UAE

The UAE Golden Visa provides renewable long-term residence through investment, business, professional or talent categories, with no minimum stay to maintain the permit.

Mobility score

9/10

workbook layer

Visa-free

183

destinations

Passport tier

Strong (150-184)

Programme detail from the September 2026 data release

Last updated: September 2026Source-backed programme data77 source referencesData confidence

Minimum investment

From AED 2,000,000 (approximately USD 545,000) for the main real-estate, deposit and fund routes

Investment type

Real estate, fixed deposit, approved investment fund, qualifying business, entrepreneur project, skilled professional/salary route, specialised talent nomination

Timeline

Typically 2-3 weeks from a complete application file

Physical presence

Not required - no minimum stay to maintain the permit

Best for

International investors, business owners and qualifying professionals seeking a renewable UAE base with no permit-maintenance stay requirement and access to the UAE's personal-tax environment.

Key benefits

No minimum-stay requirement: unlike standard UAE residence visas, which typically lapse after 6 months of continuous absence, the Golden Visa can be maintained without any minimum time spent physically in the UAE
Self-sponsored, no employer or local sponsor required
Feb 2026: mortgaged and off-plan property now qualify without a 50%/AED 1M upfront-payment requirement - eligibility is based on certified DLD valuation reaching AED 2M
Multiple properties can be combined to reach the AED 2M threshold
UAE passport now ranks joint #2 globally (188 visa-free destinations, July 2026 )

Limitations / notes

The AED 750,000 property route is a separate renewable 2-year investor visa, not the 10-year Golden Visa
Qualifying investments must be maintained for the applicable holding period, even though the permit itself has no minimum-stay rule
Tax residency and eligibility for a UAE Tax Residency Certificate require separate factual tests
Persistent confusion with the separate 2-year property investor visa — multiple 2026 headlines conflate the two
No citizenship or passport pathway

Passport strength

Mobility score

9/10

Visa-free

183 destinations

Tier

Strong (150-184)

Schengen access; UK: Yes; USA: Visa required; 183 visa-free destinations

UAE

Lawful residence

UAE Golden Visa

Programme detail from the September 2026 data release

Key benefits

Limitations / notes

Country verification