Updated 17 October 2026 · Author: Evgenii Salamatin, founder of Parallax

The UAE Golden Visa is a long-term residence visa that is not tied to an employer or a company; in Dubai, GDRFA issues it for 10 years in all categories. In Dubai it is granted to investors (property, a deposit or a company stake from AED 2,000,000), entrepreneurs by nomination, specialists earning from AED 30,000 a month, scientists, talents and top graduates. Processing with Parallax costs €5,500 as of October 2026.

We submit documents to GDRFA through a licensed partner in Dubai, prepare the file and guide you through every step. The requirements below are taken from the GDRFA Dubai service cards and the u.ae portal, checked 17.10.2026.

Who qualifies for the Golden Visa: categories and thresholds

CategoryRequirement in DubaiTerm
PropertyOne or more properties with a total value from AED 2,000,000, with a status certificate from the Dubai Land Department. A mortgaged property is accepted; an encumbrance is registered on it for the term of the visa10 years
Joint ownershipThe applicant's share is from AED 2,000,00010 years
DepositFrom AED 2,000,000 in an accredited UAE bank (or local sukuk and bonds), frozen for at least 2 years10 years
Company stakeShare of the company's assets from AED 2,000,000 according to a financial report by a UAE auditor10 years
Tax investorThe company pays at least AED 250,000 in taxes a year, confirmed by a letter from the FTA10 years
EntrepreneursNomination by the Dubai Future Foundation; a project with annual revenue from AED 1,000,000 registered with the Ministry of Economy or a local authority, or a previously sold project worth from AED 7,000,00010 years
Employed specialistsEmployment contract in the UAE, 1st or 2nd occupational level, at least a bachelor's degree recognised by the UAE Ministry of Education, salary from AED 30,000 a month, bank statements for 6 months10 years
Scientists and elite specialistsNomination by the relevant authority: the Emirates Scientists Council, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Industry10 years
TalentsNomination in culture and the arts, inventions, sport or digital technology10 years
Top students and graduatesSchool: average grade from 95%; university in the world's top 100: GPA from 3.5; UAE university: GPA from 3.5 or 3.8 depending on the university's class; graduated no more than 2 years ago10 years, non-renewable

There is also a category for humanitarian workers and frontline heroes, based on awards and at least 5 years of service (u.ae). For some categories the federal portal u.ae states 5 years: property investors, entrepreneurs and top school graduates; the GDRFA Dubai service cards state 10 years for the same categories. We confirm the term of your specific permit when applying. You can run a preliminary check in the ICP service, but the final decision rests with GDRFA.

Off-plan property: the 2022 executive regulations allow properties from approved developers (MOFA announcement of 19.04.2022), but the GDRFA Dubai service card does not include this condition. We check the property before the deal.

What the Golden Visa gives you

  • 10 years with renewal, as long as the conditions are still met (except for the top students and graduates category, which GDRFA Dubai does not renew).
  • No sponsor. The visa does not depend on an employer or your company.
  • You can spend long periods outside the UAE. A regular residence visa becomes invalid after six months abroad (u.ae). Golden Visa holders are exempt from this rule; the visa becomes invalid only if it expires while you are abroad (GDRFA).
  • Family. You can sponsor your spouse and children, with no age limit for children according to the MOFA announcement on the 2022 regulations, as well as domestic staff with no limit on their number. If the visa holder dies, the family can stay in the UAE until their own visas expire.
  • Emirates ID: the resident card for banking, renting, phone contracts and government services.

Conditions for keeping the visa: support yourself and your family without state assistance. For investors, the property stays encumbered and the deposit stays frozen; before you apply, we go through how to exit an asset without losing your status.

Documents

  • Everyone: a copy of your passport and a photo on a white background; in the UAE, a medical test and biometrics for the Emirates ID.
  • Property: proof of ownership and a property status certificate from the Dubai Land Department.
  • Deposit: proof of the deposit and of housing in Dubai.
  • Company stake: an audited financial report, the licence with the partners' appendix, the company's bank statement, tax registration and receipts for the previous year, a share capital certificate (for a free zone company) and the auditor's licences.
  • Tax investor: the FTA letter and the licence with the partners' appendix.
  • Specialist: an employment contract or salary certificate, 6 months of bank statements showing salary credits, the degree and the UAE Ministry of Education recognition report, a practising licence if the profession requires one, and health insurance.
  • Entrepreneur, scientist, talent: a nomination letter from the relevant authority.
  • Family: marriage and birth certificates. An apostille does not work in the UAE: the country is not a party to the Hague Convention (HCCH), so consular legalisation and MOFA attestation are required; see document attestation for the UAE.

How to get the Golden Visa: steps and timelines

  1. Category check. We compare your assets, contract or degree with the GDRFA requirements and choose the emirate to apply in.
  2. Preparing documents. DLD certificate, nomination, legalisation and translation. This is the longest stage: legalising documents from abroad takes weeks.
  3. Application to GDRFA via smart services or an Amer centre; property applications are accepted by designated Amer centres.
  4. Review. GDRFA states 5 days for investors, entrepreneurs and talents, and 48 hours for specialists and scientists.
  5. Medical test and biometrics in the UAE.
  6. Visa and Emirates ID issued.

Golden Visa cost with Parallax

Golden Visa for 10 years with Emirates ID: €5,500, excluding 5% UAE VAT. The service includes the category check, preparation and submission of the file, and support through to your Emirates ID.

Paid separately: the investment itself, health insurance, document legalisation (€450 per document) and visas for family members. Government fees, the medical test and the Emirates ID: we fix the exact scope and fees in the estimate before payment. For reference: according to GDRFA Dubai as of 17.10.2026, the Golden Visa permit fee is AED 1,100 plus AED 100 for each year beyond two, AED 10 each for the Knowledge and Innovation fees, AED 500 when applying from inside the country and AED 20 for delivery.

Common reasons for refusals and delays

  • The property value is below AED 2,000,000 according to DLD data, or the share in joint ownership is below the threshold.
  • The deposit is not held with an accredited UAE bank or is not frozen for 2 years.
  • The specialist's contract salary is below AED 30,000, the statements do not show salary credits for 6 months, the degree is not recognised by the UAE Ministry of Education, or the position is not at the 1st or 2nd occupational level. If the salary later falls below AED 30,000 or the contract is terminated, the visa may be cancelled.
  • Documents from abroad without consular legalisation, no translation, or the name spelled differently in the passport, degree and certificates.
  • A nomination has been received, but it is only a preliminary approval: the final decision rests with GDRFA.

If you do not meet the Golden Visa thresholds, a workable option is a residence visa through your own company for 2 years. We select a company for the visa in the UAE business section and compare all residence options on the UAE residence page.

Prices

ServiceWhat is includedPrice
Golden Visa for 10 years + Emirates IDUAE Golden Visa: category eligibility check, document preparation, submission, medical test and Emirates ID.€5,500Order
Spouse sponsorship visaResidence visa for a husband or wife sponsored by a UAE resident: documents, legalisation of the marriage certificate, submission.€3,200Order
Child sponsorship visaResidence visa for a child sponsored by a parent who is a UAE resident.€3,000Order

Prices in euros, excluding 5% VAT. We fix the exact scope and government fees in a quote before payment. Services are provided together with a licensed partner in Dubai.

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Frequently asked questions

With Parallax, a 10-year Golden Visa with Emirates ID costs €5,500 excluding 5% UAE VAT. The investment itself, health insurance, document legalisation and family visas are paid separately. We fix the exact scope and government fees in the estimate before payment.

Yes, GDRFA Dubai accepts a mortgaged property. The threshold is AED 2,000,000 according to the Dubai Land Department, and an encumbrance is registered on the property for the term of the visa. We check the bank's conditions and the valuation before applying.

No. Golden Visa holders are exempt from the six-months-abroad rule. According to GDRFA, the visa becomes invalid only if it expires while you are outside the UAE.

You need a UAE employment contract for a 1st or 2nd occupational level position, at least a bachelor's degree recognised by the UAE Ministry of Education and a salary from AED 30,000 a month. The salary is confirmed with 6 months of bank statements. GDRFA reviews such applications within 48 hours.

The visa holder can sponsor a spouse and children, with no age limit for children according to the MOFA announcement on the 2022 regulations, as well as domestic staff. If the visa holder dies, the family can stay in the UAE until their own visas expire. Family visas are processed and paid for separately.

The GDRFA review itself takes from 48 hours to 5 days depending on the category. Then come the medical test, biometrics and the Emirates ID. Legalising documents from abroad usually takes the most time.

No. The Golden Visa is a long-term residence visa: it gives the right to live in the UAE but does not lead to a passport. It can be renewed as long as the category conditions are met; the exception is the top students and graduates category, which GDRFA Dubai does not renew.

The 2022 regulations allow off-plan properties from approved developers, but the GDRFA Dubai service card does not specify this condition. We check the specific property and developer before the deal.

Official sources