Investors
Long-term residence based on qualifying investment in the UAE, evidenced through the documentation the authority accepts for that route.
Long-term residence
Golden and investor visas,assessed before you apply
Long-term UAE residence through investment, property, talent or professional category — eligibility reviewed honestly, then prepared and submitted on your written authorisation.
Overview
The category you qualify under decides everything
The UAE Golden Visa is not a single scheme. It is a set of separate categories — investors, property owners, entrepreneurs, specialised talent, outstanding professionals, scientists, and several others — each with its own evidence requirements and its own issuing route. Applying under the wrong one is the most expensive mistake in this process.
Requirements are also revised periodically, and some categories are administered at emirate level rather than federally, which means the criteria you read on a general website may not be the criteria that apply to your case in Dubai. We work from what the authority requires for your category at the time you apply.
Our first job is an honest assessment. If your documents support a strong application, we say so and prepare it. If they do not yet, we tell you what is missing rather than taking a fee for an application likely to be refused. A refusal is not neutral — it sits on your record.
Routes
Categories we work with
Eligibility criteria are set by the authority and change over time. We confirm the current position for your category before filing.
Property owners
Residence linked to qualifying UAE real estate, including title deed verification and the valuation evidence required.
Specialised talent
Doctors, scientists, engineers, creatives and other recognised specialisations, each with its own supporting evidence and approvals.
Outstanding professionals
Senior professionals qualifying on the basis of position, qualification and employment contract, subject to the current thresholds.
Entrepreneurs
Founders of approved or accredited projects, evidenced through the endorsements the category requires.
Renewals & dependants
Renewal ahead of expiry, and adding a spouse, children or domestic staff onto an issued long-term residence file.
What to prepare
What we review first
The exact evidence set depends entirely on your category. This is what we look at to determine which route fits.
Identity & status
- Passport with sufficient remaining validity
- Current UAE residence visa and Emirates ID, if held
- Passport photograph on a plain white background
- Details of any previous UAE visa history
- Any prior refusal or open case on the file
Category evidence
- Title deed and valuation for a property route
- Investment, trade licence or shareholding documents
- Attested degree certificates and professional accreditation
- Employment contract and salary evidence for professional routes
- Endorsements, awards or accreditation for talent routes
- Audited financials where the category requires them
How it works
How we approach it
The assessment stage is where the value is. The filing is straightforward once the category is right.
- 01
Honest assessment
We review your documents against the current criteria for each category and tell you which route, if any, your evidence actually supports today.
- 02
Evidence build
Where a gap exists, we set out precisely what would close it — an attestation, a valuation, an accreditation — and the realistic timeline for each.
- 03
Nomination & submission
The application is prepared under the correct category and submitted with the full evidence set, rather than filed thin and supplemented later.
- 04
Issuance & dependants
On approval we complete medical, Emirates ID and stamping, then add eligible dependants onto the file if you want them included.
From our case desk
Why Golden Visa applications fail
The refusals we see are rarely about the applicant being unqualified. They are about the application being built wrong.
Wrong category chosen
Applying as an investor when the evidence actually supports a talent route, or the reverse, produces a refusal even where the applicant is genuinely eligible under another category.
Relying on outdated criteria
Requirements are revised periodically and some are set at emirate level. Criteria found on a general website may simply not apply to your case in Dubai.
Evidence not attested
Degrees, accreditations and foreign-issued documents generally require attestation. Submitting unattested copies stalls the file immediately.
Property does not meet the route
Not every property supports a residence application. Ownership share, valuation, mortgage status and completion stage all matter.
Filing thin and hoping
Submitting a partial evidence set with the intention of adding to it later invites refusal rather than a request for more information.
An open issue on the file
An unresolved fine, absconding report or previous refusal will surface during assessment. It is better to deal with it before applying than during.
What a Golden Visa costs in 2026
Costs vary by route and by whether you apply from inside or outside the UAE. The published headline figures rarely include medical, Emirates ID and insurance, which is why the total surprises people.
| Component | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Application — inside UAE | AED 2,800 – 3,800 | Category dependent |
| Application — outside UAE | AED 3,800 – 4,800 | |
| ICP visa fee | AED 300 | Per the official talent residence service |
| Medical fitness test | AED 300 – 800 | Tier dependent |
| Emirates ID (10-year) | AED 1,000 – 1,200 | Longer validity, higher fee |
| Medical insurance | AED 650 – 2,500+ | Mandatory |
| Attestation / equivalency | Varies | Where a degree supports the application |
| Government-related total | AED 5,950 – 10,400 | Higher where exceptional processing applies |
Be careful comparing quotes
Some providers quote AED 14,000–25,000 per person. That figure bundles government fees, insurance and a substantial advisory margin into one number. We pass government fees through at cost and quote our service fee separately, so you can see exactly what you are paying for.
The February 2026 change that widened access
The upfront payment requirement for property investors has been scrapped. Previously a mortgaged property had to show a minimum amount already paid before it counted. Now only the total asset value is assessed, and it must reach AED 2 million.
If you were assessed as ineligible under the old rule because of a mortgage, that assessment is likely out of date. This is the most consequential change of the year for property owners, and it is worth re-checking rather than assuming.
Choosing the right route
| Route | Threshold | Term | Primary evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Real estate investor | AED 2,000,000 | 10 yr | Title deed; mortgage now acceptable |
| Property co-owner | AED 400,000 share | 10 yr | Registered share per owner |
| Public investment | AED 2,000,000 | 10 yr | Accredited fund confirmation |
| Entrepreneur | AED 500,000 project | 5 yr | Incubator or auditor endorsement |
| Skilled professional | AED 30,000 basic/month | 10 yr | Contract + attested degree |
| Scientific / engineering specialist | AED 30,000 × 2 years | 10 yr | Sustained salary history |
| Outstanding students | Academic merit | 5 – 10 yr | Institution confirmation |
| Expanded 2025–26 categories | Category-specific | 5 – 10 yr | Nurses, teachers, creators, e-sports, Waqf donors |
Nomination is not application
Some of the expanded categories operate by nomination rather than open application. Submitting a direct application against a nomination-only route wastes the fee and records a refusal. Establish which mechanism applies to your category first.
How long it takes
| Stage | Working days |
|---|---|
| Eligibility assessment and document audit | 1 – 3 |
| Nomination or pre-approval, where applicable | 5 – 20 |
| Application submission and review | 5 – 15 |
| Medical fitness | 1 – 3 |
| Emirates ID biometrics | 1 – 2 |
| Visa issuance and stamping | 3 – 7 |
| End to end | 3 – 8 weeks |
What we assess before you pay a fee
Free eligibility assessment
- Which category genuinely fits, and whether it is application or nomination based
- Title deed value, ownership share and whether the property is completed
- Basic salary against the AED 30,000 threshold — not total package
- Degree attestation status and whether equivalency is required
- Outstanding fines: ILOE, traffic, overstay, immigration flags
- Any open case that would hold the file
- Whether a lower-cost route (Green Visa, freelance permit) fits better
We will tell you if you do not qualify. A refusal is recorded and the fee is not refunded, so an honest assessment beforehand is worth more than an optimistic submission.
What the Golden Visa actually changes
- No employer sponsor. Residency is not tied to a job, which materially changes your negotiating position.
- Family sponsorship of spouse and children, in most categories without the usual age restriction on sons.
- Domestic staff sponsorship without the standard numerical limits.
- Absence tolerance. The six-month rule that voids ordinary residence visas does not apply the same way; grace on lapse extends up to 180 days.
- Renewable while eligibility continues.
Golden Visa cost questions
How much does a UAE Golden Visa cost in total?
Government-related costs typically run AED 5,950–10,400 per person, covering application, ICP visa fee, medical, Emirates ID and insurance. Quotes of AED 14,000–25,000 generally bundle a substantial advisory margin into the same figure.
Is it cheaper to apply from inside the UAE?
Generally yes. Applications from inside the UAE typically cost AED 2,800–3,800 against AED 3,800–4,800 from outside, before medical, Emirates ID and insurance.
Can I qualify with a mortgaged property?
Yes. Since February 2026 the upfront payment requirement has been removed and only the total asset value is assessed, which must reach AED 2 million. Earlier assessments made under the old rule may no longer be correct.
Why is the Emirates ID fee so much higher for a Golden Visa?
Because the card is issued for the full residence term. A ten-year Emirates ID costs roughly AED 1,000–1,200 against AED 170–370 for a standard two or three year card.
What happens if my application is refused?
The fee is not refunded and the refusal is recorded. It does not permanently bar a future application, but the next one is examined more closely — which is the argument for a proper eligibility assessment before submitting.
Read before you apply
All golden & investor visas guides →
Golden & Investor Visas
Golden Visa Nomination: The Route You Cannot Apply For Directly
Key takeaways Some Golden Visa categories are not applied for directly. They begin with a nomination from a UAE body,…
6 min read
Golden & Investor Visas
Golden Visa Property Requirement: AED 2 Million, and What Actually Counts
Key takeaways The threshold is AED 2,000,000 in total property value, and it grants a 5-year Golden Visa — not…
8 min read
Golden & Investor Visas
Golden Visa Salary Route: Why Your Package Is Not Your Salary
Key takeaways There is a salary route to the Golden Visa that needs no property and no capital — and…
6 min readSpecific services in this area
Golden Visa for Property Investors
The AED 2M route — and the February 2026 change that made mortgages count.
View service →Green Visa
Five-year self-sponsored residency — no employer, six-month grace on job loss.
View service →Freelance Permit
The work authorisation that makes freelancing legal — and unlocks the Green Visa.
View service →Other services we handle
PRO Services in Dubai
Every government transaction, one licensed desk.
View service →Employment Visa
Work permits, entry permits, medical, Emirates ID and stamping.
View service →Corporate PRO Services
Licence, labour file, quota and WPS compliance on retainer.
View service →Family & Residence Visa
Sponsor a spouse, children or parents — assessed before you apply.
View service →Emirates ID & Typing
Applications, renewals, corrections and Amer typing.
View service →Fines & Absconding
Overstay fines, absconding cases, bans — checked and cleared.
View service →Document Attestation
Degree, marriage and birth certificates, sequenced correctly.
View service →Questions
Golden visa questions
Do I qualify for a Golden Visa?
That depends on which category your evidence supports, and the criteria differ substantially between investor, property, talent and professional routes. We assess your actual documents against the current requirements rather than working from general guidance, because published summaries are frequently out of date or drawn from a different emirate.
How much do I need to invest?
Investment thresholds are set by the authority, vary by route, and are revised from time to time. We confirm the figure that applies to your specific category at the point you apply, during the consultation.
Is a Golden Visa really ten years?
Long-term residence is issued for five or ten years depending on the category, and is renewable. Which term applies to you follows from the route you qualify under.
Do I still need a sponsor or employer?
Long-term residence is issued without the need for a national sponsor, which is one of its principal advantages. You are not tied to an employer to maintain it.
Can I include my family?
In most categories yes. A spouse, children and in some cases domestic staff can be added to the file. We confirm what your specific route allows.
What happens if my application is refused?
A refusal is recorded and can complicate future applications, which is exactly why we assess honestly before filing. If you have already been refused elsewhere, we look at why before considering a fresh application.
Does owning property automatically qualify me?
No. The property has to meet the route’s requirements on valuation, ownership share and status. We verify this against the title deed before anything is submitted.
Find out where you actually stand
Send us your passport, current visa and whatever category evidence you hold. We will tell you which route your documents support today, and what would strengthen the case if none of them do yet.
MIRDXB PRO is a private PRO services and document-typing company acting solely on the written authorisation of its clients. We are not affiliated with, endorsed by, or an official agent of MOHRE, ICP, GDRFA Dubai, Amer, Tasheel, Dubai DET, Dubai Police, RTA or the Dubai Land Department. Government fees, eligibility rules and processing times are set by the relevant authority and can change without notice. Confirm current requirements for your case during your consultation.