UAE CORPORATE TAX 9% — EFFECTIVE JUNE 2023DUBAI GDP GROWTH 3.4% IN 202445+ FREE ZONES — 100% FOREIGN OWNERSHIPGOLDEN VISA: AED 2M PROPERTY THRESHOLDDIFC AUM: $500B+ GROWING 18% YoYUAE #1 ARAB WORLD — EASE OF DOING BUSINESSGULF MERIDIAN · OPERATED BY EPIIDOSIS GLOBAL FINANCEKSA VISION 2030: $3.2T PRIVATISATION PIPELINE
UAE CORPORATE TAX 9% — EFFECTIVE JUNE 2023DUBAI GDP GROWTH 3.4% IN 202445+ FREE ZONES — 100% FOREIGN OWNERSHIPGOLDEN VISA: AED 2M PROPERTY THRESHOLDDIFC AUM: $500B+ GROWING 18% YoYUAE #1 ARAB WORLD — EASE OF DOING BUSINESSGULF MERIDIAN · OPERATED BY EPIIDOSIS GLOBAL FINANCEKSA VISION 2030: $3.2T PRIVATISATION PIPELINE
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Knowledge BaseExpat & ResidencyGolden Visa
Expat & Residency

UAE Golden Visa: Complete Eligibility and Application Guide 2025

The UAE 10-year Golden Visa is available to investors, entrepreneurs, skilled professionals, and outstanding students. AED 2M in property or qualifying investment qualifies. Family members are included automatically.

Last verified: June 20262 source documents4 min read
At a Glance
Cost
AED 2M property / investment (investor route)
Timeline
2–4 weeks once documents are ready
Authority
ICP and Dubai GDRFA
Who it's for
Investors, entrepreneurs, specialised talent, top students
Key Facts
FactValueSource
Golden Visa duration10 years (renewable)ICP UAE — Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022
Property investment threshold for Golden VisaAED 2,000,000ICP UAE
Golden Visas issued to date200,000+UAE ICP
Green Visa duration5 years (self-sponsored)ICP UAE
Employer requiredNo — self-sponsoredICP UAE
Family sponsorshipSpouse and children included — no age limit for sonsICP UAE
Typical processing time2–4 weeksICP UAE
What This Means For Your Business

The UAE 10-year Golden Visa is available to investors, entrepreneurs, skilled professionals, and outstanding students. AED 2M in property or qualifying investment qualifies. Family members are included automatically.

How It Works — Step by Step

Tap any step to expand the detail.

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Golden Visa at a glance
10 yr
Renewable residency
AED 2M
Property threshold
200k+
Issued to date
None
Sponsor required
Tip
Property worth AED 2M or more can qualify even with a mortgage, provided your paid-up equity meets the authority’s criteria — you do not always need to own it outright.
Golden vs Green vs Employment visa
FeatureGolden★ RecommendedGreenEmployment
Duration10 years5 years2–3 years
Self-sponsoredYesYesNo
Sponsor familyYesYesLimited
Grace if job ends6 months6 months30–90 days
Entry thresholdAED 2M / talentSkilled / freelanceJob offer
Documents you’ll need
0/6 done
Warning
A Golden Visa can be cancelled if its qualifying condition lapses — for example, selling the qualifying property below the threshold. Maintain the basis for your category.
Self-sponsored, ten years, no employer — the Golden Visa rewrote the social contract for talent and capital in the Gulf.
Gulf Meridian
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From the Official Source Documents

The Golden Visa gives 10 years of renewable UAE residency that you sponsor yourself — you do not need an employer or a local sponsor, and you can stay outside the UAE for long periods without it lapsing.

Property investors qualify by owning real estate worth at least AED 2 million; entrepreneurs, senior professionals, scientists, top students and other categories of talent qualify on their own criteria.

A Golden Visa holder can sponsor their spouse and children — with no age limit for sons — plus domestic staff, keeping the whole family on long-term residency.

For those who do not meet the Golden Visa thresholds, the 5-year Green Visa offers self-sponsored residency for skilled employees, freelancers and investors at lower entry points.

Applications are handled by the ICP and Dubai's GDRFA, and are typically processed within two to four weeks once medical tests and documents are complete.

Legal Basis — 2 Primary Source Documents
UAE CT — Family Foundations Guide May 2025
UAE-FTAEffective 2025guide
Download PDF
UAE CT Public Clarification CTP008 — Family Wealth Management Structures 2025
UAE-FTAEffective 2024circular
Download PDF

Laws and regulations change. Always verify with the relevant authority before acting on this information.

For information only. This guide provides general guidance based on publicly available UAE & GCC regulations. It is not legal or financial advice. Speak to our advisory team →
About this guide
TopicGolden Visa
PillarExpat & Residency
Last verifiedJun 2026
Sources2 documents
Read time4 min
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