ICP
The ICP is the UAE federal authority that issues Emirates ID cards nationwide and handles residence visas for every emirate except Dubai.
What ICP means for a buyer
The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), previously known as the ICA, is the national body for identity and immigration. It has two roles that matter to a property buyer.
First, it issues the Emirates ID, the identity card every UAE resident holds, including residents of Dubai. Once you have any residence visa, the Emirates ID is what you will use to open bank accounts, register utilities and log in to government apps through UAE PASS.
Second, it processes residence visas for Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah. If you seek residency on the basis of property in Abu Dhabi or Ras Al Khaimah, including a Golden Visa, the application runs through the ICP and its online services. Dubai is the exception: visas there are issued by GDRFA.
The Golden Visa framework is federal, so the AED 2 million property threshold applies across the country, but the supporting steps differ by emirate. In Dubai the Dubai Land Department verifies the property; in Abu Dhabi the relevant records sit with ADREC.
A practical point: the ICP's website and app let you check the status and validity of a visa or Emirates ID. An Emirates ID is not required to buy property. Non-residents purchase with a passport.
Related terms
Guides that use this term
Where ICP comes up in practice, with the costs, rules and steps around it.
Questions about the buying process?
An adviser can explain how this applies to the property you're considering.
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