Golden Visa Checker
Does your property qualify for UAE residency?
Property worth AED 2 million or more opens the 10-year Golden Visa, and since the 2026 rule changes both mortgaged and off-plan purchases can qualify. Below that, Dubai's 2-year investor visa is far more accessible than most buyers realise. Answer a few questions and get a plain-language read on where you stand.
The value the Dubai Land Department records, which for a purchase is normally the price on your contract. Multiple properties can be combined to reach the threshold.
Figures checked July 30, 2026. Results are estimates for orientation, not financial, legal or immigration advice. Fees and rules change and individual cases differ; verify current figures with the Dubai Land Department, your bank and your own advisors before committing.
Related tools and pages
The AED 2 million rule after the 2026 changes
The real estate route to the 10-year Golden Visa requires property with a DLD-assessed value of AED 2 million or more. A federal circular of 20 February 2026 retired the older interpretations that had required AED 1 million paid in cash or 50% equity on mortgaged property: today the payment structure does not matter, only the registered value. Values of multiple properties can be aggregated, and both husband and wife can qualify from one jointly held portfolio if each share meets the threshold.
Off-plan buyers are covered too: purchases from DLD-approved developers qualify, with a conditional visa available once AED 2 million has reached the project escrow account.
The 2-year investor visa nobody talks about
Below AED 2 million, Dubai's own investor residence (Taskeen, administered by the DLD) grants a renewable 2-year visa. The long-standing AED 750,000 minimum value was abolished in guidance published on 29 April 2026: a sole owner of any completed, titled residential property can now apply, while joint owners need AED 400,000 of value each. The practical catch: off-plan does not count until handover and title deed issuance.
What the visa does and does not give you
A Golden Visa is a residence permit: the right to live, bank and sponsor family in the UAE without an employer. It is not citizenship and not automatic tax residency; spending real time in the UAE and the 90 or 183 day rules decide the latter. For buyers structuring a move, the property purchase, the visa and tax residency are three separate projects that should be planned together.
Golden Visa: common questions
Does a mortgaged property qualify for the Golden Visa?+
Yes. Since the February 2026 circular the DLD value is what counts, regardless of how much of the loan is paid down. Your bank issues an NOC for the application file.
Can I combine two properties to reach AED 2 million?+
Yes, aggregation of DLD-assessed values across multiple properties is accepted for the property investor route.
Does off-plan property count?+
Yes, from a DLD-approved developer. A conditional Golden Visa is available once AED 2 million has been paid into the project escrow; below that, off-plan does not qualify for any investor visa until handover.
What happens if I sell the property?+
Selling the qualifying asset during the visa term risks cancellation or non-renewal unless you replace it with another qualifying property before the sale.
How long does the Golden Visa last and who can I sponsor?+
Ten years, renewable while you hold qualifying property. You can sponsor your spouse, children and domestic staff; there is no requirement to spend a minimum time in the UAE to keep it valid.