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The UAE golden visa is a 10-year residence you sponsor yourself. You qualify with AED 2,000,000 in property, a deposit or a company, a monthly salary of AED 30,000 with a degree, a business earning AED 1,000,000 a year, a nomination for talent or science, or top grades. GDRFA charges AED 1,100 for the permit plus small fee lines, and lists 48 hours to 5 days.
The table below is the short version of every route. Each row links to a page that goes through that route in full.
Every golden visa category at a glance
| Category | Main condition | Full guide |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate investor | Property worth AED 2,000,000 or more, mortgage allowed | Golden visa by property |
| Public investor | AED 2,000,000 deposit frozen 2 years, or company capital of AED 2,000,000, or AED 250,000 a year in federal tax | Investor golden visa |
| Entrepreneur | SME earning AED 1,000,000 a year, a venture sold for AED 7,000,000, or an incubator approved idea | Entrepreneur golden visa |
| Skilled professional | MOHRE level 1 or 2, bachelor's degree, AED 30,000 a month | Skilled professionals |
| Doctors | Salary route with a licence, or a health ministry recommendation | Golden visa for doctors |
| Nurses | Salary or health specialist rules, with a valid licence | Golden visa for nurses |
| Engineers | Salary route at level 1 or 2 | Golden visa for engineers |
| Teachers and educators | Ministry of Education or local authority recommendation | Golden visa for teachers |
| Scientists and PhD holders | Emirates Scientists Council recommendation, research record | Scientists and researchers |
| Creative people | Nomination from the Ministry of Culture or Dubai Culture, portfolio | Creative talent |
| Athletes | Ministry of Sports or Dubai Sports Council nomination | Golden visa for athletes |
| School and university top achievers | 95% in grade 12, or a GPA of 3.5 and up within 2 years of graduating | Golden visa for students |
| Humanitarian pioneers and frontline heroes | 5 years with a humanitarian body, AED 2,000,000 in support, or a government recommendation | Humanitarian and frontline |
Source: ICP Golden Residency guide and GDRFA golden residency service pages, checked .
Not sure which row fits you? The golden visa eligibility checklist walks through each one with yes or no questions.
What every golden visa has in common
All routes give you a residence with no sponsor. ICP and GDRFA now issue 10 years; older u.ae text still says 5 for some categories. Holders are not caught by the 180-day rule for time abroad, and they can bring a spouse, children of any age and parents. The full list is on the golden visa benefits page.
Some conditions stay with you after approval. A skilled professional whose salary drops below AED 30,000 loses the permit. A property owner cannot sell the property during the 10 years, because DLD registers a lien. GDRFA also asks every holder to be able to support themselves and their family without government help.
Who handles your file
The emirate that will issue your residence decides the channel.
- Dubai: GDRFA Dubai, online or at an Amer centre. Property owners go through DLD accredited centres. See the Dubai golden visa route.
- Abu Dhabi: ADRO and TAMM, with a few local differences on property and nominations. See golden visa in Abu Dhabi.
- Sharjah and the northern emirates: ICP. See Sharjah, Ajman and RAK.
Official fees
| Fee line | GDRFA Dubai | ICP |
|---|---|---|
| Application | Not listed | AED 100 |
| Residence permit | AED 1,100 | AED 100 per year |
| Knowledge and Innovation | AED 10 each | Not listed |
| Applicant already inside the UAE | AED 500 | Not listed |
| Smart service or delivery | AED 20 delivery | AED 100 smart service |
Source: GDRFA golden residency pages and the ICP Issuing Residency Permit card, checked . GDRFA adds that the issuance fee rises by AED 100 a year for residence over two years, without showing a total. The DLD property route has its own package of AED 9,884.75. Medicals, the Emirates ID and family members are on the golden visa cost page.
What Dubai agencies charge
Two Dubai Amer centres publish about AED 2,711.75 to AED 2,992.90 for the residence permit stage of a non-property golden visa, with the medical and Emirates ID charged on top (published prices of 2 Dubai centres, checked ). For the property route, two DLD registration agents publish AED 9,984.75 to AED 10,575.
Documents most routes ask for
- Passport copy and a photo on a white background
- Proof for your category: title deed, bank certificate, salary certificate, nomination letter or attested grades
- Health insurance for you and your family (investors, entrepreneurs and specialised professionals)
- Emirates ID and current residence copy, if you already live here
Each category adds its own papers. They are listed route by route on the golden visa requirements page.
Processing time
GDRFA lists 48 hours for skilled professionals and humanitarian pioneers, and 5 days for investors, entrepreneurs, talents and students. ICP lists 2 days for the residence. The DLD property route takes 7 to 10 business days. Nominations come first and have their own timeline, which the official pages do not state.
Why golden visa applications stall
- A nomination treated as approval. GDRFA says the nominating body's letter is not final. GDRFA still reviews the file.
- Joint property below the line. In a shared title, your own share must reach AED 2,000,000.
- Salary proof that does not match. The bank statement must show six months of salary transfers.
- A foreign degree without recognition. Skilled and scientist routes want a Ministry of Education equivalency report.
- Student file in the wrong emirate. Dubai approves student golden visas only on a Dubai residence file.
How it works with us
Message us on WhatsApp or use the form on this page with your passport copy and a line on your situation: property, salary, company, talent or grades. A visa adviser matches you to the right category and tells you what proof is still missing. You get one total price, confirmed on WhatsApp before you pay. The team then prepares the file, books the medical and biometrics, and follows the case with GDRFA, ICP or the DLD centre until the residence is issued. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service, not a government office. The authorities approve or refuse every golden visa.
Government fees are not refunded by the authorities after a refusal. Before you pay, your adviser confirms in writing which part of our total, if any, you get back if the visa is refused.
Official sources
- ICP Golden Residency guide: categories, conditions, family rules and validity.
- ICP Issuing Residency Permit card: ICP fee lines and the 2-day time.
- GDRFA golden residency services: Dubai fee lines, documents and times per category.
- DLD golden visa for investors: property terms and the package total.
- u.ae golden visa page: the older 5 or 10 year table.
