 50 percent share of a AED 4,000,000 flat qualifies. Families, because dependants are included and the Dubai reading has no age limit for sons.
Poor fit
Anyone stretching to buy a AED 2,000,000 unit purely for the visa. The asset must be held and must keep valuing above the line, so anyone buying with a mortgage is taking a residence risk on top of a market risk. Also anyone who needs one fixed, published duration to plan around.
Watchpoints
- The federal portal and Dubai disagree on duration. The federal table says five years for real estate, Dubai says ten. Get the issued term in writing before you buy anything.
- A valuation is not equity. Mortgaged and off plan property counts if the certified valuation reaches AED 2,000,000, and the old 50 percent payment rule was removed. That helps you qualify, but a downturn can strand you below the threshold at renewal.
- Only your wholly owned share counts. A 50 percent share of a AED 4,000,000 flat is fine. A 40 percent share of the same flat is not.
- The asset must be retained. Selling, or refinancing in a way that breaks the valuation, ends the basis for renewal.
- Off plan paperwork rejects more people than money does. Oqood registration and a developer no objection certificate are both required.
- Fees are per person. Main applicant, spouse and each child pay separately, so a family costs materially more than the headline figure suggests.
Sources
- UAE federal portal, golden visa page, opened 2026-10-22
- Dubai Land Department, golden visa investor service, search result only
- GDRFA Dubai, golden visa investor service, search result only
Last updated 2026-10-22.