Golden visa UAE: benefits and price in 2023
The UAE’s Golden Visa is a special type of a long-term residence visa in the Arab Emirates. It is granted for five or ten years to foreign entrepreneurs, investors, property owners and academics. The Golden Visa allows expats to live and run business freely in the UAE, open a local bank account and become a tax resident in the country with a comfortable tax regime.
A residence visa in the UAE offers the same benefits as the Golden Visa and it may be obtained for purchasing real estate worth 205,000 US dollars. Yet, in case of the Golden Visa, investing in real estate will grant you an immediate residence permit for ten years with the opportunity to sell the property before the expiry date of residence permit. A holder of the Golden Visa will be able to sell property after two years, reinvest the funds and still remain a resident of Dubai until the end of the ten-year term.
From $127,000
Yield 8.0% Completion in: 2025.IV
From $346,000
Completion in: 2026.IV Total of 2700 apartments
From $653,000
Completion in: 2026.II Total of 500 apartments
Who Can Get Golden Visa in UAE
- Investors in real estate with the price at least 2 million dirhams (approx. $545,000).
- Entrepreneurs with a minimum registered capital of 500,000 dirhams (approx. $136,000).
- Owners of startups approved by a business incubator in the UAE.
- Outstanding academics and students with top grades.
The programme has no restrictions on the applicant’s age or the country of origin.
As soon as the Golden Visa expires, the foreigner can extend it if the conditions under which he obtained it persist. That is, if he still runs a company or owns real estate.
Types of UAE Golden Visa
10-year Golden Visa UAE for Property Owners
A ten-year visa is issued on the following grounds:
- The investor must buy a property worth at least 2 million dirhams (approx. $545,000).
- This amount cannot be obtained on credit, the foreigner must pay it from their own funds.
- Construction of the property must be completed.
- Real estate can only be sold after two years.
Family members: parents, spouse, unmarried daughters and minor sons receive visas together with the applicant.
In April 2022, the UAE cabinet announced that foreign investors in real estate worth at least 2 million dirhams are be eligible for the 10-year Golden Visa starting from October 2022 instead of only 5 years as it was before.
The most affordable residency programme for property owners in Dubai is a two-year UAE residence visa by buying property priced from 750,000 dirhams (around 205,000 US dollars). It can be extended repeatedly as long as the property is owned by the investor.
5-year Golden Visa UAE for Entrepreneurs
This type of visa is available for company owners with a registered corporate capital of at least 500,000 dirhams (approx. 136,000 US dollars) or startup owners that have received approval from business incubators accredited in the UAE.
The entrepreneur can include three more top managers of the company in the application.
From $127,000
Yield 8.0% Completion in: 2025.IV
From $346,000
Completion in: 2026.IV Total of 2700 apartments
From $653,000
Completion in: 2026.II Total of 500 apartments
10-year Golden Visa UAE for Investors and Entrepreneurs
A foreigner may obtain the UAE Golden Visa for a ten-year period in the following cases:
- Investing 2 million dirhams (approx. 545,000 $) or more in the investment fund;
- Establishing a company with a registered capital of 2 million dirhams or more;
- Investing 2 million dirhams or more in the UAE economy, provided that the investment in real estate does not exceed 40% of the total amount.
Entrepreneurs have the right to apply for a visa for two employees of the company: an executive director and a consultant. Additionally, it is possible to include business partners in the application, provided that each partner invests 2 million dirhams (approx. 545,000 US dollars).
How to Apply for Golden Visa UAE
Step 1: Choosing a Suitable Residency Programme in the UAE
Up to 1 week
An investor chooses either a residency programme or Golden Visa – whichever suits him/her best. The investor then reviews and selects properties together with a Tranio manager.
Step 2: Closing of a Sale
2–3 weeks
The investor pays the first instalment for a property in order to book it. This is needed because the demand for real estate in Dubai is very high and attractive properties are quickly sold out.
After the prepayment, the investor signs a sales contract and pays the full price for the selected property.
The transaction is then registered with the Dubai Land Department and the investor receives a title deed.
Step 3: Collecting the Required Documents
1–3 weeks
The investor collects the documents and gets them apostilled, translated, and certified with a notary. All the necessary steps can be carried out by a Tranio consultant under a power of attorney.
Step 4: Medical Check-Up in the UAE
1 day
This stage is compulsory for all foreigners immigrating in the UAE: investors, academics or students. The check-up takes place at any of the country's certified medical centres, where foreigners undergo a blood test and a lung X-ray.
Step 5: Submitting Documents to the Relevant Authorities in the UAE
1 day
Next, the investor provides fingerprints and a biometric photo at a UAE government centre and submits his / her original foreign passport. The remaining documents are submitted online to the Federal Authority for Identity & Citizenship or the General Directorate of Residency & Foreigners Affairs.
Step 6: Obtaining a Temporary Investor Visa
5–7 days
A six-month visa upon which the investor can enter the country and start settling down. The investor must change the visa to a long-term residence permit within these six months.
Step 7: Obtaining the UAE Golden Visa
6 months
After 6 months, the investor applies to the General Directorate of Residency & Foreigners Affairs to obtain a Golden Visa.
The visa is pasted in the passport and the investor receives an Emirates ID card.
Where to Apply for Golden Visa UAE
The Golden Visa applications are processed by The Federal Authority for Identity & Citizenship and the General Directorate of Residency & Foreigners Affairs.
FAQ
The Dubai Golden Visa is a type of long-term residence permit in the UAE. It is granted for 5 or 10 years to real estate owners, entrepreneurs, investors, academics or outstanding professionals.
The Golden Visa holder can open accounts in the UAE banks, obtain tax residency status, conduct business in the Emirates and benefit from healthcare services.
Yes, you can get a five-year Golden Visa in the UAE for purchasing property worth at least 2 million dirhams (approx. 545,000 US dollars).
The UAE Golden Visa cannot be obtained for purchasing a commercial property, only residential properties fall under the terms of the programme.
It takes between one and two months to get a Golden Visa from the moment you choose a property and submit the application.
Golden visa programmes of other countries:
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