United Arab Emirates · investor · Leads to settlement
UAE Golden Visa
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
Source check: all 8 official citations reconfirmed 11 July 2026
5- or 10-year renewable, self-sponsored residence for qualifying investors, entrepreneurs, exceptional talent, students and other designated categories.
- 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
In short
As of 21 July 2026, the UAE Golden Visa for United Arab Emirates has a typical government cost of about AED 5,343 and typical processing of 2 weeks – 4 weeks. Sources: official United Arab Emirates government pages, reviewed 21 July 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.
Indian applicants
Indian nationals are the largest Golden Visa cohort. Both the investor track (property AED 2M+) and the specialised-tale…
Pakistani applicants
Pakistani nationals use the Golden Visa primarily on the investor and entrepreneur tracks. Source-of-funds documentation…
Egyptian applicants
Egyptian professionals feature heavily in the specialised-talent track, particularly in medicine and engineering. Syndic…
Bangladeshi applicants
Bangladeshi nationals form a large established UAE cohort, primarily routed via skilled-worker permits rather than the G…
Iranian applicants
ICP publishes no separate Golden Residency threshold for Iranian nationals: choose and prove the same investor, entrepre…
Russian applicants
Russian nationals became one of the fastest-growing Golden Visa cohorts post-2022 — the UAE has positioned itself as the…
Additional sources
Primary source
ICP — Golden Residency categories and evidence ↗ · Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP)
Link last verified:
Primary source
ICP — Issuing a residence permit: conditions, documents and fees ↗ · Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP)
Link last verified:
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓Public-investment track (10 years): an accredited UAE investment-fund letter showing a deposit of at least AED 2 million, a valid commercial/industrial licence and articles showing at least AED 2 million capital, or an FTA letter showing at least AED 250,000 in annual tax.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
- ✓Real-estate track (5 years): one or more qualifying properties with a combined value of at least AED 2 million, evidenced by the competent emirate land-registration authority.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
- ✓Entrepreneur track (5 years): a UAE auditor letter showing a project value of at least AED 500,000 plus confirmation from the competent emirate authority or an approved incubator that the project is innovative and technical/future-facing.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
- ✓Exceptional-talent and rare-specialisation tracks (generally 10 years): the category-specific recommendation, approval, experience, degree, contract or salary evidence published by ICP.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
Common blockers
- !Using the wrong duration or threshold for the selected subcategory — for example, assuming every Golden Residency is 10 years or that an entrepreneur project qualifies under the AED 2 million investor test.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
- !Investment, property or project value is below the published threshold, or the required fund, land-department, tax-authority, auditor, incubator or competent-authority letter is missing.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
- !A talent application lacks the exact recommendation or accreditation required for that profession or achievement category.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
Typical evidence
- ·Passport, personal photo and proof of eligibility for the exact Golden Residency category.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
- ·The official category letter: for example, investment-fund/FTA documentation, land-registration letter, auditor/incubator approvals or the relevant talent recommendation.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
- ·Valid health insurance and medical/identity documentation when required at the residence-issuance stage.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
Application pathway
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.
Obtain category evidence
Secure the required land-department, fund, FTA, auditor, incubator, ministry, council or emirate-authority letter.
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.
Complete residence and identity steps
Follow the issued instructions for status adjustment or entry, health insurance, medical fitness where applicable and Emirates ID.
Add eligible family members
File separate residence applications for a spouse and children after confirming the category-specific family evidence and charges.
Official application links
Where to actually go next
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.
- Official guidanceApplicantApply 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 5,343 in government fees (single applicant, inside UAE, with change of status). A decision then typically takes 2 weeks – 4 weeks. Both change over time, so the dedicated pages below carry the itemised breakdown and the current official figures.
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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 EmiratesHow 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