How To Apply for a UAE Golden Visa or Investor Visa

Launched in 2019, the UAE’s Golden Visa has reshaped how investors, business owners and skilled professionals approach long-term life in the Emirates. What began as a targeted incentive for select groups has evolved into a broad and widely used residency route, particularly in Dubai.

Today, more than five years on, the Golden Visa is no longer seen as a niche programme. It’s a key part of the UAE’s residency system, backed by federal law, supported by local infrastructure, and used by thousands each year to secure a long-term base without the usual sponsor requirements.

Alongside it, the Investor Visa remains a viable and often more accessible option for certain applicants. Both are long-term residence permits with overlapping features, but different eligibility paths.

This article sets out how each one works in practice, where they differ, and how to decide which route fits best.

Golden visa overview

The Golden Visa was introduced in 2019 as part of a shift away from short-term employment-linked residency. It gave skilled professionals, investors, and business owners a clearer route to staying long term, with no need for a sponsor and no expiry-based pressure to leave.

The visa comes in 5- and 10-year options and renews automatically as long as the core criteria continue to be met. From the start, it was pitched as a way to encourage investment, retain expertise, and keep decision-makers rooted in the country. But it’s the changes rolled out between 2022 and 2025 that have made the system broader, simpler, and more accessible.

Today, there are multiple entry points. You can qualify through property, business activity, specialist skills, or family ties, depending on your profile. One of the clearest shifts has been its move towards residency as a status in its own right, not just a side effect of another permission.

Investor visa overview

The term “Investor Visa” is often used loosely, but it typically refers to a standard residency visa granted in return for a qualifying business or property investment. It may fall under the Golden Visa structure or sit outside it, depending on the size and type of investment.

A property buyer holding a visa linked to a single unit, for instance, may hold a renewable two-year investor visa rather than a ten-year Golden Visa. Likewise, some entrepreneurs running small mainland businesses may hold investor residency that isn’t part of the longer-term scheme. The key distinction is that the Golden Visa is a self-sponsored status with automatic renewal, while a standard investor visa usually involves more active renewal and local partner requirements.

Which one applies depends less on what you call it and more on your activity, investment value, and the route you used to apply.

Eligibility criteria

Property investors: A Golden Visa is available to those who invest at least AED 2 million in UAE property, whether through cash or mortgage. Off-plan properties may also qualify if purchased from approved developers and registered correctly. The title deed or sale agreement must show the investor as the named owner.

Company shareholders and business investors: Business owners holding shares in a UAE-based company may qualify if their stake meets or exceeds AED 2 million. In some emirates, a lower threshold applies if combined with a valid trade licence and proof of company activity. Both mainland and free zone structures are eligible in practice, though supporting documentation varies.

Professionals and high-earning employees: A clean record, university degree, and monthly salary of at least AED 30,000 are the usual baseline. Applicants must work in a recognised profession and provide proof of employment, education and income. Engineers, doctors, auditors, legal consultants, and senior management are among those regularly approved.

Exceptional talent: Artists, inventors, researchers, authors, and other standout contributors in their field may be granted a Golden Visa without needing to show fixed income or capital. This route is usually backed by a local endorsement or industry body.

Students and graduates: Graduates of top-ranked universities may be eligible, especially if they’ve studied in the UAE or hold awards, patents or academic distinction. Some emirates require local employment or a sponsor letter to activate the visa.

Frontline workers and other categories: Some teachers, health professionals and first responders can qualify under special provisions. These are usually reviewed case-by-case and often tied to service length, qualifications or institutional recommendation.

Application process

The process starts with confirming eligibility and collecting the right documents. For most categories, that includes passport copies, a recent photo, proof of income or investment, educational certificates, and a police clearance. Where local endorsement is needed, that must be secured first.

Once everything is ready, the application goes through either the Federal ICP or a local emirate authority like GDRFA. Submissions can be made online or through a registered service provider. Applicants outside the UAE are usually granted a six-month multiple-entry permit to finalise the process from within the country.

Next comes the standard medical test, followed by biometric capture for the Emirates ID. Once cleared, the residency is issued. Timelines vary by category and emirate but tend to fall between two and six weeks from submission to approval, assuming all documents are in order.

While the steps are similar across visa types, the paperwork and checkpoints differ depending on the route. Real estate investors, for example, must provide a title deed or sale agreement, while skilled professionals need a labour contract and salary certificate. Each case is reviewed on its own merits, but a complete file tends to move faster and avoids delays.

Where and how to apply

Dubai-based applicants use GDRFA. That includes most property investors, company shareholders, and skilled workers setting up in the emirate. GDRFA submissions go through its online portal or can be handled in person at Amer centres across the city.

Applicants in other emirates, or those applying from overseas, go through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). That platform handles most remote applications, as well as categories linked to federal-level approvals.

In both cases, the steps are broadly similar, but each system has its own forms, fees, and approval channels.

Visa validity and renewal

Most Golden Visas are issued for 10 years, though some are valid for five or two depending on the category. Renewal is usually straightforward, provided you continue to meet the original criteria, whether that’s holding the qualifying investment, staying employed, or maintaining your endorsement.

There’s no minimum stay requirement, so long absences don’t affect the visa. You can also sponsor family members, with the same validity as the primary holder.

Looking ahead

The UAE’s long-term visa strategy has shifted from quantity to quality. Residency is now a filter for economic contribution. Authorities are paying closer attention to the source of funds and the structure behind the application but for those with the right profile, the system is more open and more accessible than it’s ever been.