Golden Visa through property: the AED 2M rule

The property Golden Visa is the main reason a large share of overseas buyers choose Dubai over other markets, and it is also the subject of more confident misinformation than any other topic we deal with. This guide separates what is settled from what is not. The threshold, the term and the family rules have been stable since 2022. The treatment of off-plan property changed in February 2026, and because the sources we have seen describe the change differently, we tell you what to confirm rather than guess. If you are buying with the visa as the goal, read the "verify before you buy" section twice.

What is settled

The threshold: AED 2 million

A property, or property, with a registered value of AED 2 million or more qualifies the owner to apply for a 10-year Golden Visa. The threshold was set at AED 2 million in the 2022 reforms and has not changed since. Before 2022 the property route had a higher threshold and a shorter visa, which is why some older articles quote AED 5 million or a five-year term.

The value that counts is the value on the DLD record: the purchase price on the title deed for a completed property, or on the Oqood registration for an off-plan unit. A valuation, a developer's "expected value" or a renovated market value does not substitute.

The term: 10 years, renewable

The visa is valid for ten years and renews for as long as the qualifying property remains in your name. It is not citizenship and it is not permanent residency; it is a long-term residence permit tied to an asset. Sell the asset and the basis of the visa goes with it.

Residence is not required

An ordinary UAE residence visa lapses if the holder stays outside the country for more than six months. The Golden Visa does not. For an investor who lives elsewhere and visits, this is the practical reason the visa is worth having: a UAE residence, an Emirates ID, the ability to open bank accounts and hold a driving licence, and no obligation to be present.

Family

A Golden Visa holder can sponsor a spouse and children regardless of their age, and in many cases parents, on visas linked to the holder's. Domestic staff can also be sponsored. Each person carries their own application fees and medical and Emirates ID costs.

Property through a company

Where the property is held through a company, the shareholding and the company's ownership of the property need to be documented; the rules for corporate ownership of property in designated areas apply. Our company setup guide covers the structure. If the visa is the goal, hold the property personally unless you have specific advice to do otherwise.

What changed in February 2026, and why we will not state it as fact

Under the 2022 rules, off-plan property from approved developers could qualify, subject to conditions on the amount paid, and mortgaged property could qualify subject to a bank letter and a minimum paid share. In February 2026 the authorities changed the rules for off-plan eligibility.

We have read several accounts of the change, from Gulf News and from advisory firms, and they do not agree on the detail: on whether off-plan property still qualifies at all before completion, on what minimum share of the price must be paid, on whether a developer must be on an approved list, and on how property purchased before the change is treated. Some of the differences may be timing (rules announced and rules applied are different things) and some may be that different authorities apply the rule differently.

We would rather tell you that than pick the version that sells the most property. The practical consequences:

• If you are buying a completed property worth AED 2 million or more, the route is unchanged and straightforward.
• If you are buying off-plan with the visa as the goal, the current off-plan rule must be confirmed in writing with the DLD's Golden Visa service or the GDRFA before you sign, including the paid-up share required and when you may apply.
• If you bought off-plan before February 2026 and have not yet applied, confirm which rule applies to you.

We will update this guide when an authoritative, consistent statement of the rule is available, and the date at the top will change when we do.

How the application works

The property route is handled through the Dubai Land Department, which has a dedicated Golden Visa service for property investors. In outline:

1. Confirm eligibility with the DLD service, with your title deed or Oqood registration and, where relevant, your mortgage documents.
2. Submit the application with your passport, a photograph, the title deed or registration, proof of the property's value (the DLD record), and health insurance. Mortgaged property requires the bank's letter.
3. Medical test and biometrics in the UAE for the Emirates ID.
4. Visa issuance, after which family applications can follow.

Processing times and fees change; the DLD service quotes both. Budget several thousand dirhams for the main applicant including the medical and Emirates ID, and more per family member. Where you cannot be in the UAE for the whole process, parts of it can be handled under a power of attorney, but the medical and biometrics require you in person.

Points that trip buyers up

• The value is the DLD value. A unit bought at AED 1.9 million does not qualify because a valuer says it is now worth AED 2.1 million.
• Joint ownership. Where a property is held jointly, the share rules matter. Spouses holding a AED 2 million property together have generally been accepted; two unrelated investors holding 50% each of a AED 2 million property have not, because each holds AED 1 million. Confirm your structure before you buy.
• Mortgages. A mortgaged property has qualified under conditions since 2022; the conditions have changed before and may again. Get the current requirement from the DLD service in writing.
• Selling. The visa depends on the holding. Plan the exit: a buyer who intends to sell within the ten years needs another qualifying asset or another visa route.
• Off-plan timing. Even where off-plan qualifies, there may be a minimum paid-up share and a waiting period before you can apply. The visa may arrive years after the purchase.
• The visa is not a tax status. Residency in the UAE for immigration purposes is separate from tax residency, which has its own criteria. Take advice in your home country before assuming the visa changes your tax position.

Verify before you buy

If the visa is the reason for the purchase, settle these in writing before you commit:

1. Does the property, as it will be registered, meet AED 2 million on the DLD record?
2. If off-plan, does it qualify under the rule in force today, at what paid-up share, and when can the application be made?
3. If mortgaged, what does the bank need to provide and what share must be paid?
4. If jointly owned, how is the value attributed between the owners?
5. What are the current fees and processing time for the main applicant and each family member?

The DLD's Golden Visa service answers these for property investors. We will help you frame the questions and we will tell you if the answer we get does not support the purchase. What we will not do is tell you a rule we cannot confirm.

Related guides

• Off-plan vs ready: the visa is one of several reasons the choice matters.
• Every fee when buying off-plan: the costs on top of the AED 2 million.
• How to verify a project: the checks that come before any purchase, visa or not.