UAE Golden Visa (2026): categories, AED 2M property rule, costs and tax

Visas & Immigration
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The UAE Golden Visa is a 10-year, self-sponsored residence visa for property and public investors with at least AED 2 million, entrepreneurs, specialised talents, high-earning professionals, outstanding students and a few other groups. Mortgaged property counts, off-plan property from approved developers is allowed under the 2022 executive regulations, and there is no limit on time spent outside the UAE. Holding the visa does not by itself make you a UAE tax resident: for a tax residency certificate you still need to meet Cabinet Decision 85 of 2022, usually 183 days in the UAE, or 90 days plus a UAE home or job.

Last checked: October 2026

In short:

  • Main investor routes: AED 2 million in property (one or several units, mortgaged allowed), a frozen AED 2 million bank deposit, or an AED 2 million share in a company; entrepreneurs need a project worth at least AED 500,000.
  • Dubai Land Department lists total fees of AED 9,884.75 for a property investor’s 10-year permit, plus AED 5,774.50 for each family member.
  • There is no minimum stay to keep the visa, but tax residency needs 183 days, or 90 days with a permanent home or job in the UAE; the UAE has no personal income tax and a 9% corporate tax above AED 375,000.

Golden Visa categories

The 2022 executive regulations of the federal law on entry and residence of foreigners set out the categories, and the federal ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security) runs services for each. ICP’s service pages describe investor, entrepreneur and talent visas as giving “Golden Residency for a period of 10 years”.

Category Main requirement (official sources) Validity
Real estate investor One or more properties worth at least AED 2 million 10 years
Investor in public investments: deposit AED 2 million deposit in a UAE bank, frozen for at least two years, not withdrawn during the residency 10 years
Investor in public investments: company Your share of the company worth at least AED 2 million; audited accounts and tax registration 10 years
Entrepreneur Project worth at least AED 500,000 (auditor’s letter) and approval from the emirate’s competent authority 10 years
Specialised talents Approval from the relevant authority: culture and arts, inventors, athletes, digital technology, other exceptional talents 10 years
Skilled professionals Monthly salary of at least AED 30,000, a bachelor’s degree, first or second occupational level 10 years
Outstanding students Certificates of excellence and recommendation letters 5 years (school), 10 years (top university students)
Humanitarian pioneers, frontline heroes Certificates of appreciation or at least 5 years of service 10 years

The u.ae portal (updated 28 July 2026) also lists contribution to an establishment paying at least AED 250,000 a year in taxes as an investor route. Talent routes need a recommendation or approval letter, so they are not a do-it-yourself option.

The property route in detail

The property route is the one most founders and investors use. Here is what the official sources say.

Value. Dubai Land Department (DLD): “The value of the property is 2 million AED, wholly owned by the investor (one or more properties).” You can combine units. GDRFA Dubai allows joint ownership only if your own share is worth at least AED 2 million.

Mortgaged property. GDRFA Dubai says “mortgaged property is acceptable, and includes all types of properties.” DLD requires a no-objection letter from your bank “indicating the paid amount and the balance”. The same DLD page also refers to a bank letter showing “2 million AED paid amount” for mortgaged property. Those two lines are not fully consistent, so confirm with DLD whether your equity, rather than the purchase price, must reach AED 2 million before you rely on a high loan-to-value mortgage.

Off-plan. The UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ summary of the 2022 executive regulations says investors can obtain golden residence “when buying one or more off-plan properties of no less than AED2 million from approved local real estate companies”, and “when purchasing a property with a loan from specific local banks”. The current DLD and ICP service pages do not mention off-plan, and ICP’s federal service page states “The property must be fully owned by the investor.” In practice, ask DLD or your developer whether your specific project and payment stage qualify.

Valuation and lien. GDRFA requires a property valuation certificate from DLD and notes a property lien during the 10-year validity.

Where you apply. DLD says the applicant “must be inside the UAE”. This section uses Dubai’s process; check with the land department if your property is in another emirate.

What it costs

Fee Amount (AED) Source
ICP entry permit for real estate investor (application + issuance + smart services) 300 ICP
Medical examination 700 DLD
Emirates ID 1,153 DLD
Residency confirmation 2,856.75 DLD
DLD fees 4,020 DLD
Administrative fees 1,155 DLD
DLD total, investor 10-year permit 9,884.75 DLD
Each family member (spouse, children, parents) 5,774.50 DLD
File opening (family) 318.75 DLD

GDRFA Dubai lists its own residence permit fee as AED 1,100, plus AED 10 Knowledge Dirham, AED 10 Innovation Dirham, AED 500 for applying inside the country and AED 20 delivery, with the issuance fee rising by AED 100 a year for each year of residency over two. These overlap with the DLD bundle, so expect the DLD total, not both. DLD gives a processing time of 7 to 10 business days.

Every ICP service page also requires valid UAE health insurance and a passport with at least six months’ validity. Budget for health insurance separately.

Family, absence and Emirates ID

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ summary of the 2022 regulations, a Golden Visa holder can:

  • sponsor “spouse and children regardless of their age”;
  • sponsor domestic workers without a numerical limit;
  • leave family members able to stay in the UAE “in the event of the death of the original holder”.

The same summary says there is “no restriction related to the maximum duration of stay outside the UAE in order to keep the Golden Residence valid”. Ordinary residence visas lapse after six months abroad, per u.ae. This is why the Golden Visa suits people who travel most of the year.

You receive an Emirates ID with the visa (included in the DLD fee). You need it for banking, leases, utilities and the tax residency certificate.

Tax: the visa is not tax residency

The UAE has no personal income tax. PwC (last reviewed 9 September 2026): “There is currently no personal income tax in the United Arab Emirates.”

To prove UAE tax residence to your old country, a bank or a treaty partner, you need a Tax Residency Certificate (TRC) from the Federal Tax Authority (FTA). Cabinet Resolution 85 of 2022, in force from 1 March 2023, makes you a UAE tax resident if any of these apply:

Test What you need
Centre of life Your “usual or main place of residence and the centre of [your] financial and personal interests are in the State”
183 days Present in the UAE for 183 days or more in any consecutive 12-month period
90 days Present 90 days or more in 12 consecutive months, holding UAE or GCC nationality or a valid residence permit, and either a permanent place of residence or a job or business in the UAE

FTA fees for a natural person not registered for tax are AED 50 to submit plus AED 1,000 for the electronic certificate, and AED 250 per hard copy. The FTA aims to decide within 10 business days. A certificate covers a 12-month period you select, current or past, never future.

The 90-day test is the useful one for frequent travellers: with a Golden Visa (a valid residence permit) and a lease or title deed in the UAE, 90 days can be enough. Your old country may still treat you as resident under its own rules or a treaty tie-breaker. If you are leaving the UK, read Leaving the UK (2026): Statutory Residence Test, split year and FIG regime.

Corporate tax. If you run a company, the UAE charges 0% on taxable income up to AED 375,000 and 9% above, for financial years starting on or after 1 June 2023, per PwC. Natural persons doing business with turnover above AED 1 million also fall into corporate tax. See Company setup in the UAE and Dubai (2026): free zone vs mainland, costs, 9% tax for free zones and Small Business Relief.

The Green Visa alternative

If you do not have AED 2 million, the five-year Green Visa is also self-sponsored. ICP lists three tracks:

Green Visa track Requirement
Freelancers / self-employed A freelance or self-employment permit from the Ministry; annual income of at least AED 360,000 over the past two years; a bachelor’s degree or specialised diploma
Skilled employees A UAE employment contract, skill levels 1 to 3, salary of at least AED 15,000 a month, a bachelor’s degree
Investors and partners Proof of investment or partnership in a UAE project

It renews every five years, lets you sponsor family and gives grace periods when it expires. Unlike the Golden Visa, it does not carry the explicit right to stay abroad indefinitely, so check the absence rules before you rely on it. For remote work and freelance options, see Dubai remote work visa vs freelance visa vs company setup (2026).

Related guides: Low-tax residency for high earners (2026): 14 regimes compared · Company setup in the UAE and Dubai (2026): free zone vs mainland, costs, 9% tax · Dubai remote work visa vs freelance visa vs company setup (2026) · Cost of living in Dubai (2026): rent by area, budget and tax · Golden visa countries (2026): which are open, closed and the cost

Quick answers

Q: Can I get a UAE Golden Visa with a mortgaged or off-plan property?
Yes for mortgaged property: GDRFA Dubai says mortgaged property is acceptable, and DLD asks for a bank no-objection letter showing the paid amount and balance. The 2022 regulations also allow off-plan purchases from approved developers. Confirm with DLD how much equity your case needs, because its page wording is not consistent.

Q: How much does a UAE Golden Visa cost through property?
Dubai Land Department lists AED 9,884.75 for a property investor’s 10-year permit, covering the medical, Emirates ID, residency and DLD fees. Each family member costs AED 5,774.50, plus a one-off AED 318.75 file opening fee. You also need UAE health insurance and a property worth at least AED 2 million.

Q: Does a UAE Golden Visa make me a tax resident?
Not automatically. Under Cabinet Resolution 85 of 2022 you need 183 days in the UAE in 12 months, or 90 days plus a valid residence permit and a UAE home or job, or your centre of life there. Then the FTA can issue a tax residency certificate for AED 1,050.

Sources

This is general information from the Nomad Forums team, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; check the official source or a qualified adviser before acting.

Over to you: Did you get your Golden Visa through property, a deposit or a talent route, and how long did it take? If you used a mortgage or an off-plan unit, what did DLD ask you to show?

Low-tax residency for high earners (2026): 14 regimes compared