A correction first. An earlier version of this article, published in May 2026, described new rules for the property route: Dh1 million of equity, up to three properties counted together, and off-plan units counting from 50% paid. The official pages I read in October 2026 do not show those rules, so I have rewritten the article around what the Dubai Land Department and the federal immigration authority actually publish today.
The short version
- The property route to Dubai's Golden Visa needs property worth at least Dh2 million. DLD accepts one property or several, wholly owned.
- The visa is for 10 years and renewable, according to both DLD and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), the two bodies that handle it.
- A mortgaged property can count, with a letter from the bank showing what has been paid and what is still owed.
- Off-plan property can count: ICP accepts off-plan units totalling Dh2 million bought from an approved local real estate company. How much must be paid before you apply is the point to confirm case by case.
- DLD lists the fees for its service at Dh9,884.75 in total, with a processing time of 7 to 10 working days.
What DLD's Golden Visa service requires
DLD runs an investor Golden Visa service for property owners. Its page sets out the conditions in plain terms:
- Property worth at least Dh2 million, wholly owned. The value can come from one property or from several.
- A mortgaged property is allowed, with a no-objection letter from the bank that shows the amount paid and the balance.
- The documents include the title deed or the electronic ownership certificate.
- The result is a 10-year renewable residence permit.
The fees on the same page add up to Dh9,884.75: a medical test of Dh700, the Emirates ID at Dh1,153, a confirmation fee of Dh2,856.75, DLD's own fee of Dh4,020 and an administration fee of Dh1,155. DLD gives a processing time of 7 to 10 working days.
What ICP's guide adds
ICP's page on the UAE Golden Residency, updated on 10 September 2026, sets the same Dh2 million threshold and adds three points that matter to buyers:
- Off-plan units totalling at least Dh2 million qualify, provided the purchase is made from an approved local real estate company.
- A loan from an approved local bank is allowed.
- The holder can sponsor family members, including parents, and health insurance is required.
Where the official sources disagree
The federal government portal, u.ae, in a page updated on 28 July 2026, lists five years for real estate investments. DLD and ICP, the two bodies that process the application, both say ten years. I follow them, but check the current rule on the day you apply, because the authorities can change it and the portals do not always move together.
| Source | Validity | Threshold | Off-plan | Mortgaged property |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DLD, Golden Visa for investors | 10 years, renewable | Dh2M, wholly owned, one or more properties | Title deed or electronic certificate among the documents | Allowed, with a bank letter showing paid and owed |
| ICP, UAE Golden Residency | 10 years | Dh2M | Units totalling Dh2M from an approved local real estate company | Loan from an approved local bank allowed |
| u.ae, federal portal | Lists 5 years for real estate investments | Not stated on the page | Not stated | Not stated |
Who the property route suits
- An owner of several smaller units. Because DLD counts one or more properties, a portfolio worth Dh2 million in total can reach the threshold without a single large purchase.
- An owner with a mortgage. The bank's letter showing the amount paid and the balance is part of the file. What the authority will accept as enough paid is the question to settle before you count on the visa; one developer's published guidance reads DLD as asking for a letter showing Dh2 million paid, and it is safest to plan on that reading until you are told otherwise.
- An off-plan buyer. ICP accepts off-plan units from approved developers, but the file can ask for proof of what has been paid. On a long payment plan, that can mean applying some time after handover rather than at booking. For one current project, The WOW Tower in DLRC, I worked through which purchases reach Dh2 million and when, in my guide to buying there from abroad.
What to do before you buy for the visa
- Buy for property reasons first and visa reasons second. The visa is renewable; a poor property is a long mistake.
- Ask how the value will be recorded. The figure that counts is the one on the ownership documents DLD accepts, so check it before you rely on it.
- Get a case-specific answer if you are buying off-plan or with a mortgage. The rules accept both, but the documents asked for depend on your file.
- Read any visa offer from a developer in writing. Some developers support the application or cover fees; none can issue the visa or guarantee approval.
How freehold ownership works, which underlies every one of these cases, is explained in freehold and leasehold in Dubai, and how to read an off-plan payment plan in decoding developer payment plans.
The two-year residency visa: no minimum for a sole owner
Below AED 2,000,000 there is a second route. The two-year property investor visa used to need a property worth at least AED 750,000. Since spring 2026 that minimum is gone for a sole owner: full ownership of a completed, DLD-registered Dubai property at any value qualifies.
- Joint owners each need a share worth at least AED 400,000.
- The property must be completed and registered. A unit that is only off-plan does not qualify for this visa.
- Mortgaged and developer-financed property still qualifies with an NOC from the bank or developer.
- The visa is renewable. Processing usually takes 10 to 15 working days, and fees typically run AED 4,000 to 7,000.
The visa is tied to the property, not to an employer. Hold it and the residency holds, and once your property, or several together, reaches AED 2,000,000 you can move up to the Golden Visa.
Sources and dates
- DLD, Golden Visa application for investors (dubailand.gov.ae e-services): Dh2 million wholly owned, one or more properties; mortgaged property with a bank no-objection letter showing the amount paid and the balance; title deed or e-certificate; 10-year renewable permit; fees of Dh9,884.75; 7 to 10 working days. Read 7 Oct 2026.
- ICP, UAE Golden Residency, page updated 10 Sep 2026: Dh2 million; off-plan units totalling Dh2 million from an approved local real estate company; loans from approved local banks; family sponsorship including parents; health insurance. Read 7 Oct 2026.
- u.ae, Golden Visa page, updated 28 Jul 2026: five years for real estate investments. Read 7 Oct 2026.
- Reading of DLD's mortgaged-property rule as a letter showing Dh2 million paid: Mr. Eight, Questions and answers, mr8.ae, read 7 Oct 2026.
Frequently asked questions
Property worth at least Dh2 million, wholly owned. DLD accepts the value from one property or from several, and the visa is for 10 years, renewable.
Yes. DLD's Golden Visa service counts one or more properties, as long as they are wholly owned and their value reaches Dh2 million in total.
It can. ICP accepts off-plan units totalling at least Dh2 million bought from an approved local real estate company. The application can ask for proof of what has been paid, so confirm your own case before you rely on it.
Yes, with a no-objection letter from the bank showing the amount paid and the balance. Confirm how much must be paid for your application, because that is where files differ.
Ten years, renewable, according to DLD and ICP, which handle the application. The federal portal u.ae still lists five years for real estate investments, so check the current rule when you apply.
DLD lists the fees for its investor Golden Visa service at Dh9,884.75 in total: medical test, Emirates ID, confirmation, DLD's own fee and an administration fee. Processing takes 7 to 10 working days.
Yes. ICP's guide says the holder can sponsor family members, including parents, and that health insurance is required.
The official DLD and ICP pages read in October 2026 do not show the changes an earlier version of this article described, such as Dh1 million of equity, up to three properties or off-plan units counting from 50% paid. This version follows the official pages.
Yes. Since spring 2026 a sole owner of a completed, DLD-registered Dubai property qualifies at any value; the old AED 750,000 minimum no longer applies. Joint owners need a share of at least AED 400,000 each. The visa is renewable, processing usually takes 10 to 15 working days, and fees typically run AED 4,000 to 7,000.