United Arab Emirates · Processing time
UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner: how long does it take?
By Sam Parks · Last checked:
The UAE does not publish one end-to-end processing band for the five-year Green Residence route for investors and business partners.
How long does the UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner take to process in United Arab Emirates?
UAE Government Portal - Residence visa for doing business does not publish a central processing time for this route. Verify whether ICP or GDRFA has jurisdiction and ask that authority for the live service time after the company and investment evidence is ready.
Verified against UAE Government Portal - Residence visa for doing business on 21 July 2026.
Typical wait
Not centrally published
from complete application
Government fees
Federal ICP schedule: AED 100 application + AED 100 per year of the 5-year Green Residence + AED 100 smart-services fee. In-country status adjustment is AED 500 if applicable; business-licence, medical, Emirates ID, insurance and emirate/free-zone fees are separate.
Last checked
21 July 2026
Reality vs official timing
- Official clock
- No central processing clock
- Delay trigger
- No fixed delay point - use route guidance
- Source checked
- 21 July 2026
UAE Government Portal - Residence visa for doing business does not publish a central processing time. Verify whether ICP or GDRFA has jurisdiction and ask that authority for the live service time after the company and investment evidence is ready.
What is the UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner?
5-year renewable, self-sponsored Green Residence for investors and business partners in UAE commercial activities.
The current federal long-term investor/partner route is the 5-year Green Residence. It is self-sponsored and requires competent-authority approval to conduct the activity plus a qualifying contribution to a UAE company. Company formation and licensing are separate from immigration; applicants meeting the higher Golden Residency tests may instead qualify for a 5- or 10-year Golden category.
- Sponsorship: No job offer or employer sponsor is required.
- Settlement: This route does not lead to permanent residence.
- Typical permit length: 5 years, renewable while the investment and activity conditions remain met.
- Indicative government fees: Federal ICP schedule: AED 100 application + AED 100 per year of the 5-year Green Residence + AED 100 smart-services fee. In-country status adjustment is AED 500 if applicable; business-licence, medical, Emirates ID, insurance and emirate/free-zone fees are separate.
Priority and fast-track options
Company formation, proof of the qualifying contribution, medical fitness and Emirates ID sit outside any single service-card completion time.
Official source
UAE Government Portal - Residence visa for doing business
https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/residence-visas/residence-visa-for-doing-business-in-the-uae
Cite or reuse this dataset
This figure is free to reuse under CC BY 4.0. Cite the Visa Atlas page for the compiled, dated dataset, and cite the official source for the underlying government rule.
Suggested citation
Visa Atlas, "UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner processing time dataset", https://visaatlas.org/processing-times/uae/investor-visa-ae. Last verified 21 July 2026.
- JSON endpoint
- https://visaatlas.org/api/public/processing-times
Primary source (1)
Frequently asked questions
How long does the UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner take to process?+
UAE Government Portal - Residence visa for doing business does not publish a central processing time for this route. Verify whether ICP or GDRFA has jurisdiction and ask that authority for the live service time after the company and investment evidence is ready.
When does the Not centrally published clock start?+
Because no central processing time is published, there is no fixed start point. Contact the relevant authority once your application is submitted.
Is there a way to speed up the decision?+
Company formation, proof of the qualifying contribution, medical fitness and Emirates ID sit outside any single service-card completion time.
What makes an application take longer than expected?+
The most common reasons for delays beyond the published window are: missing or incorrect documents, a request for more information (which pauses the clock until you reply), background or medical checks, and consular appointment backlogs in your country. Submitting a complete, well-organised application on day one is the single biggest thing you can do to stay inside the published window.
When should I treat my UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner application as delayed?+
Because no central processing time is published for this route, there is no fixed point at which it counts as late. If your wait runs well beyond comparable cases, a single polite status enquiry through the official channel is reasonable. Duplicate chasing tends to slow a case rather than speed it up.
Next steps
Full visa guide
Eligibility, application steps, fees, and FAQs for the UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner.
All United Arab Emirates processing times
Compare decision windows across every United Arab Emirates visa route.
Government fees breakdown
Full itemised fee schedule for the UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner.
Reviewed by Sam Parks, Editor and lead researcher.