Dubai Immigration via Property Investment: 2026 Guide

Dubai residency comes in separate routes. Buying property, setting up a company and taking a job are three separate files, each with its own threshold, duration and issuing authority. For property, the issuing authority is the Dubai Land Department (DLD), and the figures on this page come from its own service pages.

Route	Main condition	Duration	Official fee (AED)
Property investor visa (Taskeen)	No minimum for a sole owner of a completed property; on a joint purchase each share at least 400,000	2 years, renewable	10,212.50
Golden Visa through property	Purchase value on the title deed of at least 2,000,000	10 years, renewable	9,884.75
Company residency	Active free zone or mainland licence	Usually 2 years	Depends on the free zone
Employment residency	Contract with a licensed employer	Usually 2 years	Paid by the employer

The difference that matters is what the residency is tied to. Property residency lasts as long as you own the property. Employment residency ends with the contract, and company residency depends on renewing the licence every year.

On 1 May 2026 the Dubai Land Department removed the old AED 750,000 floor from its Taskeen investor visa service. Many pages online still quote that old figure; the current rule is below.

• Sole owner: there is no minimum property value. The property must be completed and registered in your name with a title deed.
• Joint purchase: each co-owner's share must be at least AED 400,000. Two buyers of an AED 800,000 apartment would each meet it.
• Fee: AED 10,212.50 under the DLD fee schedule.
• Duration: 2 years, renewable for as long as you keep the property.

Off-plan rules differ between the two property routes, so confirm the property's status before you rely on it for the 2-year visa. If you are still choosing a property, our guide to buying property in Dubai lists prices by area.

The Golden Visa is a 10-year renewable residency issued without a sponsor. For property, the DLD sets one financial condition: a purchase value of at least AED 2,000,000.

• What counts: the purchase price registered on the title deed at the time of purchase.
• One or several properties: both are accepted. With several, the registered purchase values are added together.
• Off-plan: accepted when the developer is on the approved list and payments are recorded in the project's escrow account.
• Mortgaged property: accepted with a bank letter confirming the amount paid.

The mortgage point is where many files stall. A letter from the bank confirming the amount paid usually settles it.

The DLD publishes the Golden Visa fee item by item. For the main applicant it adds up as follows:

Item	AED
Medical examination	700
Emirates ID (10 years)	1,153
Residency permit confirmation	2,856.75
Dubai Land Department fee	4,020
Administrative fees	1,155
Total, Golden Visa	9,884.75
Total, 2-year investor visa	10,212.50

These are government fees only. The property purchase itself carries the 4% DLD transfer fee and registration costs, which our buying guide breaks down.

Family members are covered separately from the main applicant. According to the DLD's Golden Visa service page:

• 10-year residency for family members: AED 5,774.50.
• 10-year residency for parents: AED 5,774.50.
• Opening the family sponsorship file: AED 318.75, plus AED 100 for each sponsored person.
• Sons and daughters over 18 need an undertaking that they are unmarried.

A UAE residence card covers residency in the UAE. Travel to other countries follows each destination's own visa rules; some ease applications for UAE residents, and those rules change, so check each one separately.

1. Choose the route first. Decide between the 2-year visa and the Golden Visa before you choose the property, because the conditions differ for off-plan and joint ownership.
2. Buy and register. Sign the sale agreement and register the transfer at the DLD. Off-plan purchases are registered in the Oqood system; see what Oqood is.
3. Apply through the DLD. The investor visa (Taskeen) and the Golden Visa are both DLD services for Dubai property.
4. Medical test and Emirates ID. Complete the medical examination and the biometrics for your Emirates ID.
5. Add your family. Open the family file and apply for each dependant.

If you want us to check which route your budget and ownership structure qualify for, contact our team. AKT is RERA-licensed (ORN 15673).

Residency through a company depends on an active trade licence from a free zone or the mainland, and it has to be renewed with the licence. Employment residency is sponsored and paid for by the employer and ends with the contract.

Property residency lasts as long as you own the property, which makes it the most independent of the three routes.