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United Arab Emirates

UAE Golden Visa (10-Year Residence Visa)

Also known as: UAE 10-year residence, Dubai Golden Visa, Abu Dhabi Golden Visa

Regulator: Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP); General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai); Abu Dhabi Residents Office (ADRO)Official program site ↗
Min investment
$545K
Program tier
Renewable Temp
Program type
Golden Visa
Initial validity
10 yr
Renewable
Yes
Path to PR
No
Path to citizenship
No
Schengen access
Yes

Investment options

Real Estate

$545K

Real estate worth AED 2,000,000+ (~USD 545,000), based on full property valuation (not down payment). Mortgaged properties qualify with bank NOC. Off-plan permitted. Joint spousal ownership combinable; non-spousal co-owners must each meet AED 2M individually. Property must be retained for visa validity.

Business Investment

$545K

Public investment via accredited fund of at least AED 2 million; OR AED 2 million in a UAE-licensed company. Tax-paying business owner with AED 250,000+ annual tax contribution also qualifies.

Passive Income Proof

$0

Other Golden Visa categories include exceptional talents (scientists, doctors, top students, athletes, artists), specialized talents with PhD or salary > AED 30,000/month, frontline humanitarian workers, top executives. No monetary minimum but qualifications are strict.

Physical presence

To apply
Must enter UAE to complete biometrics and Emirates ID
To maintain
ZERO physical presence requirement — Golden Visa NOT cancelled by absence (vs. standard residence visa cancelled after 6 months absent)
For PR
No PR concept — UAE does not grant permanent residence; Golden Visa is renewable 10-year residence
For citizenship
Citizenship very rarely granted by Presidential decree only; no naturalisation pathway

Path to citizenship

  • Available: No

UAE citizenship is granted only by Federal Decree (Cabinet nomination, Presidential approval) to exceptional contributors — investors, scientists, doctors, talented individuals. There is no application-based naturalization. Dual citizenship not generally allowed except by decree.

Tax implications

  • Becomes tax resident automatically: No
  • Worldwide income taxed: No
  • Territorial tax system: Yes
  • Day-count for tax residency: 183 days
  • Wealth tax: No

UAE has NO personal income tax, NO capital gains tax, NO inheritance tax, NO property tax (some emirate-level fees), NO wealth tax. Corporate tax 9% on profits above AED 375,000 introduced 2023 (0% in QFZs on qualifying income). Tax residency certificate available after 90 days for those wanting treaty benefits. Most popular zero-tax personal residency globally.

Family inclusion

  • Spouse: Yes
  • Children under 18: Yes
  • Dependent adult children: Yes
  • Parents: Yes

Spouse, all children regardless of age, parents — all eligible to be sponsored for residence on the Golden Visa holder's status. No requirement that children be unmarried or financially dependent (a major liberalisation 2022).

Additional fees

  • Application fee: $1K
  • Government fees: $2K
  • Legal/agent (est.): $3K

Golden Visa fee ~AED 2,800-4,000 issued in country, ~AED 3,800-4,800 from abroad. Emirates ID, medical fitness, health insurance additional. Property valuation fee AED 4,000-6,000. Agent fees variable.

Eligibility requirements

  • Age 18+
  • Clean criminal record
  • Medical fitness (HIV, hepatitis, TB)
  • Health insurance
  • Proof of investment/property/talent/income
  • Source-of-funds documentation increasingly required for higher-tier applications

Disqualifiers

  • Sanctioned nationalities (case-by-case; Israel-Palestine status complex)
  • Failed medical fitness without remediation
  • Criminal record finding

Recent changes

  1. 2022-10

    Major Golden Visa overhaul: 10-year automatic without sponsor; lower thresholds (AED 2M property from AED 5M); zero absence requirement; family expansion (no age cap on children).

  2. 2023-06

    UAE introduced 9% corporate tax (personal income still 0%).

  3. 2024-2025

    Off-plan property and mortgaged property clarified as qualifying. Tax-payer route (AED 250K annual tax payment) added.

  4. 2025-2026

    AED 2 million threshold confirmed after rumored hike. Joint-ownership rules tightened for non-spousal co-buyers.

Notes

UAE Golden Visa is the most popular zero-tax personal residency globally. Combined with tax residency certificate (90 days physical) it gives genuine non-domicile mobility for treaty purposes. NO PR or citizenship path — purely a renewable residency product. Property-based route is the most common for HNWIs; Dubai dominates volume but Abu Dhabi (ADRO) and Sharjah also process. US persons remain US-tax-resident regardless (FATCA). The zero-presence renewal is unique among golden visas.

Compare elsewhere

Citizenx on United Arab Emirates residency ↗— independent pricing and program detail.citizenx.com

EasyPassport is a document-organization tool focused on citizenship by descent. This page is reference research, not legal or financial advice. Always verify with the official program authority.