United Arab Emirates · investor
UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner
By Sam Parks · Last reviewed:
5-year renewable, self-sponsored Green Residence for investors and business partners in UAE commercial activities.
- Processing time
- ICP lists 2 days for the residence-permit issuance service after a complete filing. Company licensing, investment approval, entry/status adjustment and Emirates ID steps are separate.
- 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.
- Typical duration
- 5 years, renewable while the investment and activity conditions remain met.
- Sponsorship required
- No
- Leads to permanent residency
- No
In short
As of 21 July 2026, the UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner for United Arab Emirates is an unsponsored United Arab Emirates immigration route. Sources: official United Arab Emirates government pages, reviewed 10 September 2026.
Cite this: https://visaatlas.org/visas/uae/investor-visa-ae#answer
What is the UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner in United Arab Emirates?
UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner is an unsponsored United Arab Emirates route. Indicative government fees are 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; indicative processing time is ICP lists 2 days for the residence-permit issuance service after a complete filing. Company licensing, investment approval, entry/status adjustment and Emirates ID steps are separate; typical duration is 5 years, renewable while the investment and activity conditions remain met. This route does not lead to permanent residence.
Verified against The Official Platform of the UAE Government on 21 July 2026.
Overview
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.
Guidance by nationality
Specific information for applicants from these countries. Don’t see yours? The general eligibility criteria above apply to everyone.
Additional sources
Primary source
ICP — Green investor residence conditions, documents and fees ↗ · Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP)
Link last verified:
Eligibility
Typical criteria
- ✓A passport valid for at least 6 months and approval from the competent authority to conduct the commercial activity.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
- ✓A contribution to the UAE company of at least AED 1 million in cash or the foreign-currency equivalent, whether at incorporation or when joining an existing company.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
- ✓In-kind, tangible or intangible capital contributions must be evaluated by the Ministry of Economy for the minimum-contribution test.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
- ✓The investment and all route conditions must remain in place for renewal, and the issuing authority must be notified if they cease to be met.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
Common blockers
- !Company contribution below AED 1 million, or an in-kind contribution not accepted at the required value by the Ministry of Economy.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
- !Holding a trade licence or shares without the competent activity approval or the immigration evidence required by ICP.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
Typical evidence
- ·Passport, personal photo and current trade licence.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
- ·Partnership or investment agreement showing the applicant and qualifying contribution.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
- ·Competent-authority approval and any Ministry of Economy valuation needed for non-cash contributions.Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) ↗
Application pathway
Choose and license the activity
Use the relevant mainland economic department or free-zone authority; a company licence is a separate prerequisite, not the residence itself.
Document the qualifying contribution
Show at least AED 1 million in the company; obtain a Ministry of Economy valuation if relying on in-kind or intangible capital.
File the Green Residence request
Submit the passport, photo, trade licence and partnership/investment agreement through ICP or the competent Dubai channel.
Complete issuance and Emirates ID
Follow the authority’s instructions for entry or in-country status adjustment, medical/insurance steps and Emirates ID.
Maintain the investment
Keep the licence, activity approval and qualifying contribution in place and notify the authority if a condition ceases before renewal.
After approval: prepare for your next step
For UAE Green Residence — investor / business partner, 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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.
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
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.
- ApplyApplicantApply for investor residence ↗
Company owners use this official UAE residence-visas hub to identify the investor residence route and emirate-specific filing channel.
Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) · verified
Fees and processing time
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.. 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.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between investor residence and Golden Visa?+
The current federal investor/business-partner Green Residence is self-sponsored for 5 years and currently requires at least AED 1 million contributed to the company. Golden Residency has different evidence and higher category thresholds: public-investment investors can receive 10 years, while qualifying real-estate investors and entrepreneurs receive 5 years.
Is incorporating a UAE company enough to receive Green Residence?+
No. Incorporation and the trade licence are separate business steps. ICP also requires the competent authority’s activity approval, the qualifying company contribution, and the residence application documents.
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: The Official Platform of the UAE Government
Last checked: 21 July 2026