Golden Visa in Dubai & UAE 2026 – 10-Year Residency: Eligibility, Cost & Process
The UAE Golden Visa is a 10-year, renewable, self-sponsored residency — no employer or national sponsor required. It lets investors, entrepreneurs and skilled talent live, work and run businesses in the UAE, sponsor their family and domestic staff, and stay outside the country for long periods without losing residency. Dubai Business Services checks the route you qualify for and manages the whole application from eligibility to Emirates ID.
Golden Visa Routes at a Glance
- Property investor: own UAE real estate worth AED 2 million or more (ready or off-plan from approved developers, single or combined; mortgaged property can qualify on equity).
- Public / company investor: an AED 2 million investment or capital contribution, or paying AED 250,000+ in annual tax.
- Entrepreneur: own an approved or incubator-backed project, typically valued at AED 500,000+.
- Specialized talent: doctors, scientists, engineers, executives, athletes and creatives — usually a salary of AED 30,000+ and relevant accreditation.
- Skilled professionals: a valid contract, an approved occupation and typically AED 30,000+ salary with a degree.
- Outstanding students & graduates: top UAE and international university performers.
We cover the busiest routes in detail on their own pages: property investor, entrepreneur and talent & skilled professionals.
Key Benefits
- 10-year residency, renewable, fully self-sponsored
- Sponsor your spouse, children (no age limit) and domestic workers
- No maximum time allowed outside the UAE to keep the visa valid (unlike normal residency’s 6-month rule)
- 100% business ownership and freedom to switch jobs or ventures
- Multi-entry, and a path to long-term stability for your family and schooling
Documents You’ll Typically Need
- Passport and current visa/Emirates ID
- Route-specific proof — title deed and DLD valuation (property), audited project approval (entrepreneur), salary certificate + contract + accreditation (talent/skilled), or investment/tax evidence (investor)
- Passport photo and, for dependents, attested marriage/birth certificates
Process & Timeline
- Eligibility assessment and route selection with DBS
- Nomination / application submission through ICP or GDRFA
- Pre-approval, medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics
- Visa stamping and Emirates ID issuance
Most complete files are processed within a couple of weeks; the pacing item is usually gathering route-specific evidence (a valuation, an audit letter or an accreditation), which DBS helps you assemble correctly the first time.
Cost — What Goes Into It
Your total is built from the government visa and issuance fees, the medical fitness test, Emirates ID, and — depending on route — a DLD valuation certificate or project-approval fees, plus DBS’s processing fee. Dependents each add their own visa, medical and Emirates ID. DBS gives you an itemised quote for the primary applicant and the family, so there are no surprises.
Why DBS
The hardest part of the Golden Visa is proving you fit a category and assembling the right evidence. DBS matches you to the strongest route, prepares the file, coordinates ICP/GDRFA, the medical and Emirates ID, and processes your dependents — so your application is approved without back-and-forth.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I get a Golden Visa without buying property? Yes — the entrepreneur, talent, skilled-professional and public-investor routes don’t require real estate.
Can I sponsor my family? Yes, including spouse, children of any age, and domestic staff.
Does my visa lapse if I leave the UAE for months? No — Golden Visa holders are exempt from the usual 6-month rule.
How long does it take? Typically around two weeks for a complete file; evidence-gathering is the main variable.
Can I work or run a business on it? Yes — you keep full freedom to own businesses and change employment.