How to Get a UAE Golden Visa: 10 Steps, Fees and Family Sponsorship

What a UAE golden visa is and who it suits

A UAE golden visa is a long-term, self-sponsored residence permit for investors, entrepreneurs, skilled professionals, exceptional talents, outstanding students and humanitarian pioneers. The official federal portal, u.ae, lists its core benefits as a renewable five or ten year permit, no sponsor, the ability to stay outside the UAE beyond the usual six-month limit and the right to sponsor family members.

The duration has moved over time, and official summaries are not perfectly aligned. The u.ae eligibility table, last updated on 28 July 2026, still shows five years for real estate investors and for entrepreneurs. ICP's own Golden Residency guide, updated on 10 September 2026, lists every category at ten years, and the Dubai residency authority and the Dubai Land Department both describe the property route as a ten-year permit. In practice, investors and professionals applying now should expect ten years, but the permit actually issued is what counts.

It suits senior executives, families who want residence independent of one employer, and investors holding AED 2 million of UAE property. It is residence, not citizenship, so it does not give a passport; readers comparing it with citizenship by investment programmes should treat the two as different products. It has also become more prominent as European routes close: Spain ended its golden visa in April 2025 and Latvia shut its property route in September 2026.

How to get a UAE golden visa: the 10 steps at a glance

The outline is the same in every emirate, although paperwork and service centres differ:

1. Pick your eligibility route. Investor, professional, talent, student, entrepreneur or humanitarian.
2. Meet the investor thresholds if you are investing: AED 2 million in property, a deposit or a company, or AED 250,000 a year in tax.
3. Qualify through skills, talent, study or a business if you are not investing.
4. Gather and attest your documents, including degree recognition and family certificates.
5. Choose where to apply: ICP, the Dubai authority, a Dubai Land Department centre or Abu Dhabi.
6. Submit the application online or at a service centre, with an entry permit if you are abroad.
7. Pass the medical fitness test.
8. Complete Emirates ID biometrics and collect the permit.
9. Budget for the fees, for yourself and each dependant.
10. Sponsor your family, then keep the conditions in place for the life of the visa.

Step 1: Pick your eligibility route

The first step is to match your circumstances to one of ICP's categories, because the category decides the evidence, the nominating body and, in some cases, what you must keep in place afterwards. If you fit more than one, pick the route with the cleanest evidence.

Route	Main threshold (ICP guide)	Who decides or nominates
Real estate investor	One or more UAE properties worth at least AED 2 million, or off-plan units of at least AED 2 million bought from an approved developer	Land department of the emirate, then the residency authority
Public investment: deposit	At least AED 2 million deposited with an investment fund or a national bank	Residency authority
Public investment: company	A company with capital of at least AED 2 million, or a partner share of at least AED 2 million	Residency authority
Tax investor	A share of federal taxes paid of at least AED 250,000 a year	Residency authority, on a Federal Tax Authority letter
Skilled professional	MOHRE occupational level 1 or 2, a bachelor's degree, a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000	Residency authority
Scientists and specialists	Recommendation from the relevant council or ministry	Emirates Scientists Council, health, education or industry ministries
Exceptional talent	Culture and arts, innovators, athletes, digital talent	Ministry of Culture and other nominating bodies
Entrepreneur	UAE SME with revenue of at least AED 1 million, an approved idea, or ventures sold for at least AED 7 million	Business incubator, Ministry of Economy or local authority
Outstanding student or graduate	95% in secondary school, or a GPA of 3.5 to 3.8 depending on the university	Ministry of Education, via ICP
Humanitarian pioneer	Five years with an international or public-benefit organisation, an award, or AED 2 million of support	Ministry of Community Empowerment

Two points trip up applicants at this stage. First, investor capital must be your own: ICP says invested capital must be fully owned by the investor, must not be derived from a loan and must be supported by evidence of source and ownership. Second, most non-investor routes start with a nomination or recommendation, and the Dubai authority states that a nomination is not final approval.

Step 2: Meet the investor thresholds for property, deposits and companies

The investor route needs AED 2 million of qualifying assets in the UAE, and the detail of how that figure is measured matters more than the headline. The thresholds and controls below come from ICP and the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA).

Property

You must own one or more properties with a total value of at least AED 2 million, registered in your name. In Dubai, the Dubai Land Department (DLD) measures this by purchase value at the time of purchase, wholly owned by the applicant. Mortgaged property is accepted, but you must produce a bank no-objection letter showing the amount paid and the balance; the DLD description says the letter must show AED 2 million paid. GDRFA adds that a joint owner's share must itself be worth at least AED 2 million and that a lien is placed on the property to keep ownership in place throughout the residency.

Abu Dhabi applies the same headline figure with an equity test. The Abu Dhabi Residents Office gives the example of a property worth AED 5 million: the outstanding mortgage principal cannot exceed AED 3 million. For off-plan units, it requires evidence that at least AED 2 million has already been paid to an approved developer. Foreign buyers should also check where they may own freehold; our guide to foreign ownership rules in ten countries covers the UAE position, and a real estate adviser can confirm title before you rely on a unit.

Deposits, companies and tax

A deposit of at least AED 2 million qualifies if it is held with an accredited UAE bank or investment fund, or in local sukuk or bonds. GDRFA requires a bank certificate showing the deposit is frozen for at least two years and, for Dubai, proof of housing in the emirate. Company investors need a certified financial report from a UAE audit firm proving their share is worth at least AED 2 million, a trade licence with the partners' appendix, a company bank statement and tax registration. The tax route needs a Federal Tax Authority letter confirming your tax contribution is at least AED 250,000 a year; Abu Dhabi asks for evidence covering the two years before the application.

Step 3: Qualify through skills, talent, study or a business

You can get a golden visa without investment if you are a senior professional, a nominated specialist or talent, a top graduate or a qualifying entrepreneur. These routes are where most executives and lawyers will land.

Skilled professionals and the AED 30,000 salary

ICP's skilled professional category covers chairpersons and chief executives at occupational level one and specialists at level two of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) classification. The applicant needs a valid UAE work permit under an approved contract, at least a bachelor's degree and a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000. For Dubai applications, the GDRFA service card for specialists adds bank statements showing six months of salary transfers, a Ministry of Education recognition report for degrees from universities outside the UAE and a professional licence where the profession requires one. Official pages do not say whether allowances count towards the AED 30,000, so applicants close to the line should take advice on how the salary certificate and the contract describe pay.

Scientists, specialists and exceptional talent

Doctors, educators, researchers, industrial specialists, artists, inventors, athletes and digital technology talent qualify through a recommendation from the relevant body, such as the Emirates Scientists Council, the Ministry of Health and Prevention or the Ministry of Culture. The criteria are detailed, and final approval still sits with the residency authority.

Students, entrepreneurs and humanitarian pioneers

Secondary school students need at least 95%, and graduates need a GPA of 3.5 or 3.8 depending on their university's classification, applied within two years of graduating; graduates of foreign universities must come from the world's top 100. Entrepreneurs qualify with a UAE-registered SME earning at least AED 1 million a year, an idea approved by an accredited incubator or the Ministry of Economy, or past ventures sold for at least AED 7 million. In Dubai, the entrepreneur service card says nominations come from the Dubai Future Foundation. If your plan is to build the business first, our guide on how to open a business in Dubai sets out the licensing steps.

Step 4: Gather and attest the documents

Anything issued abroad, such as degree certificates, marriage contracts and birth certificates, normally needs attestation, and the Dubai authority asks for a Ministry of Education recognition report for foreign degrees.

Route	Core documents	Official processing time
Dubai property investor (DLD)	Passport, title deed or e-certificate, photo, Emirates ID and current residence permit if any, bank no-objection letter if mortgaged	7 to 10 business days
Deposit investor (GDRFA)	Passport, bank certificate of an AED 2 million deposit frozen for at least two years, proof of housing in Dubai	5 days
Company investor (GDRFA)	Passport, certified financial report from a UAE audit firm, trade licence and partners' appendix, company bank statement, tax registration and receipts	5 days
Skilled professional (GDRFA)	Passport, employment contract or salary certificate, six months of bank statements, degree with recognition report, professional licence if required	5 days
Talent, scientist or entrepreneur (GDRFA)	Passport and nomination letter from the competent body	5 days after nomination
Family members (DLD)	Attested marriage contract, attested birth certificates, health insurance, photo, NOC from the father if the mother sponsors, undertaking that children over 18 are unmarried	With the principal

Health insurance is a requirement in its own right. ICP says investors and their families must hold comprehensive, valid cover, and for property investors and professionals that cover must run throughout the residency. Build it into the file at the start rather than treating it as an afterthought.

Step 5: Choose where to apply

Where you apply depends on the emirate of residence and the route. ICP handles applications for most emirates through its smart services platform and eligibility checker. Dubai residents apply through GDRFA, online or at an Amer service centre. Dubai property investors go through DLD-accredited centres, which GDRFA lists as Al Tarash, Gulf Vision, Golden Cube, Al Yalayis and AGS H.

Abu Dhabi has its own front door. UAE residents apply for a golden visa nomination through the Abu Dhabi Residents Office, and the federal portal points Abu Dhabi applicants to TAMM for emirate-specific services. Abu Dhabi's property route relies on documents from the Department of Municipalities and Transport, such as a registered purchase agreement or a unit value certificate. Its non-property investor visa, the Residents Office says, can also cover one adviser and one executive director as well as the spouse and children. Advisers in Abu Dhabi handle these files routinely.

One limit matters for Dubai's student and humanitarian routes: GDRFA says approval is conditional on a residence file issued by Dubai, so those categories are not a way into Dubai for someone resident elsewhere.

Steps 6 to 8: Apply, pass the medical and collect your Emirates ID

Once the file is ready, the application itself is quick. Online, you log in with UAE Pass, select the service, fill in the data and pay. At an Amer centre or a DLD centre, you take a ticket, submit the documents and pay at the counter. The DLD service sets out four stages: attend the centre, submit and pay, take the medical examination at the centre, and receive the residence permit by email. DLD also says the applicant must be inside the UAE and must attend in person.

Applicants who are abroad are not shut out. ICP says eligible applicants outside the UAE receive a six-month multiple-entry entry visa, renewable for a further six months, to complete the process. The medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics then follow inside the country; the DLD fee schedule includes the medical examination and a ten-year Emirates ID.

On timing, GDRFA gives an expected completion time of five days for its investor, specialist, talent, entrepreneur and student services, and 48 hours for humanitarian pioneers. DLD quotes seven to ten business days for its property service. These run from a complete file; nominations and attestation often take longer.

Step 9: Budget for the golden visa fees

The golden visa UAE cost is mostly made up of government and service fees, not a single price. The clearest official breakdown is the DLD schedule for Dubai property investors, which totals AED 9,884.75 for the investor.

Fee item	Amount (AED)	Source
Medical examination	700	DLD
Emirates ID (10 years)	1,153	DLD
Confirmation of residency permit (10 years)	2,856.75	DLD
Dubai Land Department fees	4,020	DLD
Administrative fees	1,155	DLD
Total for the property investor	9,884.75	DLD
Each family member or parent, 10-year permit	5,774.50	DLD
Family sponsorship file opening	318.75	DLD
Added per sponsored person	100	DLD

For the other Dubai routes, GDRFA's service cards list a residence permit fee of AED 1,100, AED 10 each for the Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams, AED 500 for applying inside the country and AED 20 for delivery. GDRFA adds that the issuance fee rises by AED 100 for each year where the residency exceeds two years, so a ten-year permit costs more than the base figure. Medical, Emirates ID, insurance and attestation costs come on top, and fees are revised, so check the live service card when you pay.

Step 10: Sponsor your family

Family sponsorship is one of the strongest reasons to choose the golden visa. ICP says holders can obtain residence for spouses and children regardless of age, and for parents, and can sponsor domestic workers in line with the applicable rules. ICP also says that if the golden visa holder dies, sponsored family members may stay in the UAE for the remaining validity of their own permits.

The DLD property service confirms that a husband or wife, children and parents can be sponsored, and sets the paperwork: an attested marriage contract, attested birth certificates, health insurance, an IBAN, a notarised no-objection letter from the father where the mother is the sponsor, and an undertaking that sons or daughters over 18 are unmarried. Parents need a dependency certificate from the consulate. Each family permit carries its own fee, as the table above shows.

Student holders are treated differently. The GDRFA student service card says outstanding secondary school students may sponsor only their parents, not siblings, while university graduates may sponsor a spouse and children only with an employment contract, a steady income and housing. Because the visa now underpins where the whole family lives, it is a natural moment to review succession: our guide on how to make an international will covers wills that work in more than one country, and family and private client advisers can align the two.

Keeping the visa: absences, liens and renewal

A golden visa is only as secure as the conditions behind it: the investment, the insurance and your ability to support the family.

• Time outside the UAE. Holders do not lose the visa after six months abroad. GDRFA says golden residence holders are exempt from the 180-day rule and that the permit is void only if it expires while the holder is outside the country.
• The investment stays put. GDRFA says property may not be disposed of nor the financial deposit refunded during the ten-year residency, and it registers a lien on qualifying property. Selling below the threshold puts the visa at risk.
• Self-support. GDRFA lists the ability to support yourself and your family without government help as a condition of retaining the permit.
• Insurance. ICP requires comprehensive health cover for property investors and professionals throughout the residency.
• Renewal. ICP describes the permit as renewing automatically and GDRFA says it can be extended if the same conditions are met. Student permits are the exception: GDRFA says they are not renewed after they expire.

For families holding significant assets in the UAE, the lien and lock-up rules interact with wider structuring. If you are weighing a holding company or a family office, check how the qualifying asset will be owned before you transfer it, because the threshold is tested on assets in your own name.

The tax residency angle

A golden visa gives you the right to live in the UAE, but it does not on its own make you tax resident there or non-resident anywhere else. The UAE test is in Cabinet Decision No. 85 of 2022, in force since 1 March 2023. An individual is UAE tax resident if their usual or primary residence and centre of financial and personal interests are in the UAE, or they spend 183 days or more there in a 12-month period, or they spend at least 90 days there while holding a valid UAE residence permit and either have a permanent place of residence or carry on employment or a business in the UAE.

That 90-day test is where the golden visa matters: the permit satisfies the residence permit condition, so a holder with a home or a job in the UAE can reach tax residence with far fewer days than 183. A resident can then apply to the Federal Tax Authority for a Tax Residency Certificate, which is the document most treaty claims rely on. The federal portal's taxation page states that the UAE does not levy income tax on individuals, while VAT is charged at 5 per cent.

The other side of the ledger is the country you are leaving. UK leavers still have to work through the statutory residence test, split-year rules and the temporary non-residence anti-avoidance rules, which our guide on how to become non-resident for UK tax explains. Business owners should also note that UAE companies are subject to corporate tax, and large groups to the domestic minimum top-up tax. A tax adviser in both countries is usually worth the fee before you change your residence.

Common mistakes that delay or derail an application

Most stalled applications fail on evidence, not eligibility.

• Counting borrowed money as capital. ICP says investor capital must not come from a loan. For mortgaged property, what counts is the amount paid, not the purchase price.
• Splitting ownership below the line. A joint owner's own share must be worth AED 2 million; a couple each holding half of an AED 3 million flat does not give either of them a qualifying share.
• Missing degree recognition. Foreign degrees need a Ministry of Education recognition report for the Dubai professional route, and attestation can take weeks.
• Treating a nomination as approval. GDRFA says nomination does not constitute final approval.
• Weak salary evidence. GDRFA asks for six months of bank statements showing salary transfers, so the salary history matters as well as the current contract.
• Selling the asset or breaking the deposit. The lien and lock-up conditions apply for the life of the permit.
• Letting insurance lapse. Comprehensive cover for the holder and family is a continuing condition for several routes.
• Assuming the visa settles your tax position. UAE tax residence and your home country's exit rules are separate tests.

When to instruct a local lawyer

For many people working out how to get a UAE golden visa, the answer is a service centre rather than a lawyer. Straightforward applications, such as a salaried executive with clean documents or an investor with a single unmortgaged property, go through a service centre without legal input. A lawyer earns the fee when the facts are less tidy: mortgaged or off-plan property near the threshold, jointly owned assets, investment through a company or a free zone entity, a nomination route with discretionary criteria, a previous refusal, or a family with children over 18, parents or a sponsoring mother. Advice also pays where the move is tax-driven.

To find a qualified adviser, browse lawyers and advisers in the UAE, narrow your search to advisers in Dubai, or start from our immigration and citizenship directory. If you would rather we did the matching, tell us about your route, your emirate and your timetable using the form below and we will put you in touch with a member who handles golden visa applications.

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a UAE golden visa?

Choose a qualifying route, such as AED 2 million of property or deposits, an AED 30,000 monthly salary at a senior occupational level, a nomination or top academic results. Then gather attested documents, apply through ICP, GDRFA in Dubai or an approved centre, pass the medical and complete Emirates ID biometrics.

How much does a UAE golden visa cost?

For a Dubai property investor, the Dubai Land Department lists total fees of AED 9,884.75, covering the medical, a ten-year Emirates ID, the residency permit, DLD fees and administration. Each sponsored family member or parent costs AED 5,774.50, plus a file opening fee of AED 318.75 and AED 100 per person.

Can I get a golden visa without investment?

Yes. Skilled professionals at MOHRE levels one or two with a bachelor's degree and a salary of at least AED 30,000 a month qualify, as do nominated scientists, doctors, educators, artists, athletes and digital talent, top students and graduates, qualifying entrepreneurs and humanitarian pioneers.

Does a mortgaged or off-plan property count?

Yes, with conditions. ICP accepts property financed by an approved local bank and off-plan units bought from an approved developer. Dubai requires a bank letter showing the amount paid, and Abu Dhabi requires at least AED 2 million of equity or, for off-plan, AED 2 million already paid to the developer.

How long can I stay outside the UAE with a golden visa?

There is no six-month limit. GDRFA says golden residence holders are exempt from the 180-day rule and that the permit is treated as void only if it expires while the holder is outside the country. Keep the permit, Emirates ID and insurance renewed while you are away.

How long does it take to get a UAE golden visa?

Once a complete file is submitted, GDRFA quotes five days for most of its golden residence services and the Dubai Land Department quotes seven to ten business days for property investors. Nominations, degree recognition, attestation and bank letters usually take longer than the processing itself.

Which family members can I sponsor?

ICP says holders can sponsor spouses, children regardless of age and parents, and domestic workers under the applicable rules. Student holders are more limited: secondary school students may sponsor only parents, and graduates need a job, income and housing to sponsor a spouse and children.

Does a golden visa make me tax resident in the UAE?

Not automatically. Under Cabinet Decision No. 85 of 2022 you are tax resident after 183 days in a 12-month period, or after 90 days if you hold a residence permit and have a permanent home or work in the UAE. You must also check the exit rules of the country you leave.

What is the difference between the golden visa and the green visa?

Both are long-term residence permits that need no sponsor. ICP describes the green residence as a five-year permit, renewable on meeting its requirements, while the golden residence runs for ten years and renews automatically. Each has its own eligibility criteria, so check ICP's separate green residence guide before choosing.

Sources

1. Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, Golden Residency guide (updated 10 September 2026): icp.gov.ae
2. The Official Portal of the UAE Government, Golden visa (updated 28 July 2026): u.ae
3. GDRFA Dubai, Issuing a golden residence permit (investors): gdrfad.gov.ae
4. GDRFA Dubai, Issuing Golden Residence Permit (Specialized Scientists and skilled professionals): gdrfad.gov.ae
5. GDRFA Dubai, Issuing a golden residence permit (entrepreneurs): gdrfad.gov.ae
6. GDRFA Dubai, Issuing a golden residence permit (top students, graduates): gdrfad.gov.ae
7. Dubai Land Department, Golden Visa application: Investor (page updated 29 October 2026): dubailand.gov.ae
8. Abu Dhabi Residents Office, Abu Dhabi Golden Visa for Investors: adro.gov.ae
9. Cabinet Decision No. 85 of 2022 on the Determination of Tax Residency (Federal Tax Authority, unofficial translation): tax.gov.ae
10. The Official Portal of the UAE Government, Taxation: u.ae

About this article

Researched and written by The Corporate INTL Newsroom from the published guidance of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai, the Dubai Land Department, the Abu Dhabi Residents Office and the Federal Tax Authority. It is general information, not legal, immigration or tax advice; thresholds and fees change, so confirm them on the official service pages and take advice from a qualified UAE adviser for your circumstances. Last reviewed 2 November 2026. For more analysis visit our newsroom, read more immigration and citizenship coverage or subscribe to our newsletter.