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A golden visa through Dubai property needs one or more properties worth at least AED 2,000,000, owned in your name. If you own a unit jointly, your own share must reach that figure. A mortgage is allowed with a bank no-objection letter. You apply in person at a Dubai Land Department (DLD) centre, which lists AED 9,884.75 in fees and 7 to 10 business days.
ICP and GDRFA now issue 10 years; older u.ae text still says 5 for some categories, including real estate. The permit needs no sponsor and you can stay outside the UAE for long periods without losing it.
Does your property qualify?
ICP sets the UAE rule, GDRFA the Dubai residence rule, and DLD runs the counter. Check your unit against all three.
| Check | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| Minimum value | AED 2,000,000, one property or several added together |
| Owner | Wholly owned and registered in your name |
| Joint ownership | Your share alone must be AED 2,000,000 (GDRFA) |
| Property type | "All types of properties" (GDRFA) |
| Value proof | DLD property status certificate, or a valuation by a DLD licensed office (GDRFA) |
| Mortgage | Allowed, with a bank no-objection letter |
| Off-plan | Accepted by ICP; not mentioned by DLD or GDRFA |
Source: ICP golden residency guide, GDRFA investors page and DLD golden visa investor page, checked .
Purchase price or valuation?
The DLD page talks about the purchase value "at the time of purchase". GDRFA accepts a DLD status certificate or a licensed valuation instead. If you bought below the threshold and the unit is worth more now, or the reverse, ask the centre which paper it will accept before you pay.
Joint owners
A couple who own a AED 2,000,000 villa together do not both qualify on it, because each share counts on its own. One spouse can apply where their share reaches the figure and sponsor the other as family.
Mortgaged property and the bank letter
You can use a property you are still paying for. DLD asks for a no-objection letter from your bank that states the amount you have paid and the balance left. ICP only says the loan must come from an approved local bank.
Watch one line. The DLD description also mentions "a bank letter indicating 2 million AED paid amount", which reads stricter than its own terms, and no official page says which wording wins. Ask your bank to state the paid amount clearly and show the letter to the centre early.
Abu Dhabi works differently: ADRO asks for AED 2,000,000 of your own capital, so a mortgage only helps on a more expensive property. Our Abu Dhabi golden visa page has those rules.
Off-plan units: the sources disagree
ICP accepts off-plan units worth at least AED 2,000,000 in total from an approved developer. The DLD and GDRFA Dubai pages say nothing about off-plan, and DLD asks for a title deed or e-Certificate of Title. For a unit still under construction, get the answer from a DLD centre with your contract in hand before you count on it.
The lien and the 10-year hold
GDRFA places a lien on the property for the whole validity, and you may not dispose of it during the 10 years. Some agents say a sale only matters at renewal. GDRFA does not say that, so we follow GDRFA. If you might sell or refinance, plan it before you apply.
DLD fees for the property route
| DLD fee line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Investor, 10-year residence, all lines together | AED 9,884.75 |
| Medical examination at the centre | AED 700 (inside the total) |
| Emirates ID for 10 years, residency permit confirmation, DLD fees, administrative fees | Itemised on the DLD page, inside the total |
| Family on the same file | Amount |
|---|---|
| Each family member or parent, 10 years | AED 5,774.50 |
| Family sponsorship file opening, once | AED 318.75 |
| Added for each sponsored person | AED 100 |
Source: DLD golden visa investor service page, checked . Health insurance is not included, and ICP wants valid cover for you and your family throughout the permit.
What Dubai agencies charge
DLD registration agents in Dubai publish about AED 9,984.75 to AED 10,575 for the 10-year property investor visa, against DLD's own total of AED 9,884.75 (published prices of 2 Dubai DLD agents, checked ). These are their prices, not ours. Family permits, attestation and insurance are extra on both lists. For every golden route side by side, see golden visa cost.
Documents to bring
- Passport, original
- e-Certificate of Title or title deed in your name
- Personal photo
- Emirates ID and current residence, if you have them
- Bank no-objection letter showing amount paid and balance, if mortgaged
- DLD property status certificate or a valuation from a DLD licensed office, if the centre asks for it
- Health insurance for you
Family members need attested marriage and birth certificates, and parents a dependency certificate from your consulate. The golden visa family page covers that file.
Applying at a DLD centre
DLD lists these channels: Al Manara Center (Cube), Golden Cube at Dubai World Trade Centre, EGSH, Alyalayis and Gulf Vision. GDRFA sends real estate applications to the same Land Department centres, so you will not file this route on the GDRFA app.
Only you attend. DLD does not allow escorts or a representative. Its terms say the applicant must be inside the UAE, yet the same page lists "visiting foreign investor" as an accepted status. If you are flying in to apply, confirm with the centre first.
Processing time
DLD gives 7 to 10 business days from a complete file. Family members follow on the same file. Eligible applicants outside the UAE can get ICP's six-month multiple-entry visa, renewable once, to come and finish the process.
Why property files are sent back
- The share in a joint deed is below AED 2,000,000.
- The value is on a broker's estimate, not a DLD certificate or licensed valuation.
- The bank letter gives no paid amount or balance.
- The unit is off-plan with no title deed.
- The property sits in a company name or a relative's name.
- The applicant sends someone else instead of attending.
How it works with us
Send the title deed, your passport copy and, for a mortgage, the bank's name on WhatsApp or through the form on this page. A visa adviser reads the deed against the DLD and GDRFA rules: your share, the value paper, the bank letter wording and whether an off-plan unit has a real chance. You get one total price for you and any family members before you pay. The team prepares the family papers, books your DLD slot and follows the file until the residence is issued. You attend the centre yourself, because DLD requires it. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. DLD and GDRFA decide the application.
If the visa is refused, DLD and government fees are not refunded by the authorities. Your adviser tells you in writing, before you pay, what part of our total comes back if that happens.
Doing it yourself
Plenty of owners do. The fees are public and the visit is in person anyway. Owners below the threshold can look at the property visa in Dubai, and investors without property have the golden visa for investors.
After the visa is issued
The 10-year permit renews on the same terms if you still own the property. GDRFA says golden holders are exempt from the 180-day stay abroad rule, and the permit is void only if it expires while you are outside the UAE. After expiry or cancellation, ICP gives golden holders and their families 180 days of grace. More on this in the golden visa renewal guide and the UAE golden visa overview.
Official sources
- DLD golden visa investor service: fee lines, family fees, documents, centres, 7 to 10 business days.
- GDRFA golden residency for investors: joint share rule, value certificates, lien, mortgage, 10 years.
- ICP golden residency guide: AED 2,000,000 rule, approved bank loans, off-plan, insurance, six-month entry visa.
- u.ae golden visa: validity table that still shows 5 years for real estate.
- ADRO investors: Abu Dhabi own capital and off-plan rules.
Checked . Fees can change, so look at the DLD page before you go.
