UAE residency visas 2026: every route compared
Any ready apartment in Dubai now qualifies you for a 2-year investor visa — the AED 750k threshold was scrapped in 2026 — and from AED 2M in property you step up to the 10-year Golden Visa. All the routes, costs, family rules and the 180-day rule in one table below.
How do you get UAE residency in 2026?
| Visa | Term | Threshold / condition | Gov. fees (main) | Family | 180-day rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property investor (Taskeen) | 2 years, renewable | Any ready home — the AED 750k threshold was scrapped in 2026; co-owners: a share from AED 400,000 | AED 10,212.50 all-in | Spouse & children (AED 6,482–7,382 each); parents — 1 year | Applies |
| Golden Visa — property | 10 years, renewable | Property from AED 2M by purchase price; mortgage & off-plan OK | ~AED 9,885 | Spouse, children with no age limit, parents, domestic staff | Does not apply |
| Golden Visa — other routes | 10 years | AED 2M deposit; or talent / doctors / scientists / PhD / executives (salary AED 30k+) — no investment | ~AED 4,600–7,000 | Same as above | Does not apply |
| Green Visa | 5 years, self-sponsored | Skilled: salary AED 15,000+ and a bachelor's degree; freelancer: income AED 360,000/year for 2 years + MOHRE permit | ~AED 2,300–3,000 | Spouse, sons up to 25, unmarried daughters, parents | Applies (+6-month grace) |
| Employment | 2 years | Job contract; by law the employer pays the costs | AED 3,000–8,000 (employer) | Self-sponsored from AED 4,000 salary | Applies |
| Retirement | 5 years | 55+ and 15 years of work history; property AED 1M and savings AED 1M — or income AED 180k/year (Dubai: AED 240k/year) | ~AED 3,700–5,500 | Spouse, children | Applies |
| Remote Work | 1 year | $3,500/month from an employer outside the UAE; from Jan 2026 — 6 months of bank statements | ~$287 + ~AED 1,535 | Yes | Applies |
| Blue Visa | 10 years | Environmental merit or an AED 1M+ contribution to eco initiatives | ~AED 3,000–5,000 | Same as Golden | Does not apply |
Government fees for Dubai, main applicant, data as of July 2026; ranges where sources differ. “180-day rule”: a standard residence visa lapses after 180 consecutive days outside the UAE. Sources: DLD, GDRFA, ICP, u.ae.
The 2-year investor visa: any ready home now qualifies
The biggest change of 2026: Dubai scrapped the AED 750,000 minimum for the 2-year property investor visa (Taskeen). The official DLD page now states the visa is available to a sole owner of a ready residential property “regardless of the property value”. Most sites still quote the old threshold.
| Parameter | 2-year property investor visa (Dubai) |
|---|---|
| Who qualifies | Sole owner of a ready residential property — no minimum value (2026). Co-owners: a share of at least AED 400,000 each |
| Property | Ready (completed) residential property registered with DLD in your name |
| Mortgage | A bank NOC is requested; the exact requirements are confirmed at submission |
| Documents | Title deed, health insurance, Dubai Police good-conduct certificate, personal IBAN |
| Cost | AED 10,212.50 all-in (DLD): permit, medical test, Emirates ID and fees |
| Timing | 7–10 working days |
| Renewal | Every 2 years, for as long as you own the property |
| Family | Spouse and children (AED 6,482–7,382 per person); parents — for 1 year |
| Absence | The 180-day rule applies — don't stay outside the UAE longer without a paid extension |
UAE Golden Visa requirements: from AED 2M in property
The 10-year renewable Golden Visa is the flagship: buy property for AED 2M or more — one unit or several combined — and the 180-day rule stops applying to you. Since 2025 the two old barriers are gone: mortgaged and off-plan purchases both qualify.
| Requirement | UAE Golden Visa via property (Dubai, DLD) |
|---|---|
| Threshold | Purchase price of AED 2M or more — a single property or several combined |
| Mortgage | Qualifies since January 2025 with no minimum paid-off amount — eligibility is by purchase price; attach the bank's NOC stating the amounts paid and outstanding |
| Off-plan | Qualifies from RERA-approved developers: Oqood registration plus the developer's confirmation (details are confirmed with DLD case by case) |
| Family | Spouse, children with no age limit, parents and domestic staff — about AED 6,093 per person |
| Absence | The 180-day rule does not apply — you keep the visa even living abroad full-time |
| Cost | AED 9,884.75 all-in (Dubai, DLD) — medical test, 10-year Emirates ID, residency permit, DLD and admin fees |
| Timing | 7–10 working days; the unified GDRFA–DLD portal (April 2026) targets under 5 |
This page is the overview of all routes. The documents, the step-by-step timeline and the mistakes that get applications rejected are in the dedicated guide:
Green, employment, retirement, remote work, Blue
Not buying property? Five more ways to become a UAE resident — all subject to the 180-day rule except the Blue Visa.
Green Visa — 5 years
Self-sponsored, no employer needed. Skilled professionals: a MOHRE level 1–3 job, a bachelor's degree and a salary from AED 15,000/month. Freelancers: a MOHRE permit, a degree and income from AED 360,000/year over the last 2 years. Family: spouse, sons up to 25, unmarried daughters, parents; 6-month grace period after expiry.
Employment visa — 2 years
The classic route: a job contract. By law the employer covers the visa costs (AED 3,000–8,000). With a salary from AED 4,000 you can sponsor your family yourself.
Retirement visa — 5 years
55+ with 15 years of work history, plus one of: property from AED 1M and savings from AED 1M (the official wording requires both — a common misreading), or income from AED 180k/year (Dubai: AED 240k/year). Runs through GDRFA's Retire in Dubai programme.
Remote Work visa — 1 year
Income of $3,500/month from an employer outside the UAE (1+ year with them) plus insurance. Since January 2026 you show 6 months of bank statements instead of 3. Around $287 + AED 1,535 in fees; 5–7 working days; 0% personal income tax.
Blue Visa — 10 years
Since late 2024, for contribution to the environment: recognised scientists and laureates, or a contribution of AED 1M+ to eco initiatives. Self-sponsored; family rules mirror the Golden Visa; the 180-day rule does not apply.
What changed in 2025–2026 (most sites haven't caught up)
Golden Visa with a mortgage — simplified
January 2025: the AED 1M minimum paid-off requirement was scrapped. You qualify by the AED 2M+ purchase price; the bank's NOC goes into the file.
Off-plan counts for the Golden Visa
Property under construction from RERA-approved developers officially qualifies — Oqood registration plus the developer's confirmation.
2-year visa: the 750k threshold scrapped
April–May 2026, DLD: sole owners of ready homes qualify “regardless of the property value”; co-owners need a share from AED 400,000.
One portal for property visas
April 2026: GDRFA and DLD launched a unified application portal targeting under 5 working days end to end.
Remote Work visa tightened
From 27 January 2026 applicants show bank statements for 6 months instead of 3. The income bar is unchanged at $3,500/month.
More Golden categories, easier TRC
2026: nominations extended (teachers, content creators); tax residency certificates for individuals under double-tax treaties no longer require bank statements.
Rules move fast, and u.ae sometimes lags DLD (it still shows 5 years for the property Golden Visa — Dubai issues 10). We cite the DLD pages current as of July 2026.
Any ready apartment → a 2-year investor visa, renewable while you own it. From AED 2M — one property or several combined — → the 10-year Golden Visa: family with no age limits, no 180-day rule. And you can climb later: start with a studio, add a second property, requalify.
For international buyers: the visa is the easy part
The UAE issues residency visas without citizenship-based restrictions — around 15,000 Russian nationals alone applied for the Golden Visa in 2024–25. The practical barrier is bank compliance, not immigration: opening an account and passing source-of-funds checks (KYC) can take longer than the visa itself, and it gets much easier once you hold an Emirates ID. Prepare the documents showing the origin of your funds before the purchase — the rest is routine.
The whole purchase can be done remotely, with a power of attorney held by a trusted person, relative or lawyer (a real-estate agent cannot legally act as your attorney in the UAE).
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UAE residency: the questions people actually ask
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