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A partner visa in Dubai lets a partner in a licensed company live in the UAE without an employer sponsor. GDRFA issues it as the green residence permit for partner investors, valid for up to 5 years and renewable. You pay AED 200 for the permit plus AED 10 Knowledge, AED 10 Innovation, AED 500 inside the country and AED 20 delivery. GDRFA states 48 hours.
If your share or deposit reaches AED 2,000,000, the golden visa for investors gives you 10 years instead. The wider comparison of investor routes is on our UAE investment visa page.
What changed for partners
Older guides talk about a 2 or 3-year "partner visa" or "investor visa". GDRFA's current service for partners is called "Issuing green residence permit (partner investor)". It is part of the green visa family, so the 5-year term, the long grace period and the wider family rules of the green visa apply.
The conditions on the GDRFA page are short:
- You are an investor or partner in a commercial project.
- The competent authorities approve you and the activity is licensed.
- No share value or capital minimum is stated.
Many agency sites quote a fixed minimum share. None of the official pages we read sets one for your own permit. Ask anyone quoting a figure to show the GDRFA or ICP page it comes from.
GDRFA fees
| Fee line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Residence permit | AED 200 |
| Knowledge Dirham | AED 10 |
| Innovation Dirham | AED 10 |
| Applying inside the country | AED 500 |
| Delivery | AED 20 |
| Each year over two years | AED 100 more |
| Cancellation (all residence types) | AED 100 plus AED 10 and AED 10 |
Source: GDRFA green partner investor permit and GDRFA residence cancellation, checked . The page does not print a total for a 5-year permit, so read the payment screen. Licence fees, the establishment card, the medical test, Emirates ID and health insurance are not in these lines.
What Dubai agencies charge
Dubai agencies publish about AED 10,000 to AED 18,000 for an investor or partner visa (published prices of 2 Dubai agencies, checked ). Mainland and free zone files are often priced apart. Ask what the price leaves out.
Documents checklist
- Passport valid for at least 6 months
- Recent photo
- Partnership agreement, memorandum of association (MOA) or investment contract
- Valid trade licence showing you as partner
- Medical test result if you are 18 or over
- Health insurance
Steps and processing time
- Check that your name appears on the licence and the MOA. A partner who joined recently may need the licence amended first.
- Apply on the GDRFA website or app with UAE Pass, or at an Amer centre.
- Pay the fee lines above. Pay the AED 500 line only if you are inside the UAE.
- Do the medical test and Emirates ID biometrics.
- GDRFA states 48 hours once the file is complete.
Already in Dubai on a visit visa? You can apply from inside and pay the inside-the-country fee: see change visa status.
Renewal
GDRFA renews the green partner permit on the same terms as the first issue. So the licence must still be valid and must still show you as a partner, and your passport needs 6 months. Renew before the permit expires. Partners on the green route get a 180-day grace period after expiry, longer than the 60 days most residents get. More on timing in visa renewal in Dubai.
Cancellation process
- Cancel your family members' permits first. GDRFA and ICP require the family to go before the sponsor.
- Cancel your own permit through the GDRFA cancellation service: AED 100 plus AED 10 Knowledge and AED 10 Innovation, 48 hours.
- Deal with the licence: removing yourself as partner or closing the company is a separate step with the licensing authority.
One point the official pages disagree on: GDRFA's general cancellation page says 60 days of grace, while its green residence page says 180 days. Check your own cancellation paper for the date you must leave or change status by. See residence visa cancellation.
Common refusal reasons
- The trade licence has expired or is under renewal.
- The MOA or partnership agreement does not name you.
- The activity needs an extra approval that is missing.
- The passport has less than 6 months left.
- A medical result is missing for an applicant over 18.
How it works with us
Send your passport and trade licence on WhatsApp, or through the form on this page. A visa adviser reads the licence and the MOA, checks that you are listed as a partner and tells you whether the green partner permit or a golden route fits better. You get one total price before paying. The team files the GDRFA application, handles any question from GDRFA and tells you when to go for the medical and biometrics. We do renewals and cancellations the same way. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service, and GDRFA alone approves or refuses the permit.
GDRFA does not return its fees after a refusal. Your adviser writes down, before you pay, which part of our total comes back in that case, if any.
Official sources
- GDRFA green residence permit (partner investor): conditions, documents, fees, 48 hours, validity.
- GDRFA green residence grace period: 180 days.
- GDRFA cancellation of residence permits: cancellation fees and time.
- ICP green residency: investor and partner category.
- u.ae residence rules: family cancelled before the sponsor, 180-day absence rule.
Checked . Check the GDRFA page before you pay.
