UAE Golden Visa 2026: Who Qualifies, Costs and How to Apply
The UAE Golden Visa explained: the AED 2 million property route (now including mortgaged and off-plan homes), salary, investor and talent routes, family sponsorship, fees and documents.
Updated 27 October 2026
The Golden Visa is the UAE’s long-term residence visa, usually issued for 10 years and renewable. You sponsor yourself, so it does not depend on a job or a local sponsor, and you can keep it even if you live outside the UAE for more than six months at a time. This guide covers the main routes and what changed in 2026.
Who qualifies
| Route | Main requirement |
|---|---|
| Property investor | One or more properties worth at least AED 2 million in total |
| Public investment | AED 2 million deposited in an approved UAE investment fund, or company capital of AED 2 million |
| Skilled professional | Basic salary of AED 30,000 a month or more, a bachelor’s degree and a skill level 1 or 2 job |
| Entrepreneur | Owner of an approved project or start-up, often through an accredited incubator |
| Exceptional talent | Doctors, scientists, artists, athletes, inventors and others nominated by the relevant authority |
| Outstanding student or graduate | Top secondary school results, or a high GPA from a qualifying university |
| Humanitarian and frontline workers | Recognised humanitarian pioneers and frontline heroes, by nomination |
The property route in 2026
The property route is the most popular one for expat buyers. The value must be at least AED 2 million, and it can be one property or several added together. Under the change reported in February 2026, buyers no longer need to have paid a fixed share of the price before applying:
- Mortgaged property qualifies on the property’s value, not on how much you have paid off. You need a no-objection certificate (NOC) from your bank.
- Off-plan property from an approved developer can qualify on the registered (Oqood) contract value.
- Jointly owned property generally counts only if your own share is worth AED 2 million or more.
Practice can differ between emirates and between the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and the federal ICP, so confirm the current rule for your case before you buy with a visa in mind. Run the numbers on the investment itself with our property ROI calculator and see the buying costs with the Dubai property fees calculator.
The salary route
Employees earning a basic monthly salary of AED 30,000 or more, with at least a bachelor’s degree and a job in occupational level 1 or 2 under MOHRE’s classification, can apply. The salary is checked against your labour contract and salary certificate, and allowances usually do not count towards the AED 30,000.
Family and benefits
- Sponsor your spouse and children, with no age limit for sons and daughters in most cases, and sponsor domestic workers.
- No minimum time in the UAE to keep the visa valid.
- Family members can stay until their own permits expire if the main holder dies.
- A six-month multiple-entry visa to enter the UAE and complete the process.
Documents you usually need
- Passport copy and a recent photo, and your current visa and Emirates ID if you live in the UAE
- Property: title deed or Oqood, a DLD valuation if needed, and the bank NOC for a mortgage
- Salary route: attested degree, labour contract and salary certificate
- Medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics once approved
- Health insurance for you and your family
How to apply
- Check your route and documents on the ICP website or app, or, for Dubai residents, on GDRFA Dubai.
- For the property route in Dubai, you can also apply through the Dubai Land Department’s Golden Visa service for property investors.
- Submit the application and pay the fees.
- Complete the medical test and biometrics, then receive your Emirates ID.
A complete application is usually decided within a few weeks.
How much it costs
Government fees depend on the route and the emirate. Commonly reported totals are around AED 4,000–5,000 for the main applicant on the salary or talent routes and up to about AED 10,000 on the Dubai property route. Medical tests, Emirates ID, insurance and each family member come on top. Check the latest fee on the ICP or DLD service page before you pay, as figures quoted online often differ.
Is buying property just for the visa worth it?
Purchase fees in Dubai are around 7–8% of the price, so a property bought only for the visa needs to make sense as an investment too. Compare the rental return, service charges and your planned holding period, and remember that prices can fall as well as rise. The rental yield calculator and the rent vs buy calculator help with that.
This guide is general information, not legal or immigration advice. Rules change often; the ICP, GDRFA and Dubai Land Department are the official sources.