Programme Overview
United Arab Emirates Golden Visa
From AED 2,000,000 ($540K USD) — financed against your portfolio, not liquidated from it.
Or compare it against the other programmesUnited Arab Emirates at a glance
The UAE Golden Visa offers 10-year renewable residency for investors, entrepreneurs, and specialized professionals. Two April 2026 changes are widely misreported.
Investment from
AED 2,000,000
Processing
4-8 months
Stay required
None
Golden Visa. Spouse and dependants included. There is a pathway to citizenship.
United Arab Emirates Golden Visa — investment routes
Real Estate Investment
Property purchase (minimum AED 2 million, can be mortgage-financed up to 50%)
- ▪Investment of AED 2,000,000 (~$545,000) ($540K USD)
Business Investment
Investment in existing or new UAE business
- ▪Investment of AED 2,000,000 (~$545,000) ($540K USD)
Public Investment
Investment in investment fund or deposit in UAE bank
- ▪Investment of AED 2,000,000 (~$545,000) ($540K USD)
Dubai Two-Year Property Investor Visa (not a Golden Visa)
A separate, lower-tier Dubai product.
- ▪Investment of No minimum for sole owners of fully-paid completed property
United Arab Emirates Golden Visa benefits
- 10-year renewable residency visa
- Zero personal income tax
- Include spouse and children
- No minimum stay requirements
- Multiple entry privileges
- 2025 Update: Unified GDRFA platform for streamlined processing
- 2025 Update: No minimum property value for 2-year investor visa
- World-class infrastructure
- Strategic business hub location
- Access to high-quality education and healthcare
Eligibility Requirements
- ▪Valid passport
- ▪Health insurance
- ▪Medical fitness certificate
- ▪No criminal record
- ▪Proof of investment
- ▪Property must be maintained (for real estate route)
- ▪Emirates ID registration
Who can be included
- Spouse
- Children (unlimited age for daughters, sons up to 25)
- Additional fees apply for dependents
- Parents may be sponsored separately
Taxation
UAE has no personal income tax, capital gains tax, or wealth tax. Corporate tax of 9% introduced in 2023 on business profits exceeding AED 375,000.
Residency requirements
No minimum annual stay requirement. Visa remains valid with periodic entries to UAE (recommended once every 180 days to maintain active status).
Path to citizenship
UAE does not offer citizenship through investment. Citizenship is granted only in exceptional cases and is extremely rare.
Application process
Typical duration: 4-8 months- 01
Investment Completion
1-2 monthsComplete qualifying real estate or business investment
- 02
Application & Medical
1-2 monthsSubmit application, complete medical examination and Emirates ID
- 03
Approval & Visa Issuance
2-4 monthsProcessing and receive 10-year Golden Visa
Costs and fees (Commission)
Every charge the programme makes, and the sales commission an intermediary adds on top of them.
Real Estate Investment
AED 2,000,000+ (~$545,000+)
Minimum property value or fund deposit
Property Transfer Fee
4% of property value
Dubai Land Department transfer fee (one-time)
Visa Application Fee
AED 2,800-3,500 (~$760-950)
Government visa processing and stamping
Medical Examination
AED 500-1,000 (~$135-270)
Required health screening at approved center
Emirates ID
AED 370+ (~$100+)
National ID card registration
Health Insurance
AED 5,000-15,000/year (~$1,360-4,080)
Mandatory health insurance for residents
Sales commission
$25,000–$50,000
Bundled into developer pricing on off-plan stock marketed at visa buyers.
Fee based model
The same programme, bought without an intermediary's commission.
You save
$25,000–$50,000
The sales commission on the left, which you do not pay. The $2,500 fee replaces it.
Total estimated cost
AED 2,100,000+ (~$570,000+ USD) including property, fees, and first year costs
The sales commission above is on top of this figure.
What the advice costs
The programme costs the same. The advice does not.
Through a commission
$25,000–$50,000
Sales commission on United Arab Emirates. Bundled into developer pricing on off-plan stock marketed at visa buyers.
Through a fee
$2,500
Six months as a private client — route selection, the financing, the portfolio, and me on the end of a phone. Twelve months is $5,000. Paid by you, so the answer can be no.
Total saving
$25,000–$50,000
The whole commission, before the $2,500 fee. The programme costs what it costs either way.
This is the commission only. The licensed agent, the legal work and the government fees in the list above are payable whoever advises you, and nothing here removes them — a saving that quietly included a statutory fee would be the same trick in the other direction.
Commission ranges are typical rather than universal, and no firm is named. They are not published anywhere, which is the point of them.
Fund Your United Arab Emirates Investment with a Lombard Loan
Instead of liquidating your portfolio to fund the From AED 2,000,000 United Arab Emirates investment, use your existing assets as collateral and keep your money working for you.
Traditional: Liquidate Assets
- ✗Sell From AED 2,000,000 from your portfolio
- ✗Trigger capital gains tax (up to 20%)
- ✗Lose years of compound growth
- ✗After 10 years: $4.32M
Lombard Loan: Keep Your Portfolio
- Borrow From AED 2,000,000 against $4.00M collateral
- No capital gains event triggered
- Portfolio continues growing at 8%
- After 10 years: $8.04M
10-Year Wealth Projection
Is United Arab Emirates right for you?
Ideal for
- High-net-worth individuals seeking zero-tax residency
- Entrepreneurs and business owners wanting Gulf market access
- Remote workers and digital nomads seeking a global base
- Families wanting excellent schools and safe environment
- Investors seeking property yields of 5-8% annually
- Those comfortable with Middle Eastern culture and lifestyle
Consider alternatives if
- ▪Those seeking citizenship (UAE citizenship not available through investment)
- ▪Investors wanting EU access (consider Portugal or Greece)
- ▪Those requiring property ownership for agriculture or large land (limited options)
- ▪People uncomfortable with hot climate (summer temperatures exceed 40°C)
Alternative programmes to consider
Portugal
If you want EU residency with path to citizenship. Portugal offers citizenship after 10 years, or 7 for EU and CPLP nationals.
ExploreMalta
If you want full citizenship (not just residency). Malta offers EU citizenship in 12-36 months.
ExploreSingapore
If you prefer Asia-Pacific over Middle East. Singapore offers GIP with potential citizenship pathway.
ExploreRelated Resources
Elsewhere
If this one is not the fit, these might be
FAQs
Half an hour, $100, no commission.
Whether United Arab Emirates is right for you, what it will actually cost, and whether a visa with no capital contribution gets you the same place for nothing.