UAE investor visa
Secure long-term UAE residency by investing in a company or property. We assess your eligibility, structure the investment where needed, and handle every government step through to your visa.
Three routes: company licence (2 years), property (2 years), or Golden investor (10 years). AED 10,500–18,500 all-in per applicant; AED 3,500 of that is UAE government fees.
What a UAE investor visa is
A UAE investor visa is a 2 to 10-year residence granted to a shareholder, partner, owner or qualifying investor in a UAE company, property or financial asset. It gives full residence rights, family sponsorship, work permission and the ability to open UAE corporate and personal bank accounts.
The three operational routes in 2026 are: a company-licence partner visa (the most common for founders), a property-investor visa from AED 750,000 (Green) or AED 2M (Golden), and the AED 2M+ Golden public-investment route. Most foreign founders qualify under the company route during their first UAE incorporation.
Three investor routes
The right route depends on your relocation goal, time horizon and asset profile. The three compared on the criteria that actually matter.
- Company licence route2 years
- Property route2 years (Green: 5 years from AED 1M)
- Golden investor route10 years
- Company licence routeLicence cost (AED 12K-78K)
- Property routeAED 750K (Green) or AED 2M (Golden)
- Golden investor routeAED 2M public investment or AED 10M total assets
- Company licence routeYes, salary thresholds apply
- Property routeYes, salary thresholds apply
- Golden investor routeYes, no salary minimum, includes parents and adult children
- Company licence route6-month cancellation rule
- Property route6-month cancellation rule
- Golden investor routeNo cancellation
- Company licence routeStrong via corporate
- Property routeStrong (property as collateral)
- Golden investor routeStrongest
- Company licence routeLicence must be active
- Property routeProperty must remain owned
- Golden investor routeRe-prove original eligibility
- Company licence routeFounders operating a UAE business
- Property routeProperty-led relocators
- Golden investor routeHNW, long-horizon settlers
Investor visa through your UAE company
The most common path. Shareholders or partners in a UAE-licensed business get an investor visa sponsored by the company. Two sub-variants based on jurisdiction.
Free-zone partner visa
Available immediately on company incorporation in any free zone (DMCC, IFZA, Meydan, JAFZA, etc.). 2-year duration. Quota depends on office tier: 1 visa for virtual/flexi-desk, 3-7 for smart office, more for fitted offices.
Mainland LLC partner visa
For shareholders in a DED-licensed mainland company. 2-year duration. Visa quota tied to office area (~1 visa per 9 m²). Activity-specific approvals (healthcare, education, finance) may extend processing.
Green visa: founder / freelancer
5-year self-sponsored visa for entrepreneurs and freelancers. Requires AED 1M company capital OR a freelance permit + AED 15K monthly income evidence. No employer sponsor; no employee status.
Branch / representative office
For foreign companies opening a UAE branch. Investor visa sponsored by the parent. Same 2-year duration. Audit-related substance requirements apply to keep the branch active.
Property routes and thresholds
Property routes were rationalised in early 2026. Three tiers based on property value, with different durations and rules. Joint ownership requires each applicant to clear the threshold independently.
- Visa tierStandard investor
- Duration2 years
- ConditionsSingle property, fully paid OR equity above AED 750K, no off-plan
- Visa tierGreen
- Duration5 years
- ConditionsSingle property OR portfolio summing to AED 1M, equity-based
- Visa tierGolden
- Duration10 years
- ConditionsSingle or portfolio, off-plan excluded, mortgaged equity counted
- Visa tierEach applicant
- Duration–
- ConditionsEach named owner must individually clear the threshold (e.g. AED 1.5M jointly = AED 750K each for 2-yr visa)
Common requirements
The route picks your sponsor; the eligibility below applies regardless.
Passport 6+ months valid
Six months minimum validity at application. Renew abroad before submitting if the window is tight; UAE Embassy renewals while on visa are possible but add 2-3 weeks.
Medical fitness
Blood test, chest X-ray, TB and HIV screening at an approved DHA centre. Failure on TB or HIV results in deportation. AED 320-1,000 depending on standard or VIP express.
AML / source-of-funds
For property and Golden investor routes, banks and ICP may request documented source-of-funds for the investment amount (sale of foreign property, salary history, business profits). Foreign tax returns are commonly accepted evidence.
What each route really costs
Government fees are a small share of the total. Documentation, medical, Emirates ID and family multipliers drive the real spend. Indicative figures, January 2026.
- Company routeAED 3,200-4,800
- Property route (2-yr)AED 3,500-5,000
- Golden routeAED 2,800-3,500
- Company routeAED 1,400-2,100
- Property route (2-yr)AED 1,400-2,100
- Golden routeAED 1,400-2,100
- Company routeAED 1,200-3,500
- Property route (2-yr)AED 1,200-3,500
- Golden routeAED 1,200-3,500
- Company routeAED 800-1,500
- Property route (2-yr)AED 1,200-2,500
- Golden routeAED 1,200-3,000
- Company route–
- Property route (2-yr)AED 1,500-3,000
- Golden routeAED 1,500-3,000
- Company route+AED 1,500
- Property route (2-yr)+AED 1,500
- Golden route+AED 2,000
- Company routeFrom AED 3,500
- Property route (2-yr)From AED 4,000
- Golden routeFrom AED 4,500
- Company routeAED 10,500-15,400
- Property route (2-yr)AED 13,000-17,500
- Golden routeAED 12,000-18,500
Become UAE tax-resident
The investor visa makes you a UAE resident in immigration terms. Tax residency is separate: the Federal Tax Authority issues a Tax Residency Certificate (TRC) only when you meet either a physical-presence or a centre-of-vital-interests test.
- Requirement183+ days in the UAE in a 12-month period, evidenced by entry/exit stamps
- RequirementUAE is your primary home and economic centre (Ejari, salary deposited locally, family resident in UAE)
- RequirementFTA portal; AED 1,000 application fee + AED 500 issuance fee
- RequirementUsed under double-tax treaties to claim non-residence in your home country, satisfy CRS/FATCA reporting, exempt foreign income from UAE corporate tax (qualifying)
For US persons: a UAE TRC does not exempt you from US tax (worldwide taxation, FBAR, FATCA continue). It does support treaty positions for non-US income.
What changed in 2026
ICP tightened renewal scrutiny in 2026 after a 2024-2025 surge in dormant or “letterbox” investor visas. Three new operational rules now apply at renewal.
- What it meansDEWA, SEWA or ADDC bill issued in the applicant’s own name (not the spouse’s, not the company’s) for the 3 months preceding renewal
- What it meansFor company-route investor visas, a UAE corporate account statement showing operational activity in the 6 months before renewal
- What it meansFor renewals after 4+ years on the visa, ICP may request evidence of actual UAE presence: entry-exit log, Ejari, lifestyle bills, family activity
Failing any test triggers a silent rejection (no detailed reason given). We pre-audit renewal files against these new checks before submission.
Top 7 reasons investor-visa applications get rejected
Avoidable mistakes. Pre-screen against these before paying any government fee.
Off-plan property used as evidence
Off-plan units do not count toward any property-investor tier. Wait for handover and DLD registration before applying.
Lease name doesn't match licence name
Common with home-office founders. The Ejari and trade licence must both list the same party. If the Ejari is in the spouse’s name, re-issue with the founder named.
Dormant UAE corporate bank account
At renewal, a company-route investor visa needs operational evidence. Zero balance, zero transactions for 6 months reads as a letterbox setup.
Mortgaged property without bank NOC
For mortgaged property routes, a No-Objection Certificate from the lender confirming current balance and equity is required. Missing this is a fast rejection.
Joint owner below per-applicant threshold
An AED 1.5M property owned 50/50 doesn’t qualify either applicant for the AED 2M Golden tier. Each named owner must clear the tier individually.
Insurance not yet active
Health insurance must be active before final stamping, not at the application stage. Backdated policies are not accepted.
Photo specifications
White background, no glasses, no head cover (except religious), 35x45mm, ICP-approved studio. Off-spec photos trigger silent rejection.
Investor visa FAQ
Company route: the cost of a UAE business licence (from AED 12,900 in IFZA). Property route: AED 750,000 in current equity for a 2-year visa, AED 1M for a 5-year Green visa, AED 2M for a 10-year Golden. Golden investor: AED 2M public investment, AED 2M company capital or AED 10M total UAE assets.
No. Off-plan property does not qualify for any of the property-investor tiers. The property must be handed over and registered with the Dubai Land Department (or the relevant emirate authority) before the application can be filed.
Not full-time. The 2-year and Green visas cancel if you’re outside the UAE continuously for 6 months. The 10-year Golden Visa has no out-of-country cancellation rule. For tax residency (TRC), you need at least 183 days physical presence per year.
Up to 180 days continuously on the 2-year and 5-year tiers. Multiple short trips within the 6-month window reset the clock. The Golden Visa has no limit.
They’re the same product under different names. “Partner visa” is the colloquial UAE term when there are multiple shareholders; the legal classification is investor/shareholder visa under your company licence.
Yes, if your equity (DLD valuation minus loan balance) is AED 2M or more. A bank letter showing the outstanding loan and a current DLD valuation must accompany the title deed. The 50% down-payment rule was removed in February 2026.
All-in for a single applicant: AED 10,500-15,400 for the company route, AED 13,000-17,500 for the 2-year property route, AED 12,000-18,500 for the Golden investor route. Excludes the underlying investment (licence cost or property purchase). Family adds AED 5,000-15,000 depending on dependents.
Standard processing: 7-10 working days from receipt of complete documents. VIP express compresses to 3-5 days at AED 1,500-3,000 extra. Golden visa nominations needing ministry approval can extend to 2-8 weeks.
Yes. Status change is the in-country alternative to flying out and re-entering on an entry permit. Costs AED 600-1,000 more per applicant but removes the flight requirement. Available for tourist, visit and short-term residence holders.
Spouse and children under 18 yes (with salary threshold AED 4K-10K depending on dependent). Parents: yes but only above AED 20K monthly income (humanitarian route at AED 10K). Sons aged 18-25 only if in education. Daughters: any age while unmarried. On a Golden Visa, all of these restrictions fall away.
Yes. Spouses on family visa under an investor visa can apply for a separate work permit through their employer; the family visa converts to (or coexists with) an employment visa. No additional sponsorship is required from you.
Yes, but residency is not automatic. You need 183+ days physical presence in the UAE in a 12-month period (or evidence the UAE is your centre of vital interests). The TRC is issued by the Federal Tax Authority via the EmaraTax portal. Fees: AED 1,000 application + AED 500 issuance.
Depends on your home country’s rules. Most jurisdictions test tax residency on day-count, centre-of-vital-interests or domicile, not whether you hold a visa elsewhere. Use the UAE TRC to support your claim of UAE residency under any applicable double-tax treaty. Consult a tax adviser for your specific jurisdiction.
The three new 2026 checks are the usual cause: utility bill not in your name, dormant UAE corporate bank account (company route) or failed substance test on long-tenure renewals. ICP doesn’t issue detailed rejection reasons; we audit your file pre-submission against the new checks to avoid this.
Yes. At each renewal you re-prove the original eligibility. A property bought at AED 2.1M that’s since fallen to AED 1.8M doesn’t renew. Top up via a second property or move to a different track.
After. The visa and Emirates ID are prerequisites for opening a UAE personal bank account. Corporate accounts open under the company licence and don’t need the personal investor visa to be stamped first.
Pick your investor-visa route Now
Share your nationality, target visa duration, assets in or coming to the UAE, and family situation. We come back with the strongest route, AED cost breakdown, document checklist and expected timeline. No obligation.
