The Golden Visa through Dubai property, and how the AED 2 million rule works.
Hold AED 2 million of Dubai property and you can apply for a 10-year residency that renews and does not lapse while you are abroad. What counts towards the figure, where mortgaged and off-plan units fit, and what it costs to apply.
If you own at least AED 2 million of Dubai property, in one unit or several registered in your name, you can apply for the 10-year Golden Visa. It renews for as long as you hold a qualifying investment, it covers your spouse, children and parents, and it does not lapse if you spend long periods outside the country, which is where it differs from an ordinary residence visa.
In short
The threshold is AED 2 million of property value held in your name. The April 2026 rule review left it unchanged.
One property or several can make up the figure, provided each is registered to you.
A mortgaged property qualifies if the bank issues a no objection certificate. The requirement to have paid 50% of the price upfront was removed in February 2026.
Off-plan bought from an approved developer counts once it is registered with the Land Department, so you can qualify before handover.
The visa runs for 10 years, renews, and has no minimum stay. For an owner who lives abroad most of the year, that last point is the reason to apply.
What counts
The rule is shorter than most of what is written about it. You need AED 2 million of property registered in your name. How you assemble that figure is flexible, and the two situations owners tend to assume rule them out, a mortgage and an off-plan purchase, both count.
| Situation | Qualifies? |
|---|---|
| One property worth AED 2M or more | Yes |
| Several properties totalling AED 2M, all in your name | Yes |
| Mortgaged property, total value AED 2M or more | Yes, with the bank's NOC |
| Registered off-plan from an approved developer | Yes |
Current at June 2026, following the April 2026 rule review and the February 2026 removal of the 50% upfront-payment requirement for mortgaged property. Confirm your own case with a registered agent or the relevant authority.
| Property | Value |
|---|---|
| JVC studio, owned outright | AED 720,000 |
| Dubai Marina one-bed, mortgaged | AED 1,450,000 |
| Combined value in your name | AED 2,170,000 |
| Clears the AED 2M line? | Yes |
An example. Both properties must be registered in your name, and the mortgaged unit needs the bank's NOC. Use the value on the DLD record, not the price you paid.
Joint ownership is the case to check before you apply. If you and your spouse own one AED 2 million unit between you, how each share is counted depends on the case, and it is not safe to assume both of you qualify. Ask before you file.
Why owners abroad apply
An ordinary UAE residence visa is void if you stay outside the country for more than six months, so it keeps many owners on a schedule of flights they would rather not take. The Golden Visa has no such condition. You can run a business in London or raise children in Mumbai, keep the Dubai apartment, and the visa stays valid for the full 10 years.
For an owner who already meets the threshold, the property is therefore doing more than earning rent. It gives you the right to land, bank and base your family in Dubai for a decade without having to live there, and since the asset is already yours, the cost of that right is the application fee.
How to apply
Check the property clears AED 2 million.
Use the current market value of what is registered to you rather than the price you paid. A unit bought a few years ago may already be over the line after appreciation. If you are short, a registered off-plan purchase can make up the difference.
Have the property's eligibility confirmed.
The Land Department and the Dubai REST app can confirm that a property meets the Golden Visa criteria. If the unit is mortgaged, ask your bank for a no objection certificate stating the position on the loan.
File through ICP or the Dubai channel.
The application goes to the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship or the relevant Dubai authority. Most owners have a registered agent file it, which saves the back and forth over documents.
Complete the medical and the Emirates ID.
After approval there is a standard medical fitness test and the Emirates ID issuance. Once those are done you can sponsor your spouse, children and parents for the same 10-year term.
Immigration rules change. Figures and conditions are current at June 2026 and indicative. This is general guidance, not immigration or legal advice. Confirm your eligibility with a registered agent or the relevant UAE authority before acting.
What the application costs
The AED 2 million is an asset you keep. The government charge to issue the visa is separate, and next to the property it is small. For a 10-year property investor visa the fees come to roughly AED 10,000, made up as follows.
| Fee | AED |
|---|---|
| Dubai Land Department charges | 4,020 |
| Residency permit confirmation | 2,857 |
| Administrative fees | 1,155 |
| Emirates ID, 10 years | 1,153 |
| Medical examination | 700 |
| Total government fees | About 9,885 |
Indicative figures current at June 2026 for a 10-year property investor route. An agent's service fee, if you use one, is on top. The AED 2 million property is an asset you keep, not a cost. Confirm the current schedule with ICP or the Dubai authorities.
Buying an AED 2 million unit costs around AED 130,000 in fees before you get anywhere near the visa, so the visa charge is a small addition. If you already hold the property, the money is already in the asset, and this is the paperwork that turns it into ten years of residence.
Questions
- How much property do you need for a UAE Golden Visa?
- AED 2 million. One property or several will do, as long as each is registered in your name. Once you are over the figure you can apply for the 10-year Golden Visa, which renews for as long as you keep a qualifying investment.
- Can you get a Golden Visa with a mortgaged property?
- Yes. If the total property value is at least AED 2 million and your bank issues a no objection certificate, a mortgaged property qualifies. Until February 2026 you had to have paid 50% of the price upfront. That condition has been removed, so financed buyers can now use this route.
- Does off-plan property count for the Golden Visa?
- Yes, provided it is bought from an approved developer and registered with the Land Department. Off-plan and ready units both count toward the AED 2 million, so a registered off-plan purchase can take you over the line before the building is finished.
- Do you have to live in the UAE to keep a Golden Visa?
- No. A standard UAE residence visa lapses if you stay outside the country for more than six months. The Golden Visa does not. You can live abroad, keep the property, and the visa holds, which is why it suits owners who split their year between Dubai and home.
- Who can you sponsor on a property Golden Visa?
- Your spouse, your children and your parents, subject to the usual UAE regulations. Their visas are tied to yours and run for the same 10-year term, so one qualifying property covers the household.
- What happens to the visa if you sell the property?
- The visa depends on your holding a qualifying investment for as long as it is valid. If you sell without replacing the property with another AED 2 million holding, the visa is at risk at renewal. If a sale is coming, arrange the replacement first so there is no gap.
- How much does the Golden Visa cost to apply for?
- The AED 2 million property is an asset you keep, not a fee. The government charges for a 10-year property investor Golden Visa come to roughly AED 9,900 in 2026, covering Land Department processing, the residency permit, the Emirates ID, administrative fees and the medical test. An agent's fee, if you use one, is on top. The schedule changes, so check the current figures with ICP before you budget.
- How to value your Dubai propertyCheck whether what you own already clears AED 2 million.
- What it costs to buy in DubaiIf you are buying to reach AED 2 million, every one-off cost of the purchase.
- Dubai mortgage calculatorMortgaged property qualifies. See the deposit and monthly payment on a top-up purchase.
Mulki tracks the value of each unit against the AED 2 million line, so you know where you stand.
Notify me