Golden visa eligibility checklist

You are eligible if you clear every check in one category below. Tick through the list that matches your situation. If one box fails, that route is closed, but another may still fit.

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Golden visa eligibility check

Tick what applies to you. The check shows which golden visa route may fit. ICP and GDRFA decide each case.

Criteria from ICP and GDRFA golden visa pages, checked .

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Tick what applies

Golden visa routes depend on investment, salary, a business, talent or study results.

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You are eligible for a UAE golden visa if you meet every condition in one category. The common ones: property or a bank deposit of AED 2,000,000, a salary of AED 30,000 a month with a bachelor's degree at MOHRE level 1 or 2, a business earning AED 1,000,000 a year, a nomination for talent or research, or 95% in grade 12. Pick your category and tick the checklist below.

The checks come from the ICP Golden Residency guide and the GDRFA service pages. They tell you whether to apply. They do not replace the decision of ICP or GDRFA.

Real estate investor

  • I own one or more UAE properties worth AED 2,000,000 or more in total
  • The property is registered in my name (in joint ownership, my own share reaches AED 2,000,000)
  • If there is a mortgage, it is with an approved local bank and the bank will issue a no-objection letter
  • I can keep the property for 10 years, because a lien stops a sale
  • For Dubai: I will be inside the UAE when I apply at the DLD centre

Off-plan: ICP accepts off-plan from an approved developer. The Dubai DLD and GDRFA pages are silent on it. Details on the golden visa by property page.

Public investor

Any one of these, with capital you own outright and that is not a loan:

  • AED 2,000,000 in an investment fund or UAE bank, frozen for at least two years
  • A UAE company with capital of AED 2,000,000, or my share in one reaches that
  • My company, or my share of it, pays at least AED 250,000 a year in federal tax

Entrepreneur

Any one of these:

  • I own or co-own a UAE SME earning at least AED 1,000,000 a year
  • I founded ventures that sold for at least AED 7,000,000 in total
  • An accredited incubator, the Ministry of Economy or a local authority approved my idea

Plus: health insurance for me and my family. Dubai files also need a Dubai Future Foundation nomination.

Skilled professional

All of these:

  • My job is MOHRE level 1 (chairpersons, chief executives) or level 2 (specialists)
  • I hold a valid UAE work permit and contract
  • My salary is AED 30,000 a month or more
  • I have at least a bachelor's degree, recognised by the Ministry of Education
  • I can show 6 months of salary transfers in my bank statement
  • I hold a practising licence, if my job needs one

Remember the catch: the permit is cancelled if the salary falls below AED 30,000 or the contract ends. Engineers, doctors and IT staff usually come in here. See skilled professionals.

Scientists and researchers

  • A recommendation from the Emirates Scientists Council
  • A PhD from a top 500 university, or a Master's from a top 250 university, in engineering, technology, life or natural sciences
  • FWCI of 1.0 or more and an h-index of 10 or more, or a Scopus h-index of 20 or more

Talent, health and education

  • Creative: a nomination from the Ministry of Culture, Dubai Culture or the Emirates Media Council, and a portfolio
  • Athlete: a nomination from the Ministry of Sports or the Dubai Sports Council
  • Inventor: a nomination from the Ministry of Economy, with a patent of value to the economy
  • Digital talent: a nomination from the Emirates Council for AI and Digital Transactions
  • Healthcare specialist: a recommendation from the Ministry of Health and Prevention or the local health authority
  • Education specialist: a recommendation from the Ministry of Education or the local authority
  • Religious scholar: a recommendation from the Ministry of Culture and Youth or the local authority

Students and graduates

  • School: 95% or more in grade 12 at a licensed school, attested
  • UAE university: GPA of 3.5 at a class A university or 3.8 at class B, graduated within 2 years
  • Abroad: a world top 100 university, bachelor's GPA of 3.5, graduated within 2 years
  • For Dubai: my residence file is issued by Dubai

More on the golden visa for students page.

Humanitarian and frontline

  • 5 years as a member or standout employee of an international, regional or non-profit body, or AED 2,000,000 given in support, plus a university degree
  • Or: a recommendation from the government agency I serve on the front line

What applying costs once you qualify

Line Amount
GDRFA permit fee AED 1,100
ICP residence, per year AED 100
DLD property package AED 9,884.75

Source: GDRFA, ICP and DLD service pages, checked . All the extra lines are on the golden visa cost page.

How long the check and the visa take

The ICP online check gives an answer on screen. After that, GDRFA lists 48 hours for skilled professionals and 5 days for most other routes, and DLD lists 7 to 10 business days. Nominations add time that no official page states.

Where people think they qualify but do not

  • Salary paid partly in allowances. Ask how the AED 30,000 is counted before you rely on it.
  • A loan behind the capital. Public investment capital must be your own, not borrowed.
  • Old graduation date. Graduates must apply within 2 years.
  • Job level. A high salary in a role outside MOHRE level 1 or 2 does not qualify.

When your checklist is clear, the golden visa requirements page tells you which documents prove each point.

Official sources

How to check if you qualify for a golden visa

  1. Pick the category closest to you

    Start with what you have most of: property, savings, salary, a business, a talent record or grades.

  2. Tick every box in that list

    All the points in one category must be true, not just most of them.

  3. Confirm the unclear points

    Salary basis, off-plan property and nomination timing are not fully set out on the official pages.

  4. Run the ICP eligibility check

    Log in with UAE Pass on the ICP smart services site before you pay any fee.

Good to know

Questions people ask

How do I check my UAE golden visa eligibility?

ICP runs an eligibility check on its smart services site with UAE Pass. You can also go through the checklist on this page: if you meet every point in one category, you are a candidate, and ICP or GDRFA makes the decision.

Can I combine two categories to reach the golden visa?

The official pages set each threshold per category. They do not say you can add, for example, half the property value to half the deposit. Plan to meet one category in full.

Does the AED 30,000 salary mean basic or total salary?

The official pages do not define it. ICP says at least AED 30,000 a month and GDRFA's terms say approximately AED 30,000, so ask GDRFA or ICP how your salary certificate will be read before you apply.

Am I eligible for the golden visa with a mortgaged property?

Yes, mortgaged property is accepted with a bank no-objection letter showing the amount paid and the balance. In Abu Dhabi the rule is stricter: your own capital in the property must be at least AED 2,000,000.

Can a student on a Sharjah visa get the Dubai golden visa?

No. GDRFA approves student golden visas only on a Dubai residence file. A student on a Sharjah or northern emirates file applies through ICP instead.

Is there an age limit for golden visa eligibility?

No official page sets an age limit for the main applicant. Students must have graduated within the last 2 years, which is a time limit, not an age limit.

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