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UAE Golden Visa: requirements and how to apply

A 10-year UAE residence for property owners, investors, entrepreneurs and skilled professionals who meet the criteria. We check your route and prepare your file, then submit it or brief you for your appointment, and the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) or the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA Dubai) makes the decision.

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Overview

What the UAE Golden Visa is

The Golden Visa is a long-term UAE residence for people who meet set criteria, rather than for people with a particular employer. On the routes covered here it runs for 10 years. The UAE government portal lists its main benefits as not needing a sponsor, being able to stay outside the UAE for longer than the usual limit, and being able to sponsor family members, including spouses and children.

There are several routes, and each one asks for different evidence. Property owners show a title deed, investors show where their capital is placed, entrepreneurs show their project's income or sale, and skilled professionals show salary, job classification and degree. Choosing the right route at the start saves you collecting documents you won't need.

In Dubai, property applications go through the Dubai Land Department (DLD), which lists government fees of AED 9,884.75 for the request and asks the applicant to attend in person. Other routes run through ICP or GDRFA Dubai. Global Sky PRO is a private consultancy: we prepare and check your file and follow it up, but the authorities make every decision.

Who it's for

Who can apply: the main routes

  • 01

    Property owners

    UAE property with a purchase value of AED 2 million or more gives 10 years of residence. DLD asks for property wholly owned in your name, which can be more than one property. Mortgaged property can qualify with a no-objection certificate (NOC) from your bank.

  • 02

    Public investors

    A public investment of at least AED 2 million gives 10 years of residence. We check which investment types count before you rely on them.

  • 03

    Entrepreneurs in Dubai

    GDRFA Dubai accepts a project with annual income of AED 1 million or more, an incubator-backed project worth AED 2 million, or a previous project sold for AED 7 million or more.

  • 04

    Skilled professionals

    A monthly salary of at least AED 30,000, a job at skill level 1 or 2 in the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE) classification, and a bachelor's degree or higher.

  • 05

    Other categories

    The government also lists categories such as scientists, creatives, outstanding students and humanitarian pioneers. Each has its own requirements, so ask us whether one fits you.

Our part

What we do, and what we don't

Clear boundaries, so you know exactly what you're paying for and who decides each step.

Included

  • Checking which route fits you and what evidence it needs
  • Reviewing every document against the criteria before it is used
  • Preparing and submitting applications through ICP or GDRFA Dubai
  • Getting your property file ready for the DLD service centre
  • Booking medical test and Emirates ID appointments where your route needs them
  • Legal translation and attestation where documents need it
  • Following up until there is a decision, then planning family residence

Not included

  • Promising approval: ICP and GDRFA Dubai decide every application
  • Attending the DLD service centre for you: DLD asks the applicant to attend in person
  • Buying, selling or valuing property for you
  • Legal or investment advice, including which investments to make
  • Bundling government fees into our fee: they are always listed separately
Documents

Documents you'll need

  • Passport and a recent personal photo
  • Emirates ID and current residence permit, if you have them
  • Title deed or e-certificate of title, for the property route
  • Bank no-objection letter showing the amount paid and the balance, if the property is mortgaged
  • Developer contract and payment records, for off-plan property
  • Investment statements, project financials or sale documents, for investor and entrepreneur routes
  • Salary certificate, employment contract and attested degree, for skilled professionals

The property list follows DLD's service page; other routes need different evidence, and we send you the exact list for yours.

Fees and timing

Two fees, shown separately

  • Government fees, paid at cost

    For the Dubai property route, DLD lists government fees of AED 9,884.75, paid at cost and covering the residence, medical examination, Emirates ID and DLD charges. Other routes carry fees set by ICP or GDRFA Dubai, with the medical test and Emirates ID on top; we check every amount with you before payment.

  • Global Sky PRO service fee

    Quoted in writing before we start, so you know the full cost up front.

  • Timing

    Timing is set by the authority and varies with your route, the completeness of your evidence and how soon appointments are available. Once we have reviewed your documents, we tell you what to expect for your case.

Process

How it works, step by step

Each step shows who does what, so you always know where things stand.

  • You
  • Global Sky PRO
  • Authority

  1. Step 1: Share your details

    You

    Send your passport and the main document for your route, such as a title deed, salary certificate or investment statement, on WhatsApp or by email.

  2. Step 2: Check the route and plan

    Global Sky PRO

    We confirm your route, review each document against the criteria, flag anything missing and send a written quote with government fees listed separately.

  3. Step 3: Prepare the file

    Global Sky PRO

    For ICP or GDRFA Dubai routes, we prepare and submit the application. For the DLD property route, we prepare your documents and brief you on the appointment.

  4. Step 4: Attend in person where required

    You

    DLD asks property applicants to attend its service centre from inside the UAE, where the medical examination also takes place. On other routes, attend the medical and Emirates ID appointments we book.

  5. Step 5: Review and decision

    Authority

    DLD checks the property side, and GDRFA Dubai or ICP decides on residence. If more evidence is requested, we prepare it with you.

  6. Step 6: Follow-up and family

    Global Sky PRO

    We follow up until your residence is issued, then help you plan residence for your spouse and children.

Good to know

Details that save time

Golden Visa through property: what to check first

With property, most questions come down to value, ownership and finance. DLD looks for a purchase value of AED 2 million or more, and the property must be wholly owned in your name, although the total can come from more than one property. If you share ownership with someone else, check how DLD will treat it before you apply. If the property is mortgaged, the bank's no-objection letter needs to state the amount paid and the balance.

Off-plan property is a separate question. Under rules announced in 2022, off-plan units worth AED 2 million or more from approved developers can count. Because the details depend on the unit and the developer, we confirm the current position for your property before you rely on it.

Common reasons Golden Visa applications are delayed

Most delays come from evidence that does not quite match the criteria, rather than from the applicant's eligibility itself.

  • A purchase value or investment that falls just below AED 2 million
  • Property held jointly, or in a company name, rather than wholly in the applicant's name
  • A mortgage letter that doesn't show both the amount paid and the balance
  • A salary certificate that doesn't match the employment contract
  • Foreign degree certificates that haven't been attested
  • Name spellings that differ between passport, title deed and certificates

Golden Visa benefits in practice

The headline benefit is time: 10 years of residence on the routes above, without renewing through an employer. Because you don't need a sponsor, changing jobs or starting a business doesn't put your residence at risk in the way it would with an employment visa.

You can also sponsor family members, including your spouse and children, and DLD's property service covers family and parents' permits as well. Which benefits apply, and how, depends on your route, so we go through them with you rather than promise a fixed list.

FAQs

Golden Visa: your questions

Short answers here. Your situation may differ, so ask us before you decide.

Still have a question?

An adviser replies during opening hours, Mon–Sat 10:00–21:00.

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How do I get a Golden Visa in the UAE?

Find the route you qualify for, such as property, public investment, entrepreneur or skilled professional, then gather the evidence and apply. In Dubai, property applicants attend a Dubai Land Department (DLD) service centre in person, while other routes go through ICP or GDRFA Dubai. The authority makes the final decision, and we prepare and follow up your file.

What are the requirements for property owners?

Your UAE property must have cost AED 2 million or more at purchase and be held wholly in your name, and that gives a 10-year residence. For the Dubai property route, DLD lists government fees of AED 9,884.75. Mortgaged property can qualify with a no-objection certificate (NOC) from your bank, and you apply from inside the UAE.

Does off-plan or mortgaged property qualify?

Mortgaged property can qualify with a bank NOC showing the amount paid and the balance. Off-plan property worth AED 2 million or more from approved developers has counted since the 2022 rules. Because the position can depend on the unit and developer, we confirm the current rule for your property before you apply.

Can skilled professionals apply?

Yes, if you meet all three conditions: a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000, a job classified at MOHRE skill level 1 or 2, and a bachelor's degree or higher. Foreign degrees normally need attestation, which we can arrange alongside the application, and your salary certificate should match your contract.

What are the benefits of a Golden Visa?

The main one is a 10-year residence that doesn't need a sponsor. The UAE government portal also lists staying outside the UAE for longer than the usual limit and sponsoring family members, including spouses and children. We explain which benefits apply to your route before you commit.

How much does a Golden Visa cost?

Government fees depend on the route. For the Dubai property route, DLD lists AED 9,884.75, which covers the residence, medical examination, Emirates ID and DLD charges. Other routes have fees set by ICP or GDRFA Dubai. We quote our service fee separately, in writing, before you pay anything.

Can entrepreneurs get a Golden Visa in Dubai?

Yes, if your project meets one of the conditions GDRFA Dubai sets. That means annual income of AED 1 million or more, an incubator-backed project worth AED 2 million, or an earlier project you sold for AED 7 million or more. We review your evidence against these conditions before anything is submitted.

What is a Golden Visa in the UAE?

A Golden Visa is a long-term UAE residence visa that lets eligible foreign nationals live, work or study in the UAE without a sponsor. The UAE government portal, u.ae, lists it as valid for 5 or 10 years depending on the category, covering investors, entrepreneurs, people with exceptional talent, outstanding students, and humanitarian pioneers and frontline heroes. Applications are decided by ICP or, in Dubai, GDRFA Dubai.

Source: u.ae: Golden Visa

How do I apply for a UAE Golden Visa as a student?

In Dubai, GDRFA Dubai's top-student route covers school leavers with a high school grade of at least 95% and recent top graduates. UAE graduates need a bachelor's GPA of at least 3.5 from a Classification A university or 3.8 from Classification B, and bachelor's graduates of a world top-100 university need at least 3.5. Graduates apply within two years of graduating, certificates must be authenticated, and the relevant ministry's approval through ICP's system comes first.

Source: GDRFA Dubai: Golden residence for top students and graduates

How do I apply for a UAE Golden Visa as a nurse?

There is no general nurse category on the UAE government portal, u.ae, so most nurses need to qualify through another route, such as skilled professional: a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000, a job at MOHRE skill level 1 or 2 and a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, in May 2025 the Crown Prince of Dubai directed Golden Visas for Dubai Health nursing staff with more than 15 years of service. ICP or GDRFA Dubai decides each case.

Source: Dubai Media Office: Golden Visas for Dubai Health nursing staff

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Global Sky PRO is a private consultancy. Residence and work permit decisions are made by ICP, GDRFA Dubai and MOHRE. Last reviewed 31 October 2026 by the Global Sky PRO team.

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