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The Abu Dhabi golden visa uses the same national categories as the rest of the UAE, but ADRO sets tighter property rules and sends some categories to TAMM. Property buyers need AED 2,000,000 of their own capital. Specialists need an AED 30,000 salary and a bachelor's degree. TAMM's fee screen was unreadable when we checked, so confirm the total there.
Below we only cover what is different in Abu Dhabi. The shared rules for every emirate are on the UAE golden visa page.
Abu Dhabi versus Dubai, point by point
| Topic | Abu Dhabi (ADRO) | Dubai (GDRFA and DLD) |
|---|---|---|
| Property value | AED 2,000,000 bought outside a mortgage | AED 2,000,000, mortgaged property accepted |
| Mortgage | Only for value above AED 2,000,000 of your own capital | Bank letter with amount paid and balance |
| Off-plan | Accepted with AED 2,000,000 paid to an approved developer | Not mentioned by DLD or GDRFA |
| Property certificates | DMT | DLD |
| Tax investor | AED 250,000 a year, for 2 years before applying | AED 250,000 a year |
| Health, education, clerics | Apply through TAMM | Ministry or local authority nomination via GDRFA |
| Frontline heroes | Fakhr Al Watan Office only | Agency recommendation, renewal service only |
| Scientists | Top 100 university in the field | Top 250 (Master's) or top 500 (PhD) |
Source: ADRO Investors, Specialists and Non-Worker pages, GDRFA golden pages and the DLD investor page, checked .
ICP and GDRFA now issue 10 years; older u.ae text still says 5 for some categories. ADRO's own pages describe the Abu Dhabi golden visa without changing the federal term.
Investors in Abu Dhabi
Property. ADRO wants property bought for at least AED 2,000,000 outside a mortgage. A national bank mortgage is only acceptable on a property worth more than that, and only if your own capital in it is at least AED 2,000,000. Off-plan counts once AED 2,000,000 has been paid to an approved developer. Your certificates come from DMT, the Abu Dhabi Department of Municipalities and Transport.
Deposits, companies and tax. An AED 2,000,000 deposit or company qualifies, or proof of AED 250,000 a year in tax for the 2 years before you apply. ADRO says this visa covers spouses, children, one advisor and one executive director.
Non-residents. If you live outside the UAE, ADRO tells you to contact ADIO by email for the nomination. More on investor routes at golden visa for investors and golden visa by property.
Specialists, scientists and health workers
ADRO's specialist route covers level 1 (managers and business executives) and level 2 (professionals in sciences, engineering, health, education, business, IT, law, sociology and culture). The documents:
- Bachelor's degree
- Salary of at least AED 30,000 a month
- Salary certificate not older than one month
- 6-month bank statement from an approved UAE bank
- Passport and current residence details
Health professionals need a valid DOH practising licence, a bachelor's degree and DOH endorsement. Technicians and assistants also need 5 years of UAE experience. Their nomination is not available on ADRO: you apply through TAMM under Scientists and Specialists, Health Professionals. Educators and clerics also go to TAMM.
Scientists face a stricter line than in Dubai. ADRO asks for a Master's or PhD from one of the top 100 universities in the field, with a Scopus h-index above 20 as one of the measures, and routes the nomination to the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology. Industry and 4IR specialists need a bachelor's in manufacturing or industrial engineering, ISCO level 1 or 2 and at least 7 years of technical experience. Doctors can compare with golden visa for doctors.
Students and frontline heroes
ADEK nominates private school graduates in Abu Dhabi each academic year by pre-set criteria. Students do not apply cold; they receive an invitation. Frontline heroes are nominated only by the Fakhr Al Watan Office with ICP.
Fees: what we can and cannot confirm
| Fee line | Amount |
|---|---|
| ICP golden residence application | AED 100 |
| ICP issuance, per year of residence | AED 100 |
| ICP smart service | AED 100 |
| Emirates ID | AED 100 per year, plus AED 100 smart service |
| TAMM golden visa fees | Not readable when checked |
| Abu Dhabi medical test | Not on a page we could read |
Source: ICP Issuing Residency Permit and Emirates ID service cards, checked . The TAMM golden visa page returned no readable content, so we do not publish an Abu Dhabi total. Dubai's GDRFA and DLD fees do not apply here.
What agencies charge
The published golden visa prices we track come from Dubai Amer centres and DLD centres. They cover Dubai channels only, so we show no Abu Dhabi range.
Processing time
ICP states 2 days for residence issuance once the file is approved. The nomination stage, whether through ADRO, ADIO, ADEK or TAMM, has no published timeline on the pages we read. That stage takes the longest.
Why Abu Dhabi files get refused
- Mortgage covers part of the first AED 2,000,000 of the property
- Off-plan unit with less than AED 2,000,000 actually paid
- Salary certificate older than one month, or bank statement not from an approved UAE bank
- Health professional applying on ADRO instead of TAMM
- Scientist's university outside the top 100 in the field
How it works with us
DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service based in Dubai. We are not ADRO, TAMM, ICP or ADIO, and those bodies decide every Abu Dhabi file. Start on WhatsApp or the form on this page with your passport copy, your category and where your residence file sits. A visa adviser works out whether your route runs through ADRO, ADIO, TAMM or ICP and lists the DMT, DOH or bank papers you need. You get one total price, confirmed on WhatsApp before you pay. Our team prepares and files the application and follows up through nomination, medical and Emirates ID.
If the file is refused, the authorities do not return government fees. The adviser states in writing before you pay what share of the total, if any, you would get back.
Official sources
- ADRO Abu Dhabi Golden Visa: category overview
- ADRO Investors: property, mortgage, off-plan, ADIO
- ADRO Specialists: salary, health, scientists, TAMM routing
- ADRO Non-Worker: Fakhr Al Watan Office
- TAMM obtain a golden visa page: fees not readable when checked
- ICP Issuing Residency Permit: federal fee lines and 2 days
