Find visa optionsFind visas
Menu

United Arab Emirates · investor · Leads to settlement

UAE Golden Visa

By · Last reviewed:

5- or 10-year renewable, self-sponsored residence for qualifying investors, entrepreneurs, exceptional talent, students and other designated categories.

No sponsorship requiredLeads to permanent residency5 or 10 years depending on category, renewable while the category conditions continue to be met.
Processing time
ICP lists a 2-day service-completion time for residence-permit issuance after a complete eligible filing. Category nomination, competent-authority approval and any medical/Emirates ID steps are separate, and end-to-end timing varies by category and emirate.
Government fees
Federal ICP schedule: AED 100 application + AED 100 per year of residence issuance + AED 100 smart-services fee; AED 500 for in-country status adjustment if applicable. Medical, Emirates ID, health-insurance, attestation and emirate-specific charges are additional.
Typical duration
5 or 10 years depending on category, renewable while the category conditions continue to be met.
Sponsorship required
No
Leads to permanent residency
Yes
Reviewed UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) ↗

In short

As of 21 July 2026, the UAE Golden Visa for United Arab Emirates has a typical government cost of about AED 1,200. Sources: official United Arab Emirates government pages, reviewed 10 September 2026.

Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/uae/golden-visa#answer

What is the UAE Golden Visa in United Arab Emirates?

UAE Golden Visa is an unsponsored United Arab Emirates route. Indicative government fees are Federal ICP schedule: AED 100 application + AED 100 per year of residence issuance + AED 100 smart-services fee; AED 500 for in-country status adjustment if applicable. Medical, Emirates ID, health-insurance, attestation and emirate-specific charges are additional; indicative processing time is ICP lists a 2-day service-completion time for residence-permit issuance after a complete eligible filing. Category nomination, competent-authority approval and any medical/Emirates ID steps are separate, and end-to-end timing varies by category and emirate; typical duration is 5 or 10 years depending on category, renewable while the category conditions continue to be met. This route can lead to permanent residence.

Verified against UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP) on 21 July 2026.

Overview

The Golden Residency is a family of long-term residence categories, not one uniform 10-year investor visa. Public-investment investors and most exceptional-talent categories receive 10 years; real-estate investors and entrepreneurs receive 5 years. It does not require a UAE sponsor and qualifying holders can sponsor a spouse and children.

Guidance by nationality

Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.

Additional sources

Eligibility

Typical criteria

Common blockers

Typical evidence

Application pathway

  1. Choose the precise category

    Confirm its 5- or 10-year duration, threshold and named issuing authority on ICP before spending on property, incorporation or endorsements.

  2. Obtain category evidence

    Secure the required land-department, fund, FTA, auditor, incubator, ministry, council or emirate-authority letter.

  3. Assess eligibility and file

    Use ICP Smart Services outside Dubai or the relevant GDRFA channel in Dubai; the federal ICP page links to its eligibility assessment.

  4. Complete residence and identity steps

    Follow the issued instructions for status adjustment or entry, health insurance, medical fitness where applicable and Emirates ID.

  5. Add eligible family members

    File separate residence applications for a spouse and children after confirming the category-specific family evidence and charges.

After approval: prepare for your next step

For UAE Golden Visa, use the actual decision and the issuing authority’s instructions to establish what has been granted. A successful application, permission to enter, permission to work and a residence document are not interchangeable.

  1. 1. Check the decision. Confirm the name, passport, status granted, start date and any next action. Resolve an error with the authority before relying on the document for travel or employment.
  2. 2. Establish the travel step. Read any entry window, activation, collection or in-country registration instruction. For an extension or change of status, do not assume leaving the country is required or safe while a further step remains pending.
  3. 3. Confirm what you may do. Check whether employment, self-employment, remote work or study is permitted under the status granted. Do not infer unrestricted work rights from the absence of an employer sponsor.
  4. 4. Organise the household. Check each accompanying person’s permission separately, then arrange healthcare, accommodation, access to money and the relevant local registrations. A tax number or bank account does not by itself prove a right to work.
  5. 5. Keep the ongoing conditions visible. Record the actual expiry, renewal process, permitted absences and any duty to report changes. An initial grant does not automatically establish permanent residence or citizenship.
Official UAE Golden Visa instructionsBuild my moving plan for this routeMoving to United Arab Emirates

Plan the practical side of your stay

Once you have checked the official route, you can prepare for day-to-day life in United Arab Emirates. These optional services are separate from the application and do not establish visa eligibility.

Official application links

Where to actually go next

Government links only

These are the official pages to use for this route. Open them before preparing documents: the forms, fees, appointment systems, and sponsor steps can change without warning.

  1. Official guidanceApplicant
    Apply for Golden Residency ↗

    Eligible applicants use the ICP service page to assess Golden Residency criteria and access official filing channels.

    Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security · verified

Fees and processing time

A typical UAE Golden Visa application runs about AED 1,200 in government fees (one 10-year ICP Golden Residence: service charges only, excluding additional costs). The issuing authority does not publish a central processing time for this route, so plan against comparable cases. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.

Matches these professions

NurseDoctorCare workerEngineer

Also explored by

Indian Pakistani Egyptian

Compare United Arab Emirates with

Related routes

Frequently asked questions

Does the UAE Golden Visa require me to live in the UAE?+

The official UAE portal says Golden residents may stay outside the UAE for more than the usual 6-month period without losing residence. It does not publish a “periodic visits recommended” rule on the Golden Residency page.

Is UAE Golden Visa a path to citizenship?+

No automatic path is attached to the visa. Golden Residency is a renewable 5- or 10-year residence permission; it is not citizenship or a conventional permanent-residence grant.

Is every UAE Golden Visa valid for 10 years?+

No. ICP currently lists 10 years for public-investment investors and exceptional talents, 5 years for real-estate investors and entrepreneurs, and 5 or 10 years for outstanding students depending on the subcategory.

Can I get a UAE Golden Visa as a recent graduate or top student?+

Yes, there is an outstanding-student category based on top academic performance at a UAE or recognised global university, and high-performing students are among those the Golden Visa suits. Confirm the current academic thresholds for your case on the official UAE Government Portal.

Can a skilled professional get a UAE Golden Visa without being a major investor?+

Yes, via the specialised-talent category for qualifying roles in medicine, science, education, engineering, or arts, which requires nomination or accreditation. Without that professional recognition, the talent category is a common blocker. It is a self-sponsored 10-year residence.

How much property do I need to buy to qualify for the UAE Golden Visa investor route?+

For the ready-property investor route, investment below the qualifying threshold (generally AED 2m for ready property) is a common reason applications are refused, so roughly AED 2m in ready property is the indicative bar. Confirm the exact current threshold on the official UAE Government Portal.

Need tailored advice?

We do not provide legal advice. For an application that depends on your exact circumstances, consult a regulator-listed immigration advisor.

Find a regulated advisor in United Arab Emirates

How we verified this

We check every figure on this page against the primary government source, record the date it was last checked, and re-check it on a regular schedule. Rules change, so always confirm time-sensitive details with the official source before you rely on them. Visa Atlas is an information-only publication and does not give legal advice.

Primary source: UAE Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Ports Security (ICP)

Last checked: 21 July 2026

See the full evidence trail and methodology

CompareFind visa options