The Dubai Golden Visa, explained
How the property routes work, and what to confirm.
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The short answer
The UAE Golden Visa is a long-term renewable residency, and one of the routes to it is property investment above a threshold set by the authorities. Holders can generally sponsor a spouse and children. The thresholds, the conditions attached to mortgaged and off-plan properties, and the documentation all change, so the practical answer is to have a licensed immigration adviser confirm your position in writing before you buy on the strength of it.
Ask Noor to explain this simplyWhat it is
The Golden Visa is a long-term residency permit, renewable, that does not require an employer sponsor. That last part is what makes it valuable: conventional UAE residency is tied to employment, and ends when the employment does.
There are several routes to one, for investors, entrepreneurs, specialised talent, and property owners among them. This guide covers the property route, because that is the one we can actually help with.
The property route in principle
The property route turns on the value of what you own in Dubai, at or above a threshold set by the UAE authorities. Above that, the residency runs for a long term and is renewable while the qualifying conditions hold.
Several things commonly affect an application beyond the headline value: whether the property is mortgaged, whether it is completed or off-plan, and whether the value is met by one property or several. Each of these is exactly the sort of detail that changes, and exactly the sort you want confirmed before you commit to a purchase.
- Value is assessed on what you own, not what you have agreed to pay.
- Mortgaged purchases can carry additional conditions.
- Off-plan timing depends on completion and registration.
- Renewal depends on continuing to hold the qualifying property.
Family sponsorship
A holder can generally sponsor immediate family (a spouse and children) and in some circumstances domestic staff. The conditions attached to children in particular, around age and dependency, are the ones most often assumed rather than checked.
If the residency is the point of the purchase for your family, establish what each member's position will be before you choose the property, not after.
What DLX does and does not do
We advise on the property: what to buy with a residency objective in mind, how the purchase should be structured and documented, and making sure the Dubai Land Department paperwork supports rather than delays an application.
We do not process visa applications and we will not tell you whether you qualify. We work alongside licensed immigration specialists and will introduce you. Anyone willing to guarantee you a visa from a property listing is not someone to take advice from.
Accurate as of August 2026. Visa, tax and legal rules change, and how they apply depends on your circumstances. Treat this as orientation, not advice, verify anything you intend to act on with the relevant UAE authority or a licensed adviser. We will introduce you to one.
Asked and answered
How much property do I need to own?
There is a threshold set by the UAE authorities, and it has changed more than once. Rather than quote a figure that may be out of date by the time you read this, we would point you to a licensed adviser who will confirm the current requirement in writing for your circumstances, and our eligibility checker will show you where a given purchase sits against commonly cited thresholds in the meantime.
Can I get one on an off-plan property?
Off-plan purchases are treated differently, and timing matters. What has to be completed and registered before an application can proceed is the key question. Ask your adviser this before you reserve a unit, not after.
What happens if I sell the property?
The residency is tied to continuing to meet the qualifying conditions, so selling has consequences for it. If you are considering an exit, take advice on the visa position at the same time as the sale, not afterwards.
Ask the specific version of this question.
A guide describes how something works in general. Your answer depends on the property, the building and your circumstances, which is a conversation, not an article.
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