The UAE Golden Visa offers five or ten years of renewable, self-sponsored residency — with no employer sponsor, the freedom to sponsor your family, and no minimum-stay requirement. The categories and thresholds have been refined repeatedly, most recently in early 2026. One Desk assesses which route fits you, prepares and attests every document, and manages your ICP or GDRFA application end to end.
|
Service |
Estimated Pricing |
Notes |
|
Investor visa (service fee) |
AED 1,500 – 2,500 |
Excl. govt fees approx. AED 4,500–7,000 |
|
Employment visa (service fee) |
AED 1,200 – 2,000 |
Excl. govt fees approx. AED 3,500–5,000 |
|
Golden Visa (service fee) |
AED 2,500 – 5,000 |
Excl. DLD/ICP fees approx. AED 9,885 |
|
Green Visa (service fee) |
AED 2,000 – 4,000 |
Excl. govt fees approx. AED 3,000–5,000 |
|
Service |
Estimated Pricing |
Notes |
|
Golden Visa eligibility assessment |
AED 500 – 1,500 |
Often waived with full engagement |
|
Investor route (property / fund) — service fee |
AED 5,000 – 12,000 |
Excl. government fees |
|
Entrepreneur / SME route — service fee |
AED 6,000 – 15,000 |
Incl. auditor-letter coordination |
|
Skilled professional route — service fee |
AED 4,000 – 9,000 |
Excl. government fees |
|
Government fees (per applicant, approx.) |
AED 4,000 – 7,000 |
ICP/GDRFA, medical, Emirates ID |
|
Family member sponsorship (each) |
AED 2,500 – 5,000 |
Plus applicable government fees |
|
Auditor’s project-valuation letter |
AED 3,000 – 7,000 |
Entrepreneur category |
|
Renewal / compliance-audit support |
AED 3,000 – 6,000 |
Per renewal cycle |
A standard 2-year residence visa (entry permit to Emirates ID completion) takes 10–20 working days. The process involves: entry permit, status change, medical fitness test, biometrics, and Emirates ID issuance. Urgent processing is available at additional cost for most steps.
An investor visa is a 2- or 3-year UAE residence visa issued to business owners who hold a valid UAE trade licence. It allows the visa holder to live and work in the UAE and sponsor family members. The cost (government fees only) ranges from AED 4,500 to AED 7,000.
The Golden Visa is a 10-year self-sponsored residence permit available to investors (minimum AED 2 million property or public investment), high-skilled professionals (salary AED 30,000+/month), researchers, outstanding students, and certain entrepreneurs. As of February 2026, the mortgage restriction for property-based Golden Visas has been removed.
The Green Visa is a 5-year self-sponsored residence permit for skilled employees (monthly salary AED 15,000+ with a degree in a priority occupation), freelancers/self-employed (annual income AED 360,000+), and qualifying investors. It does not require an employer sponsor.
Yes. Holders of investor, employment, Golden Visa, and Green Visa can sponsor their spouse, children, and (in some cases) parents. Family visa costs vary by the number of dependants and visa type of the sponsor.
Yes, for Dubai-issued visas. Basic health insurance starts at approximately AED 1,100 per year. Golden Visa holders are currently exempt from the mandatory health insurance requirement. Health insurance is billed separately from visa processing fees.
Since February 2026, overstay fines have been standardised at AED 50 per day across all visa categories. Most residence visas have a grace period upon expiry or cancellation (typically 30–60 days; Golden Visa up to 6 months). Visas should be renewed at least 30 days before expiry.
Investors (in approved real estate, funds or deposits, or via the annual-tax pathway), entrepreneurs, specialised talents and professionals, outstanding students and graduates, humanitarian pioneers and frontline heroes. The 2025–2026 expansions added further categories including nurses with long service, teachers, content creators, e-sports professionals and Waqf donors. We assess which route is strongest for your circumstances.
AED 2 million in UAE real estate qualifies for a renewable ten-year visa. Since February 2026, the previous requirement to have paid at least 50% (or AED 1 million) upfront has been removed — mortgaged properties from approved UAE banks and off-plan properties from approved developers now qualify, provided the DLD-certified value reaches AED 2 million. A bank no-objection certificate is required for mortgaged property, and multiple properties can be combined to reach the threshold.
For employment-based categories, authorities require a minimum basic salary of around AED 30,000 per month, with housing and transport allowances excluded from that figure. Executive directors are typically assessed at around AED 50,000. This salary requirement does not apply to investment-based routes, which are assessed on capital.
The process is now fully digital through ICP Smart Services. For most categories, processing takes roughly three to ten business days once documents are complete; straightforward real-estate applications with clear title deeds can be even faster.
Yes. Golden Visa holders can sponsor their spouse, children of any age, parents and domestic helpers, with no cap on the number of family members. We handle the family applications alongside the main applicant.
No. Unlike standard residence visas, the Golden Visa does not lapse if you spend extended periods outside the UAE — a key advantage for individuals with international business interests.
Dubai’s DLD Taskeen programme offers a separate two-year investor visa for property owners below the Golden Visa threshold. Under the rules published in April 2026, sole owners of a completed Dubai residential property can qualify regardless of value, while co-owners must each hold a registered share of at least AED 400,000.