Golden Visa Dubai Requirements: Every Route and Who Qualifies
What are the golden visa Dubai requirements?
The Dubai Golden Visa is a 10-year, self-sponsored UAE residency, issued federally through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security and processed in Dubai through the GDRFA. It launched in 2019 and was widened in 2022. There is no single test. You qualify under one of several routes, and each has its own requirement.
Two things apply to everyone: a valid passport and a clean record, then medical screening, biometrics and Emirates ID registration once you are approved. Everything else turns on the route.
Golden visa Dubai requirements by route
Thresholds below are the figures published at the time of review (October 2026). The authorities have changed the detail more than once, so confirm the current wording on u.ae or with ICP before you commit capital.
| Route | Core requirement | UAE employer needed? | Evidence you will need |
|---|---|---|---|
| Property investor | Property of at least AED 2 million (mortgage and off-plan treatment has changed, check current rules) | No | Title deed, valuation, proof of ownership and any mortgage position |
| Investor and entrepreneur | A qualifying investment (published at AED 2 million) in a company, fund or approved vehicle, or an approved project or incubator endorsement (published at AED 500,000 for projects) | No | Trade licence, shareholding or fund documents, incubator letter |
| Skilled professional | Degree, a role in a priority occupation, and a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000 | Yes | Employment contract, attested degree, salary evidence |
| Outstanding talent | Recognised achievement in science, culture, sport, arts or innovation | No | Endorsement from the relevant authority, portfolio, references |
| Other categories | Outstanding students, high-achieving graduates, humanitarian pioneers | No | Assessed case by case |
If you are unsure which row is yours, the UAE visa route checker narrows it down in a couple of minutes. For a side-by-side with the other long-stay options, see golden vs investor vs freelance visa.
The property route
Buy qualifying property and you can apply without a sponsor. The sticking points are always the same: whether a mortgage reduces the value that counts, whether off-plan qualifies before completion, and whether joint ownership splits the threshold. Our guide to getting a golden visa by buying Dubai property covers those traps. Check the issuing authority’s current position before you exchange.
The investor and entrepreneur route
This is the one most UK founders use. Either you hold a qualifying stake in a UAE company, or you run a project endorsed by an approved incubator. If you are forming a UAE company anyway, structure it with the visa in mind from day one, because retrofitting a shareholding or capital position later is slower and more expensive.
The skilled professional route
You need a UAE employer, so this is not a no-job route. The role must sit in the skilled occupation categories, and you need a recognised degree. If you are looking for residency without employment, our guide to moving to Dubai without a job covers the alternatives.
The talent route
Assessed by the ministry or body responsible for your field. Documentation carries the case. A thin portfolio is the usual reason for refusal.
Golden visa Dubai salary requirements
Only the skilled professional route has a salary test. It has been published at AED 30,000 a month, alongside a degree and a qualifying occupation.
The catch is the definition. Some guidance refers to basic salary and some to the total package, and a contract that splits pay into allowances can fall short on one reading and pass on another. Ask your employer’s PRO to confirm which figure the authority will assess before you sign. For what typical earnings look like in the first place, see our average salary in Dubai guide.
If you run your own company, there is no salary test. You qualify on capital or the project, not on pay.
What does the Dubai golden visa cost?
Be wary of anyone quoting a single price. The cost of a golden visa is mostly a function of the route you take.
- Property route: the capital tied up in the purchase, plus transfer costs, agent fees and any mortgage costs. The visa fee is a small part of it.
- Investor route: the qualifying investment, the licence and setup costs of the company or vehicle, and ongoing compliance.
- Skilled professional and talent routes: mainly official fees, medical, Emirates ID and health insurance, as no capital is required.
- Dependants: each spouse, child and household worker adds their own fees and insurance.
- Advisers: application support, attestation of documents and, where relevant, company formation.
The honest comparison is between capital that remains an asset (property, a business) and capital that is spent. Our UAE residence visa cost guide breaks down the official fee categories.
Moving to Dubai from the UK with a golden visa
British citizens meet the same requirements as everyone else. You do not give up your passport or UK citizenship, and you can usually begin planning from the UK, though biometrics, medical and Emirates ID need you in the UAE.
The more important point is tax. The Golden Visa is UAE residency, not UK tax non-residency. HMRC decides your status under the Statutory Residence Test, which looks at days and ties, not visas. Someone with a golden visa who keeps a family home and spends 100 days a year in the UK can still be UK resident. The visa helps as evidence of a genuine UAE base, nothing more. Our guide on whether a Golden Visa makes your income tax-free goes through this myth, and the UK tax residency checker gives you a first read on your own position.
One practical upside: the Golden Visa is not cancelled by long absences, unlike the standard six-month rule. That suits people who keep a foot in both countries.
Which golden visa route fits a UK mover?
In our experience, most UK movers end up on one of two routes. If you are buying a home in Dubai anyway, the property route is natural. If you are moving a business or starting one, the investor and entrepreneur route usually fits better and avoids tying capital up in property you did not otherwise want.
The requirements are public, but the combination is personal: your route, your company structure, your property plans and your UK tax exit all affect each other. If you would like a clear read on which route suits you and what it would take, our Golden Visa service is the place to start.
Questions people ask
What are the golden visa Dubai requirements?
It depends on the category. Property owners and investors must hold a qualifying asset, entrepreneurs need an approved project or incubator endorsement, skilled professionals need a degree, a priority occupation and a qualifying monthly salary, and talent applicants need endorsement from the relevant authority. Every applicant also needs a clean record, a valid passport, medical screening and Emirates ID registration.
What salary do I need for the Dubai golden visa?
Only the skilled professional route has a salary test, and it has been published at AED 30,000 a month. Check whether your contract's basic salary or total package is assessed, because the two are not always treated the same. Property, investor and talent routes have no salary requirement.
How much does the Dubai golden visa cost?
The cost depends far more on the route than on the visa itself. Property and investor routes need the qualifying capital, which dwarfs any government fee, while skilled professional and talent routes cost little beyond official fees, medical, Emirates ID and insurance. Each dependant adds to the total. For the fee breakdown, see our guide to what a UAE residence visa costs.
Can a UK citizen get the Dubai golden visa?
Yes. Nationality does not change the requirements, and holding a British passport does not stop you applying. You do not give up UK citizenship. What changes for UK citizens is the tax side: the golden visa does not end UK tax residency, which is decided by the Statutory Residence Test.
Do I have to live in Dubai full-time to keep the Golden Visa?
No. A standard UAE residence visa can be cancelled after more than six months continuously outside the country, but the Golden Visa is not subject to that rule. It suits people who split time between the UAE and the UK. Staying in the UK for long stretches will still affect your UK tax residency.
Can I get a Golden Visa without a job offer or employer in the UAE?
Yes, for most routes. The property, investor and entrepreneur categories are self-sponsored and need no UAE employer. Only the skilled professional route requires an employment contract.
Can I sponsor my family on a Golden Visa?
Yes. Holders can sponsor a spouse, children (with no upper age cap under the published rules) and household staff. Family can usually stay on their visas after the main holder's death until those visas expire, which standard residence visas do not offer.