---
title: "Golden Visa"
canonical: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/golden-visa
markdown: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/md/glossary/golden-visa.md
type: glossary-term
description: "The Golden Visa is a long-term, renewable UAE residence visa; property owners qualify by holding real estate worth at least AED 2 million."
publisher: "UAE Property Agents (Omnia)"
language: en-GB
usage: "You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting."
---

# Golden Visa

> The Golden Visa is a long-term, renewable UAE residence visa; property owners qualify by holding real estate worth at least AED 2 million.

Also known as: Golden Residence, 10-year visa, Long-term residence visa, الإقامة الذهبية.

## What Golden Visa means for a buyer

The Golden Visa is the UAE's long-term residence scheme. Among several routes, it is open to investors who own property valued at AED 2 million or more. In Dubai it is issued for ten years and can be renewed for as long as you keep the qualifying property.

Its advantages over an ordinary residence visa are that you need no employer or other sponsor, you can sponsor your spouse and children, and the visa does not lapse if you spend more than six months outside the UAE, which suits owners who live mainly abroad.

How the AED 2 million test is applied:

- The value is taken from the [title deed](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/title-deed) or, for off-plan, the registered contract. More than one property can usually be combined.
- Mortgaged and off-plan properties can qualify. The conditions on how much must have been paid, and the bank or developer letters required, have changed more than once, so check current requirements before buying for this purpose.
- Where a property is jointly owned, each applicant's share is assessed.

In Dubai, applications go through the [Dubai Land Department](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/dld) and [GDRFA](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/gdrfa); elsewhere through the [ICP](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/icp).

The visa is residency, not citizenship, and it is not tax residence. A UK buyer's tax position depends on the UK statutory residence test and on where they actually live. Below AED 2 million, Dubai offers the two-year [property investor visa](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/property-investor-visa). See the [Golden Visa guide](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/guides/uae-golden-visa-property).

## Related terms

- [Property investor visa](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/property-investor-visa): The property investor visa is a two-year renewable Dubai residence visa for owners of property in the emirate, issued by GDRFA through the Land Department.
- [GDRFA](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/gdrfa): GDRFA is Dubai's immigration authority, which issues and renews residence visas in the emirate, including those linked to owning property.
- [ICP](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/icp): The ICP is the UAE federal authority that issues Emirates ID cards nationwide and handles residence visas for every emirate except Dubai.
- [Title deed](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/title-deed): A title deed is the land registry's certificate of ownership for a completed property, issued by the Dubai Land Department or, in Abu Dhabi, through ADREC.
- [Family residence visa](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/family-visa): A family residence visa lets a UAE resident sponsor a spouse, children and in some cases parents; property investors can sponsor family on the Golden Visa or Dubai's 2-year investor visa.

## In depth

- [UAE Golden Visa by property investment: the AED 2 million rules, costs and process in 2026](https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/guides/uae-golden-visa-property)


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Source page: https://www.uaepropertyagents.com/glossary/golden-visa. Published by UAE Property Agents, Omnia Capital Group. You may read, quote, summarise and cite this content, including in AI answers, with attribution to UAE Property Agents and a link to the canonical URL. Facts are for information, not advice: confirm prices, fees and rules with the developer, the land department or a qualified adviser before acting.