UAE Golden Visa through buying property in Dubai

• ten years of residence in the UAE, renewable for as long as you keep the qualifying property;
• no sponsor: the visa is tied to your investment, not to a job;
• your spouse and children can be included, and in many cases parents as well;
• no minimum stay: time spent abroad does not cancel it the way it can with a standard residence visa;
• an Emirates ID, so you can open bank accounts, register utilities and sign leases as a resident.

For many buyers the visa is a side benefit of a home or a rental investment they wanted anyway. You can browse qualifying properties in the catalogue, filtered by community and price.

The property, or several properties together, must be worth at least AED 2 million. The value is taken from the title deed issued by the Dubai Land Department, so it is the purchase price registered at transfer that counts.

Since 2022 the rules also accept:

• mortgaged property, when the loan is from an approved UAE bank and the bank issues a no-objection letter;
• off-plan property bought from developers approved by the authorities, with the paid amount checked against the threshold;
• several units combined, as long as their total value reaches AED 2 million.

Units in that price band are found across Dubai Marina, Downtown Dubai, Palm Jumeirah and Dubai Hills Estate.

Freehold residential and commercial property in Dubai qualifies: apartments, villas, townhouses, penthouses and offices. Foreign buyers can purchase freehold property in the city's designated freehold areas, which include most of the newer communities. Land alone and leasehold arrangements are generally not accepted.

If the visa is the main goal, check three things before you sign: that the building is freehold, that the price on the title deed will reach the threshold, and, for off-plan, that the developer is on the approved list.

1. Complete the purchase and receive the title deed from the Dubai Land Department.
2. Apply for the Golden Visa online or at a DLD or GDRFA service centre, with the title deed, passport copies and photographs.
3. Receive the entry permit or status change, then complete the medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics.
4. The visa is stamped electronically and linked to your Emirates ID.

The whole process usually takes a few weeks once the title deed is issued. We coordinate the property side and can introduce you to licensed visa service providers for the application itself.

Budget for the following on top of the purchase price:

• Dubai Land Department transfer fee of 4% of the price, plus title deed and admin fees;
• agency commission, typically 2% of the price on resale property;
• mortgage registration of 0.25% of the loan amount, if you finance;
• Golden Visa application, medical test and Emirates ID fees.

Dubai has no annual property tax and no tax on rental income or capital gains for individuals, which is a large part of why the market attracts investors. Our investor guide covers yields and running costs in more detail.

Below AED 2 million, a shorter property investor residence visa has been available for smaller amounts, and the threshold has changed over time. The Golden Visa can also be obtained through employment, a business or specialist talent categories. If the property route does not fit your budget, ask us and we will point you to the current options before you buy.