Getting a UAE Golden Visa Through Property Investment in Dubai

Who runs this process

Before you start

• You own, or are buying, freehold property in a designated area, held in your personal name rather than only through a company
• The value of the property, or the combined value of more than one property, is at least AED 2 million on the DLD title deed or valuation
• You hold a valid passport, and for a mortgaged property a No Objection Certificate from the financing bank
• You are ready to complete a medical fitness test and take out valid UAE health insurance, both required before the permit is issued

The journey

Each step is marked by who acts: YouEmployerYou + employer

1. 1
   YouDubai Land Department

   Confirm your property meets the AED 2 million threshold

   The property owner, using the DLD title deed

   Real estate investors qualify for the Golden Visa by owning property worth no less than AED 2 million. The value is read from the Dubai Land Department title deed, and it can be met with a single property or by combining more than one, as long as the total reaches AED 2 million and everything is in your own name. The property can be a ready apartment or villa, an off-plan unit from an approved developer, or a property bought with a loan from an approved local bank. Check that your title deed value clears the line before you start.

   You get

   Confidence that the property, or the combined properties, reach AED 2 million and are in your personal name

   Typical time

   same day if you already hold the title deed (indicative, confirm on the portal)

   Fee

   Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (No fee to check your own title deed value. Registration and transfer costs are separate and are paid when the property itself is registered)

   Watch out for

   • Relying on the price you paid rather than the DLD title deed value, which is the figure that is assessed
   • Holding the property only through a company: the Golden Visa route is based on ownership in your personal name

   Mortgaged: A mortgaged property can still qualify. The qualifying figure is the property value on the title deed, and you provide a No Objection Certificate from the financing bank. The older rule requiring a set share to be paid off first has been eased, so confirm the current condition with the bank and the DLD.

   Off Plan: Off-plan units count when bought from an approved local developer. More than one off-plan property can be combined to reach AED 2 million.

   Other Emirate: The AED 2 million property rule is federal, but outside Dubai the application runs through the emirate's own channel: Abu Dhabi through its residency office and other emirates through ICP, not the Dubai Land Department.

   Full guide: Confirm your property meets the AED 2 million threshold

2. 2
   YouDubai Land Department

   Obtain the DLD property valuation e-Certificate

   Requested from the Dubai Land Department

   For the residence authority to accept the property, you provide a Dubai Land Department Real Estate Valuation e-Certificate, sometimes called a Taqeemi certificate. This is the official document that confirms the property meets the AED 2 million threshold, and it is the valuation the residency directorate relies on. For a standard apartment or villa it is issued quickly, often on the spot.

   You get

   A DLD Real Estate Valuation e-Certificate confirming the property value

   Typical time

   often issued instantly for apartments and villas (indicative, confirm on the portal)

   Fee

   AED 4,020 · paid by you (The Dubai Land Department fee shown on the Golden Visa investor service is AED 4,020. This amount is part of the total government package charged at application, not an extra charge on top of it. Confirm the current fee at the DLD portal.)

   Watch out for

   • Skipping the official valuation e-Certificate: the residency directorate relies on the DLD valuation, not a private estimate

   Other Emirate: Outside Dubai the valuation and the visa application are handled by the relevant emirate authority rather than the Dubai Land Department.

   Full guide: Obtain the DLD property valuation e-Certificate

3. 3
   YouDLD service center (Al Manara Center) or authorized agent

   Apply for the Golden Visa and pay the fees

   Filed at a DLD Golden Visa service center or an authorized agent

   Submit the application at a Dubai Land Department Golden Visa service center, such as the Al Manara Center, or through an authorized agent. You hand over the passport, the title deed or e-Certificate of Title, a personal photo, and your Emirates ID and current residence permit if you already have them, then pay the government fees. No local sponsor is needed for a Golden Visa.

   You get

   A submitted Golden Visa application with fees paid and the file under review

   Typical time

   same day to submit; the permit follows in 7 to 10 business days

   Fee

   AED 9,885 · paid by you (The Dubai Land Department lists the 10-year investor package as AED 9,884.75 total: medical examination AED 700, Emirates ID AED 1,153, residency permit confirmation AED 2,856.75, Dubai Land Department fees AED 4,020, and administrative fees AED 1,155. Adding a family member is a separate AED 5,774.50 plus a file-opening fee. Confirm current fees at the DLD portal.)

   Watch out for

   • Turning up without the DLD valuation e-Certificate or, for a mortgage, the bank No Objection Certificate, which holds up the file

   Mortgaged: Include the bank No Objection Certificate in the file for a mortgaged property.

   Other Emirate: Outside Dubai the application is submitted to the relevant emirate authority or through ICP rather than the Dubai Land Department.

   Full guide: Apply for the Golden Visa and pay the fees

4. 4
   YouDLD service center / medical fitness center

   Complete the medical test, biometrics, and Emirates ID

   Done at the service center for applicants aged 18 and over

   Applicants aged 18 and over complete a medical fitness test, which on the Dubai Land Department service is done at the center as part of the process. Your biometrics are captured for the Emirates ID, and the Emirates ID is applied for alongside the visa. Take out valid UAE health insurance if you do not already have a policy, since it is required before the permit is issued.

   You get

   A passed medical fitness test and an Emirates ID application in progress

   Typical time

   completed on the day at the center in most cases (indicative, confirm on the portal)

   Fee

   Fee varies, confirm at the official portal · paid by you (The AED 700 medical examination and the AED 1,153 Emirates ID fee are already included in the total government package paid at the previous step. Health insurance is bought separately and its premium varies by plan.)

   Watch out for

   • Leaving health insurance until the last moment: a valid policy is a condition of issuing the permit

   Full guide: Complete the medical test, biometrics, and Emirates ID

5. 5
   YouGDRFA Dubai / DLD service center

   Receive the 10-year Golden Visa and sponsor your family

   The residence permit is sent by email once approved

   Once approved, the residence permit is issued and, on the Dubai Land Department service, sent to you by email. The Golden Visa runs for 10 years and is renewable, with no local sponsor required. As the holder you can then sponsor your spouse, your children with no age limit, and your parents. Unlike a standard residence visa, a Golden Visa is not cancelled if you stay outside the UAE for more than six months at a time, which is one of its main advantages.

   You get

   A 10-year renewable Golden Visa and Emirates ID, with the option to sponsor family members

   Typical time

   issued within the 7 to 10 business day service window

   Fee

   AED 5,774 · paid by you (The Dubai Land Department lists a 10-year family residence permit at AED 5,774.50 for a spouse, child, or parent, plus a family sponsorship file-opening fee of AED 318.75 and about AED 100 for each additional sponsored person. Confirm current fees at the DLD portal.)

   Watch out for

   • Assuming the visa is permanent: it is a 10-year renewable residence permit that stays tied to holding the qualifying property, so selling the property can affect it

   Full guide: Receive the 10-year Golden Visa and sponsor your family

Documents checklist

Where this goes wrong

What comes next

• Sponsor your spouse and children
• Understand what selling the property does to your visa
• How the 180-day absence rule works and why the Golden Visa is exempt