Golden Visa in Dubai for Expats
The Golden Visa provides French nationals with long-term residency in Dubai, allowing them to live, work, and invest in the UAE. This guide covers the eligibility, application process, and benefits of securing a Golden Visa.
- Types of Visas
Types of Residence Visas in Dubai
- What you need to know
Employment Visa
This visa is for individuals who have secured a job offer from a company registered in the UAE.
Requirements:
The employing company must sponsor the visa.
A valid employment contract must be signed.
The employee must pass a medical examination.
Procédure:
The employer submits the application to the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MOHRE).
A work permit is issued.
The employee undergoes a medical examination at an approved clinic.
Health insurance is required.
An Emirates ID application is submitted.
The visa is stamped into the passport.
Validity:
2 to 3 years (renewable)
- What you need to know
Investor or Business Owner Visa
Entrepreneurs and shareholders can obtain a visa by creating a company in Dubai.
Requirements:
Must own at least 25% of the company or be the company’s director.
The company must be active and compliant with regulations.
Procédure:
Company registration.
Obtaining a business license.
Issuance of an establishment card by immigration.
Medical exam, visa application, and Emirates ID.
Validity:
2 to 3 years (renewable)
- What you need to know
Property Investment Visa
This visa is available to property investors owning real estate worth at least 1 million AED (approximately €250,000).
Requirements:
The property must be fully paid (no mortgage).
The property must be located in an area where foreign ownership is allowed.
The 1 million AED threshold applies to a single property.
Procédure:
Purchase and registration of the property with the Dubai Land Department.
Visa application with the property title deed.
Medical exam and Emirates ID application.
Validity:
2 to 10 years depending on the property value.
- What you need to know
Retirement Visa
For individuals aged 55 and over who want to retire in Dubai.
Requirements:
Own a property worth at least 1 million AED.
Or have a monthly income of at least 20,000 AED (€5,000).
Or have at least 1 million AED in savings in a UAE bank account.
Validity:
5 years (renewable)
- What you need to know
Remote Work Visa
Allows you to live in Dubai while working remotely for a foreign company.
Requirements:
Proof of stable employment with a salary of at least €3,500 per month.
Health insurance covering the UAE.
Validity:
1 year (renewable)
- Process
General Procedure for Obtaining a Residence Visa in Dubai
1. Determine the Type of Visa
Each visa type has specific criteria and requirements.
2. Prepare the Required Documents
General documents include:
Valid passport (minimum 6 months).
Passport-sized photos.
Financial proof (for investment, retirement, and remote work visas).
Property title deed (for property visa).
Employment contract or business license (depending on the visa type).
3. Undergo Medical Examination
Blood test.
Tuberculosis screening.
4. Apply for Emirates ID
An Emirates ID is a mandatory identification card for all UAE residents.
5. Final Visa Approval
Once approved, the visa is stamped into your passport and activated.
Validity and Renewal of Resident Visas
1 to 3 years
Employment and investor visas.
5 years
Retirement visas and some investor visas.
10 years
“Golden Visa” for large-scale investors.
Advantages of a Residence Visa in Dubai
Tax Advantages
No personal income tax.
Family Sponsorship
Ability to sponsor family members (spouse, children, domestic staff).
Business Opportunities
Full access to business opportunities in Dubai’s dynamic market.
Questions We're Asked Most
Clear answers on structure, cost, and process — before you commit to anything.
What qualifies me for the Golden Visa?
Four main routes: property at certified value of at least AED 2 million; a UAE bank deposit of AED 2 million held for two years; employment at a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000 with an attested degree; or nomination as specialised talent. Entrepreneur and outstanding-student categories also exist.
Is the threshold AED 1 million or AED 2 million?
AED 2 million for the Golden Visa. AED 1 million is not a current threshold for any route. The two-year property investor visa previously used AED 750,000, and that minimum was removed in April 2026 — a change widely misreported as applying to the Golden Visa. It did not; the AED 2 million floor stands.
Does mortgaged or off-plan property qualify?
Yes. Both count provided certified value reaches AED 2 million and the lending bank or developer issues a No Objection Certificate.
Is the qualifying value the price I paid or the current value?
The Dubai Land Department works from the certified value on the title deed. A property bought below AED 2 million that has since appreciated past it does not qualify on market value alone.
How long is it valid and who can I sponsor?
Ten years, renewable, no employer sponsorship required. Holders can generally sponsor spouse and children for the same duration, and often domestic staff. Unlike standard residence visas, it isn’t invalidated by extended absence from the UAE
Does a Golden Visa end my tax residency at home?
No. UAE residence and home-country tax residency are separate questions. France, for example, applies its own criteria under Article 4B of the Code général des impôts — principal residence, principal professional activity, centre of economic interests — and a double tax treaty decides cases where both states claim you. The same logic applies to most European jurisdictions.
What should I settle before applying?
Departure formalities in your home country, any exit charge on unrealised gains, treatment of income and property that remains taxable there, social security position, and the evidence needed to show a genuine transfer of your centre of interests. All of this is easier before departure than after.