Dubai Golden Visa through property: a step by step guide

This guide is for people who own a home in Dubai, or plan to buy one, and want to know whether it may qualify them for a 10-year residence permit. It covers the conditions, the documents, the fees and the steps, all taken from the Dubai Land Department (DLD) service page.

DLD handles the property side of the application in Dubai. The figures below are the ones on its page when we checked in October 2026. The authorities set the rules and can change them, so treat every fee as indicative.

Owning property is not a promise of a visa. Meeting the conditions means you may qualify, and the decision rests with the authorities.

What is the Golden Visa for property owners?

The Golden Visa is a long-term UAE residence permit. The federal government portal u.ae describes it as renewable and valid for 5 or 10 years. DLD's Dubai service for property investors issues a 10-year permit.

According to u.ae, holders do not need a sponsor and can stay outside the UAE for longer than the usual six months. They can also sponsor family members. DLD's page says the property investor can sponsor a spouse, children and parents.

The permit DLD issues is a 10-year residency permit with the owner as sponsor, and the page describes it as renewable. This guide covers only the property route in Dubai. Other Golden Visa categories are listed on u.ae, each with its own conditions.

Who may qualify: the DLD conditions

Property value

AED 2 million or more at the time of purchase

Ownership

Wholly owned by the applicant, in one property or several

Mortgage

Allowed, with a bank no-objection letter showing the amount paid and the balance

Location

The applicant must be inside the UAE

Attendance

The applicant attends in person; no companions and no representative

How is the AED 2 million counted?

DLD looks at the value at the time of purchase. A rise in market value after you bought does not appear in the condition as written on the page.

The total can come from one property or from several. Each property counted must be wholly owned by the applicant.

If you bought several homes at different times, add up the purchase values of the ones wholly in your name. Keep the sale contract and title deed for each one, since the title deed is one of the listed documents.

Worked example: three owners

These examples apply the value and ownership conditions exactly as DLD states them. They are not a decision on any real case.

Owner A: two flats bought for AED 1.2M and AED 0.9M, both in her sole name

AED 2.1M in total at purchase: meets the value condition

Owner B: one villa bought for AED 1.8M, now valued higher

AED 1.8M at purchase: below the AED 2M condition

Owner C: one flat bought for AED 2.4M, owned 50/50 with a partner

Not wholly owned: the page does not cover this case, so ask before you apply

Can I apply if my home has a mortgage?

Yes, DLD's page allows a mortgaged property. You need a no-objection letter from the bank that shows the amount paid and the remaining balance.

The page does not say how much of the loan must already be paid. Ask your bank for the letter early, and check your figures with us before you book an appointment.

The letter is part of your file, alongside the passport and title deed. If you change banks or refinance before you apply, ask the new bank for its own letter.

What about off-plan and jointly owned homes?

DLD's page asks for a title deed or an e-certificate of title, and for property wholly owned by the applicant. It does not mention off-plan homes or joint ownership.

Because the page is silent on these cases, we do not give a rule for them here. If you are buying off-plan or with someone else and the visa matters to you, check your case with us before you sign.

Once a home is handed over and the title deed is issued in your sole name, it can be checked against the same conditions as any other property. Until then, keep your plans flexible.

Which documents do I need?

DLD lists five items for the investor. The last two apply only if you already hold them.

DLD's page also says papers such as birth certificates, marriage certificates and bank letters can be uploaded to the Land Department's document vault. Prepare clear copies before your visit.

• Passport
• E-certificate of title or title deed
• A personal photo
• UAE ID, if you have one
• Current residence permit, if you have one
• With a mortgage: the bank no-objection letter showing the amount paid and the balance

How to apply, step by step

1. Step 1: Go to one of the service centres listed on DLD's page.
2. Step 2: Hand in the documents and pay the fees.
3. Step 3: Take the medical examination at the centre.
4. Step 4: Receive the residence permit by email.

DLD gives a service time of 7 to 10 business days. Fees can be paid by bank transfer, credit card or cash.

DLD lists its service centres for this request, including Al Manara Center and the Golden Cube, with Golden Visa services at Dubai World Trade Centre. It also lists approved real estate registration trustees that handle the service.

Opening hours and contact details differ by centre and are on the page. Check them before you go, since only the applicant may attend.

How much does it cost?

These are the investor fees on DLD's page when we checked in October 2026. They are indicative and can change.

Medical examination

AED 700

Emirates ID, 10 years

AED 1,153

Residence permit confirmation, 10 years

AED 2,856.75

DLD fees

AED 4,020

Administrative fees

AED 1,155

Total for the investor

AED 9,884.75

The total is the sum of the five lines: 700 + 1,153 + 2,856.75 + 4,020 + 1,155 = AED 9,884.75. Family members are charged separately, as the next section shows.

Can I sponsor my family?

DLD's page lets the investor sponsor a spouse, children and parents on 10-year permits. It lists AED 5,774.50 for a family permit, AED 5,774.50 for a parents permit, AED 318.75 to open the family sponsorship file and AED 100 for each sponsored person.

Each family member needs their own papers. These are the items DLD lists:

• Spouse: certified marriage contract, health insurance and an IBAN. If the mother is the sponsor, a notarised no-objection letter from the father.
• Children: certified birth certificates and health insurance, plus an undertaking that sons or daughters over 18 are unmarried.
• Parents: a certified dependency certificate from the consulate, a certified birth certificate and health insurance.

What to check before you buy with the visa in mind

• The price on your sale contract. DLD counts the value at the time of purchase, so a higher valuation later does not appear in the condition.
• Whose name is on the title. The condition asks for property wholly owned by the applicant.
• Whether you have a title deed or e-certificate of title yet. It is one of the listed documents.
• Your bank's process for the no-objection letter, if you buy with a mortgage.
• That you will be inside the UAE on the day you apply, and can attend yourself.
• The current fees and conditions on DLD's page, on the day you apply.

Common mistakes

The first is counting today's market value instead of the purchase price. The second is buying in two names and assuming the full value counts for one person.

Another is planning to send a relative or agent to apply. DLD's page says only the applicant attends, with no representative. A last one is leaving the bank letter until the week of the appointment.

Health insurance is listed for the spouse, the children and the parents. Arrange it before you apply for them, not at the counter.

Questions people ask

How Long Rainbow can help

We can check a property's purchase price, ownership and paperwork against DLD's conditions before you buy. We can also walk you through the documents for you and your family.

If you already own property, send us the purchase price and the names on the title. We will tell you which of DLD's conditions you meet on paper and which you do not yet meet.

Rules and fees change. Ask us on WhatsApp and we will check what applies to your case.