Dubai Golden Visa Through Property: How the AED 2 Million Route Works

Dubai grants a ten-year UAE Golden Visa to an investor who owns property valued at AED 2 million or more, roughly US$545,000. The value can sit in one property or be spread across several, off-plan homes from approved developers, and a mortgaged property qualifies when the lending bank issues a no-objection certificate. The visa is renewable, covers a spouse, children and parents, and does not require the holder to live in the UAE.

At a glance

• Threshold: property valued at AED 2 million or more, single or combined, measured on the Dubai Land Department valuation.
• Off-plan property from approved developers qualifies; mortgaged property qualifies with a bank no-objection certificate.
• Ten-year residence, renewable while the property is held.
• Family: spouse, children and parents can be sponsored.
• No minimum stay, no personal income tax, and no path to UAE citizenship.

What property qualifies?

The test is the value of freehold property the investor owns in Dubai, assessed by the Dubai Land Department rather than the price on the sales contract. A buyer can reach AED 2 million with one apartment or with several units, and co-owners can qualify where each share meets the rules for joint ownership. Ready and off-plan property both count, provided an off-plan purchase is with an approved developer and registered with the Land Department.

Mortgaged property is eligible. The bank that holds the mortgage issues a no-objection certificate confirming that the property can be used for the visa. The visa runs on ownership, so the investor needs to hold the property for as long as they want to hold the visa.

Who can the investor sponsor?

A Golden Visa holder can sponsor a spouse, children and parents for residence of the same length. Domestic staff can also be sponsored. Unlike ordinary UAE residence visas, which lapse after a long absence, the Golden Visa remains valid however long the holder is outside the country, which is why it is used both by families who live in Dubai and by those who want a base they visit.

What does the application involve?

The application is made after the property is registered in the investor’s name. The main steps are: obtaining the title deed or, for off-plan property, the registration certificate; requesting the Land Department valuation; obtaining a bank no-objection certificate where there is a mortgage; applying through the residency authority; and completing a medical test and biometrics in the UAE. A well-prepared file typically moves from property registration to visa in a matter of weeks.

What does the Golden Visa not do?

It does not lead to citizenship. The UAE grants nationality only by nomination through the Rulers’ Courts and the Cabinet, and there is no application route. It is also not a tax residence certificate by itself: residence for tax follows the UAE’s own tests and the rules of the country the investor is leaving. And reports in 2025 of a lifetime Golden Visa for AED 100,000 were publicly rejected by the residency authority as having no legal basis.

Who chooses the Dubai route?

Three groups dominate. Business owners and executives moving to the Gulf use it as the simplest long-term residence available. Families in South Asia, Africa and the Middle East use it as a secure base with schools, healthcare and flight connections. And investors who already hold a second passport use it as a tax-efficient home that complements a citizenship elsewhere. For those who also need a second nationality, Passport Legacy often pairs the Golden Visa with a Caribbean or European program.

Frequently asked questions

Can I get a UAE Golden Visa with a mortgage?

Yes. A mortgaged property qualifies when it is valued at AED 2 million or more and the lending bank issues a no-objection certificate.

Does off-plan property qualify for the Golden Visa?

Yes, when it is bought from an approved developer and registered with the Dubai Land Department at a value of AED 2 million or more.

Do I have to live in Dubai to keep the Golden Visa?

No. The Golden Visa stays valid regardless of time spent outside the UAE, as long as the qualifying property is held.

Passport Legacy advises on UAE residence alongside citizenship and residence programs in Europe, the Caribbean and Latin America. To check a property against the Golden Visa criteria, contact the team.