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The Abu Dhabi retirement visa is a 5-year residence for retirees, filed with ICP. ADDED, the Abu Dhabi economic department, lists four routes and you need one: an investment of AED 1,000,000, UAE property worth AED 1,000,000, a deposit of AED 1,000,000 kept at least 2 years, or fixed income of AED 240,000 a year. ICP lists 2 days for issuance once your file is complete.
The age and work rule comes from the federal side: 55 or over, with at least 15 years of work inside or outside the UAE.
The four ADDED routes
| Route | ADDED condition |
|---|---|
| Investment | AED 1,000,000 invested |
| Property | UAE property worth AED 1,000,000 |
| Deposit | AED 1,000,000, kept for at least 2 years |
| Income | Fixed annual income of AED 240,000 |
Source: ADDED retirement visa page, checked .
Two things set Abu Dhabi apart from Dubai. First, ADDED names an investment route that the GDRFA page for Dubai does not list. Second, the deposit has a holding period: 2 years. In Dubai, GDRFA asks only that the money reaches a UAE institution within 60 days. Our Dubai retirement visa page covers the Dubai rules and the DLD package.
Conflicts you should know about
The federal u.ae page sets income at AED 180,000 a year, while ADDED uses AED 240,000. u.ae also describes property and savings as a pair, while ADDED treats each as a route on its own. ADDED is the emirate's own page, so prepare to its figures, then confirm on the ICP form before paying.
ICP fees
ADDED does not publish fees. ICP's residence issuance service, which lists retirees among its categories, shows these lines:
| ICP fee line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Application | AED 100 |
| Residence issuance | AED 100 per year |
| Smart service | AED 100 |
| Status adjustment (already inside the UAE) | AED 500 |
| Financial deposit fee | AED 20 |
Source: ICP residence issuance service, checked . The ICP pages we read do not show a separate fee table for retirees, so treat these as the standard lines and check the amount ICP shows before you pay.
The Emirates ID is charged on its own: AED 100 per year of residence plus AED 100 smart service fee, on the ICP card service. The medical test and health insurance are extra. We have not verified Abu Dhabi medical test prices, so ask the centre when you book.
What agencies charge
We found no Abu Dhabi agency price page for retirement visas. Dubai firms publish about AED 4,240 to AED 12,870 for a first retirement visa (2 Dubai firms, checked ). Use that only as a rough guide for the capital.
Documents
- Passport valid at least 6 months and a photo to ICP standards
- Proof of age and of 15 years of work
- For investment: proof of the AED 1,000,000 investment
- For property: title deed for UAE property worth AED 1,000,000
- For a deposit: bank certificate for AED 1,000,000 with the 2-year term
- For income: bank statements showing AED 240,000 a year in fixed income
- Valid health insurance and the medical fitness result
ICP's residence page lists health insurance as a required document. More detail on the papers, route by route, is on retirement visa requirements.
Processing time
ICP states 2 days for residence issuance. If you enter the UAE on an entry permit, ICP gives you 60 days from entry to finish the residence steps. Leave room for the medical, the Emirates ID appointment and any bank letters.
Common refusal reasons
- A deposit that can be withdrawn before 2 years, or one opened for a shorter term.
- Income that changes month to month.
- Using the AED 180,000 figure from older or federal pages.
- Missing health insurance on the upload.
- A passport with less than 6 months left.
Family on an Abu Dhabi retiree file
ADDED does not set out family rules on its retirement page. ICP handles family residence for residents of every emirate other than Dubai. See family visa in Abu Dhabi for the ICP family route and its conditions.
If you have AED 2,000,000 in property or another strong profile, the Abu Dhabi golden visa gives a longer term and is worth comparing.
How it works with us
Message us your passport copy and a line on your route, investment, property, deposit or income, on WhatsApp or through the form on this page. A visa adviser compares your papers with the ADDED conditions and the ICP upload list, and flags anything that would stall, such as a deposit term that is too short. You get one total price before you pay. The team then submits the ICP request, arranges the medical and biometrics, and tracks the application until the residence and Emirates ID are issued. DubaiVisaDesk.com is a private visa service. ICP decides the application.
ICP does not return its fees if a request is refused. Before you pay, your adviser confirms in writing whether any part of our total is refunded in that case.
Official sources
- ADDED retirement visa: four routes, 2-year deposit, 5 years, ICP as the channel.
- ICP residence issuance: categories, fee lines, 2 days, 60 days from entry, insurance.
- ICP new Emirates ID for residents: card fees per year of residence.
- u.ae residence visa for the retired: age, 15 years, federal income figure.
Checked . Check ADDED and ICP before you apply.
