UAE Golden Visa 2026: Residence Routes Through Property

For an investor buying property in the UAE there is no single residence route; the threshold, duration and application channel depend on the route. This report collects what we could verify with the ICP, the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and the UAE official portal as of 29 October 2026. It states plainly where the sources contradict each other and where we could not verify.

Thresholds at a glance

Golden Visa through property

Source: ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security) Golden Residency guide; Dubai Land Department (DLD) Golden Visa service.

• Ownership of property worth at least AED 2 million in total; the combined value of one or more properties counts, and the property must be wholly owned in the applicant's name (DLD).
• Off-plan: one or more off-plan units with a total value of at least AED 2 million are accepted, bought from a real estate company approved by the competent local authority (ICP).
• Mortgaged property: property financed by a bank approved by the local authority can be accepted (ICP). For mortgaged property the DLD asks for a letter showing that the bank has no objection, the amount paid and the balance remaining.
• Family: a spouse, children and parents can be sponsored; ICP states there is no age limit for children.
• Duration: ICP and the Dubai Land Department (DLD) state 10 years; the UAE government portal states 5 years for real estate investors. As the official sources differ, the duration is confirmed before applying.
• A Dubai application can be made through the DLD's Golden Visa investor service; the DLD requires the applicant to be in the UAE and the property to be in the applicant's name.

Fees published by the DLD

Source: Dubai Land Department (DLD), Golden Visa investor service.

• The 10-year application total is AED 9,884.75: medical test AED 700, 10-year Emirates ID AED 1,153, residence permit AED 2,856.75, DLD fee AED 4,020 and administrative fees AED 1,155.
• For a family, the 10-year permit fee is AED 5,774.50 per person; opening the family file costs AED 318.75.
• These are the items the DLD publishes; they do not mean that no further cost or condition will arise.

Other residence routes in Dubai

Source: Dubai Land Department (DLD), frequently asked questions (27.10.2026) and Taskeen service (16.10.2026).

• Property residency: according to the DLD, a three-year residency applies to property valued at AED 750,000 or more and a five-year residency to property above AED 2 million.
• Taskeen (investor residence): the two-year investor visa fee is AED 10,212.50. For sole ownership there is no minimum value; for joint ownership the applicant's share must be at least AED 400,000.
• Taskeen is a separate DLD service for residence linked to property in the Emirate of Dubai; it is not presented as the same visa as the three-year property residency at AED 750,000.
• No specific rule for Abu Dhabi or Ras Al Khaimah is stated on this page; confirm with the relevant authority before applying.

What we do not state on this page

For step-by-step timing, additional costs, retirement residence conditions, the detail of new categories added in 2024–2026 and any difference between emirates, we have no verified official source to cite on this page. Our advisor confirms the current position with the competent authority.

AuthorM. Sami Akbeniz

A senior economist, graduate of Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne, and a graduate of Istanbul University Business Administration with 33 years in business; founder of Avla Real Estate. He reads every selection and every agreement himself.

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