UAE Golden Visa: All the ways to obtain a 10-year residency permit as an investor

The Golden Visa is available to investors who meet specific criteria based on their chosen investment category.

There are four investor categories for obtaining a Golden Visa by investment. These are:

1. Investor/Partner
2. Deposit Investor
3. Real Estate Investor
4. Tax Collection Investor

Documents required

Here are the documents required for each category, as per information on the GDRFA website:

1. Investor/Partner

1. A copy of the passport.
2. The trade license with the partners appendix.
3. The financial report of the establishment or a number of establishments for the last year.
4. A certificate from the free zone that includes all the investor’s financial data.
5. A bank statement of the establishment for the last (6) six months.
6. The registration document from the Federal Tax Authority, and that the company’s transactions are not less than 100,000 annually.
7. Ownership of the property (if any).

2. Deposit Investor

1. A copy of the passport.
2. Bring proof of ownership of a financial deposit of not less than AED2,000,000 in a bank in the country. It may be in the form of investment bonds or sukuk.
3. Proof of residence in the Emirate of Dubai.

3. Real Estate Investor

1. A copy of the passport.
2. Ownership of one or more properties with a value not less than (2,000,000) two million dirhams.

4. Tax Collection Investor

1. A copy of the passport.
2. A letter from the Federal Tax Authority stating that he is a partner in one or several establishments and pays the tax to the government, and his contribution to the tax is not less than AED250,000 annually.
3. The trade license with the partners appendix.

How to apply for a Golden Visa as an investor

There are three channels in which one can apply for a Golden Visa as an investor. These include:

Digital channels (website/smart application) – Available 24/7

1. Log in to the smart services system through (UAE Pass or username)
2. Search for the service to be applied for
3. Fill in the application data, where applicable
4. Pay the service fee (if any)

Customer Happiness Centre

1. Visit the nearest Customer Happiness Centre
2. Get the automated turn ticket and wait
3. Submitting the application that fulfills all conditions and documents (if any) to the customer service employee
4. Pay the service fee (if any)

Amer Service Centre:

1. Visit the nearest Amer Service Centre
2. Get the automated turn ticket and wait
3. Submitting the application that fulfills all conditions and documents (if any) to the customer service employee
4. Pay the service fee (if any)

Fees

It is worth noting that the issuance fee increases by AED100 annually whenever the residency is over two years.

Terms and Conditions

For an Investment Fund Investor, a Golden Visa for 10 years can be obtained without a sponsor if one of the following conditions is met:

1. A letter from a UAE-accredited investment fund confirming a deposit of AED2 million.
2. Submission of a valid commercial or industrial license along with the investor’s company memorandum, provided the investor’s capital is at least AED2 million.
3. A letter from the Federal Tax Authority (FTA) stating that the investor owns a company that pays the government at least AED 250,000 annually.
4. Only commercial or industrial licenses are accepted; other types of licenses are not approved.
5. If the license is from a free zone or special development zone, a ‘To Whom It May Concern Certificate’ from the relevant authorities is required.
6. The investor’s family members (spouse and unmarried children) are eligible for a 10-year Golden Visa.

For senior employees of Public Investments, the appointed executive director or advisor of an investor in public investments can obtain a Golden Visa for 10 years without a sponsor, limited to one person, based on the following conditions:

1. A letter from the investor in public investments confirming the appointment of the executive director or advisor for a 10-year period.
2. The family members of the senior employee (spouse and unmarried children) are eligible for a 10-year Golden Visa.

A real estate investor, be it a property owner or group of properties owner, can obtain a Golden Visa for five years, renewable under the same conditions and without a sponsor, if one of the following conditions is met:

1. A letter from the Real Estate Registration Department in Dubai stating that the investor owns one or more properties valued at a minimum of AED2 million, without any outstanding loans.
2. The value of the real estate investments can exceed AED2 million, if financed through a loan.
3. The family members of the real estate investor (spouse and unmarried children) are eligible for a 5-year Golden Visa.

Once an application has been submitted, it takes a minimum of 48 hours for completion.