The Dubai investor visa is a residence permit issued by UAE authorities to foreign nationals who invest in property or set up a business in Dubai. It runs for 2 years under the standard property or business route, or up to 10 years under the Golden Visa for larger investments. Holders can live in the UAE, open bank accounts, and sponsor family members without needing an employer sponsor.
Key Takeaways
- As of April 2026, sole property owners in Dubai can apply for the 2 year investor visa with no minimum property value, while joint owners must each hold a share worth at least AED 400,000.
- The official 2 year investor visa fee from Dubai Land Department is AED 10,212.50, before family sponsorship costs.
- Beyond property, investors can also qualify through company formation in a Free Zone or Mainland, with residency visa support typically bundled into the setup package.
A lot of investor visa guides online still quote outdated figures, including the AED 750,000 property threshold that was removed in April 2026. This guide is built from Dubai Land Department’s official service page, last updated 3 June 2026, so you are working from current numbers rather than recycled blog content.
What Is the Dubai Investor Visa and What Types Exist?
The Dubai investor visa is not a single product. The government runs several distinct schemes, separated by investment type and validity period.
| Visa Type | Investment Route | Validity | Threshold |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investor Residence (Taskeen) | Property | 2 years, renewable | None for sole owners; AED 400,000 per owner for joint ownership |
| Investor / Partner Visa | Company formation or shareholding | Typically 2 years, tied to the trade license | No federal minimum capital; depends on license type and the Free Zone or Mainland authority |
| Property Golden Visa | Property | 10 years, renewable | AED 2,000,000 |
| Bank Deposit Golden Visa | Bank deposit or sukuk | 10 years, renewable | AED 2,000,000, frozen for at least 2 years |
Most coverage focuses on the property route since its rules just changed. For foreign investors who are not ready to put several million dirhams into Dubai real estate, the company formation route is usually the more realistic entry point, and it gets surprisingly little attention in most property-focused guides.
Who Is Eligible for an Investor Visa in Dubai?
Eligibility for the Dubai investor visa depends on the type of investment, not on nationality or profession. Per Dubai Land Department’s published service terms, the property route has two categories:
- Sole ownership: the owner may apply for the related license and residency visa regardless of property value, as long as the property is completed and registered under the applicant’s name.
- Joint ownership: each co-owner must hold a share worth at least AED 400,000 to apply individually.
For the business route, anyone holding at least one share in a licensed UAE company, whether Free Zone or Mainland, generally qualifies for an Investor or Partner Visa. There is no minimum age beyond standard legal capacity, and nationality does not restrict ownership rights since the UAE has allowed 100 percent foreign ownership in both Free Zone and Mainland companies since the 2021 commercial companies law reform.
How Much Do I Need to Invest in Dubai to Get a Visa?
The minimum investment varies sharply by route, and this is where most confusion comes from since many sites still display figures that are no longer current.
- Property, sole owner: no minimum since April 2026, down from the previous AED 750,000 threshold.
- Property, joint owner: at least AED 400,000 per owner.
- Property Golden Visa: at least AED 2,000,000, which can be combined across multiple properties.
- Bank deposit for Golden Visa: at least AED 2,000,000, frozen for a minimum of 2 years.
- Company formation: no federally mandated minimum capital for a standard Investor or Partner Visa, though real-world setup costs through a service provider typically start around USD 8,000 for a Free Zone structure that already includes a 2 year residency visa.
The removal of the minimum property value for sole owners is a fairly recent change. If you come across a property listing or agent still quoting AED 750,000 as a hard requirement, that information has likely not been updated.
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How Much Is a 2 Year Investor Visa in Dubai?
The cost of a 2 year Dubai investor visa is not one flat figure. It is the sum of several official line items charged by Dubai Land Department. Based on DLD’s official service page as of June 2026, the total fee for the main applicant is AED 10,212.50.
Family sponsorship is billed separately per member:
| Family Member | 2 Year Residency Fee |
|---|---|
| Wife | AED 7,382.25 |
| Husband | AED 7,382.25 |
| Child under 18 | AED 6,482.25 |
| Daughter over 18 | AED 7,182.25 |
| Son over 18 (1 year only) | AED 7,182.25 |
For the 10 year property Golden Visa, the total fee for the main applicant runs around AED 9,884.75 according to Dubai Land Department data, covering the medical exam, Emirates ID, residency confirmation, DLD fees, and administrative charges. These figures are subject to change, so confirm the current amount with an official service center before paying anything.
For the company formation route, the investor visa cost is usually bundled into the overall setup package rather than billed separately by DLD. That is part of why many first-time investors prefer the business route over property: one payment covers the entity, a registered office, and the visa process together.
How Do I Apply for a Dubai Investor Visa Through Property?
Property-based applications run through Dubai Land Department’s Taskeen platform, following four official steps.
- The applicant visits a service center in person, since DLD requires physical attendance and does not accept representatives.
- The applicant submits required documents, including a passport, an electronic copy of the title deed, a photograph, and a good conduct certificate addressed to Dubai Land Department, then pays the service fee.
- The applicant completes a medical examination at the same center.
- The residence permit is emailed to the applicant once processing is complete.
The full process takes about 7 to 10 business days according to DLD. Supporting documents such as marriage or birth certificates can be uploaded in advance through the DLD Document Vault to avoid delays at the service center.
How Can I Get a Dubai Investor Visa Through Company Formation?
This route gets overlooked because most real estate-focused content only talks about buying property. In practice, registering a company in Dubai, whether in a Free Zone or on the Mainland, also leads to a residency visa, without needing several million dirhams in real estate.
The process generally runs in five stages: choosing the business activity and jurisdiction, registering the business name and core documents, submitting to the relevant Free Zone authority or the Department of Economic Development for Mainland setups, processing the residency visa along with Emirates ID and medical check, and finally opening a corporate bank account. Company setup itself usually takes about 7 business days, bank verification adds another 3 to 5 days, and visa processing adds a further 7 to 10 business days.
The choice between Free Zone and Mainland affects both cost and how freely you can trade. A Free Zone company suits businesses serving international clients from Dubai without needing to trade directly inside the UAE market, at a lower setup cost. A Mainland company allows free trading across the entire UAE, including bidding on government contracts, but comes with higher operating costs.
Notes from vOffice Consultants
From experience supporting clients across Southeast Asia, the most common mistake is defaulting to a Mainland license because it sounds more prestigious, when the real need is just invoicing overseas clients and a UAE bank account. For that profile, Free Zone is usually enough, and it saves a meaningful amount on both setup and annual operating costs.
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Can I Work in Dubai With an Investor Visa?
Investor visa holders can generally live in the UAE and run their own business under the entity tied to their visa. If you want to take paid work for a different company, separate from the entity that anchors your investor visa, you still need a distinct work permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation. Holding an investor status does not automatically grant you the same standing as a fully permitted employee elsewhere.
In practice, most people who hold an investor visa through company formation are working in their own business, so this rarely becomes an issue. If your plans involve also taking a role at a separate company, confirm the requirements with MOHRE or a local PRO consultant first to stay compliant with UAE labor rules.
Can Investors Get UAE Citizenship?
An investor visa, including the Golden Visa, does not provide an automatic path to UAE citizenship. It grants long-term residency status, not a UAE passport. The UAE did introduce a 2021 amendment allowing citizenship to be granted to selected investors, professionals, and specialized talents, but this works through nomination by UAE authorities rather than an open application track that a standard investor visa holder can request.
If citizenship is your primary goal for investing in Dubai, do not treat the investor visa or Golden Visa as a guaranteed step toward it. Think of it as long-term residency with strong practical benefits, not a shortcut to a UAE passport.
How Much Bank Balance Is Needed for a Dubai Visa?
The bank balance requirement depends entirely on which route you take, and not every route requires a specific balance at all.
- Standard 2 year property investor visa: no specific bank balance requirement beyond funds to cover DLD service fees.
- Golden Visa via bank deposit: at least AED 2,000,000 frozen in a local UAE bank for a minimum of 2 years.
- Savings-based retiree visa, sometimes confused with the investor visa: one option requires a fixed deposit of at least AED 1,000,000 held for 3 years.
- Company formation: no regulator-mandated minimum bank balance to register a company, although UAE banks will assess the applicant’s financial profile during corporate account opening.
What Are the Risks of Getting a Dubai Investor Visa Application Wrong?
The most common mistakes happen at two points: miscalculating joint ownership shares, and letting supporting documents expire. If your joint ownership share falls below AED 400,000, the application gets rejected even if the total property value is well above that figure. The same happens when a good conduct certificate or medical result has expired by the time final verification takes place.
For the company route, the more frequent risk is picking the wrong jurisdiction from the start. Choosing Mainland when a Free Zone would have been sufficient means carrying higher annual costs without a matching benefit. Going the other way, choosing Free Zone when you actually plan to sell directly to UAE consumers, can force you to re-register the entity later on.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can a Dubai investor visa be renewed?
Yes, as long as the holder still meets the property ownership or business license conditions that the visa was based on. Renewal generally follows the same procedure and fee structure as a new application.
Does the investor visa cover a spouse and children?
Yes. Holders of both the property and business investor visa can sponsor a spouse and children, with family residency fees calculated separately per member according to Dubai Land Department’s official fee schedule.
Can an off-plan property qualify for the 2 year investor visa?
For the standard 2 year investor visa, the property generally needs to be completed with an official title deed. Off-plan properties with an Oqood certificate are typically only considered toward the 10 year Golden Visa, assessed case by case by DLD.
How long does corporate bank verification take in Dubai?
Once a company is registered, corporate bank verification usually takes an additional 3 to 5 business days, depending on document completeness and the bank’s internal policy.
Do I need a visit visa before applying for a Dubai investor visa?
Not always, but the applicant must be physically present in the UAE during the application process, since both DLD and company registration authorities require in-person attendance for document verification and the medical examination.
References
1. Dubai Land Department. (2026). Investor Residence Application (Taskeen). Retrieved from
https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/request-for-investor-visa/
2. Dubai Land Department. (2026). Golden Visa Application, Investor. Retrieved from
https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/request-for-golden-visa-investor/
3. General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai. (2026). Issuing a Golden Residence Permit (Investors). Retrieved from
https://www.gdrfad.gov.ae/en/services/8ea80da4-f43e-11eb-0320-0050569629e8
