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Key points to remember The choice of residence visa depends on your profile. the 10-year Golden Visa is the preferred solution for a long-term move. Available from AED 2 million of property investment, this status offers total independence without sponsorship, securing access to the Emirates' banking infrastructure and advantageous tax system.
Are you wondering what is the safest way to obtain your Dubai residency visa and protect your assets in a changing regulatory environment? This guide looks at all the current solutions, from strategic property investment to corporate sponsorship, in order to transform this administrative process into a genuine growth driver. Access insider information that will help you avoid the classic pitfalls and take advantage of the Emirates' tax advantages with peace of mind.
Dubai structures its permits around specific profiles: investors, entrepreneurs, employees and talent. Each path imposes its own strict rules of the game. You need to target the right category from the outset.
The choice depends solely on your personal and professional project. The dubai residence visa is a technical tool, never an end in itself.
Long visas of 5 and 10 years are becoming very accessible. The emirate is changing its strategy to retain its residents over the long term. This is where the Golden Visa is the leading option. Let's look at why this stability changes everything.
Here is a summary table for immediate clarity. It summarises the current options to guide your decision. Here you'll find the solution that's right for your financial situation. It's the quickest way to compare.
| Type of visa | Period of validity | Main eligibility criterion | Ideal profile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Visa Real Estate | 10 years | Property purchase of at least AED 2 million | Long-term investor |
| Property Investor Visa | 2 years | Minimum property purchase of AED 750,000 | First-time investor |
| Entrepreneur Visa (company formation) | 2 to 5 years | Setting up a company in the Free Zone or Mainland | Project leader, consultant |
| Employee Visa | 2 years | Work contract with a local company | Employee |
| Freelance Visa | 1 to 2 years | Obtaining a freelance licence | Self-employed |
| Retired Visa | 5 years | Monthly income of AED 15,000 or AED 1 million in savings | Retired over 55 |
The «sponsor» is the entity that legally guarantees your residence. This could be your employer, your company or yourself. This is a legal concept that you absolutely must master.
Under an employee visa, the company that hires you acts as your sole sponsor. It manages all administrative procedures for you.
For entrepreneurs, the mechanics change radically. By creating the structure, your company becomes your own sponsor. With the Golden Visa, you are your own guarantor. This autonomy offers total freedom of action in the region.
Consider this status as the absolute Grail for anyone looking to establish a long-term presence in the Emirates. It offers rare stability and total freedom, eliminating the need for a local sponsor or the archaic obligation to reside permanently in the country. To unlock this privilege, the rule is financial: you need to invest in property worth at least AED 2 million.
Things have changed recently, and that's great news for your cash flow. You can now buy off-plan or finance the purchase through specific local banks. The 10-year Golden Visa in Dubai is not just an administrative document, it's your passport to a life free of the usual bureaucratic constraints.
Not everyone wants to tie up 2 million dirhams from the outset, and that's where the 2-year Property Visa comes in. This is a pragmatic way to test the Dubai market without committing to astronomical sums. The entry fee here is much lower: one An investment of AED 750,000 is all you need to become a resident.
There is, however, one technical nuance that often traps beginners. For this specific dubai residence visa, the property must be finished and habitable; buying off-plan does not work here. As long as you remain the owner of the property, this visa is infinitely renewable.
Dubai is not only chasing capital, it is also actively chasing brains to prepare for the post-oil era. The Golden Visa is therefore wide open to exceptional talent who can prove their added value. Whether you're a doctor, researcher, artist or inventor, if your application demonstrates concrete achievements, you're eligible.
And that's not all. Entrepreneurs whose start-ups achieve a significant financial outflow or brilliant students from the world's top universities can also claim to this elite status.
If property investment is not your project, setting up a business is the other major route to residence in Dubai.
This is the most popular method for modern entrepreneurs. Setting up a company in the Free Zone allows you to hold 100% of its capital and obtain a Dubai residence visa valid for 2 years. For many, obtain residency in the Emirates by setting up a company is the most logical and straightforward approach.
Your new company technically becomes your sponsor. You are at once the investor, the director and the employee of your structure, which means that greatly simplifies administrative procedures.
This option is ideal for consultants, coaches and all those who e-commerce activities that do not require physical premises.
Mainland is the essential alternative for those who want to trade directly on the local market in the United Arab Emirates. You are not restricted to the free zones and can invoice any customer locally. This is a major commercial advantage.
Recent reforms have made it possible to hold 100% from its Mainland company for most activities, without the need for an Emirati sponsor. The associated visa is also for 2 years, offering the same residency rights.
The total cost includes the business licence, the Immigration Card and the cost of the visa itself. Don't just look at the price of the licence. ancillary costs rise quickly.
Prices vary greatly from one Free Zone to another. You can expect to pay initial budget of several thousand euros to cover the entire assembly.
The advantage is that the process is highly standardised and can be managed entirely online with the help of a service provider. Speed is a major advantage, with a obtaining a visa in just a few weeks. This route is particularly suitable for starting an e-commerce business in Dubai and benefit from global logistics.
Our advice: Free Zone or Mainland? If you are only targeting international customers, the Free Zone is sufficient and costs less. If you want to invoice local Emirati companies, opt directly for the Mainland.
Not everyone is an investor or business creator. Let's take a look at solutions for those who come to Dubai to work.
This is the classic route taken by most expats here. To obtain it, there is only one golden rule: you must have a duly signed employment contract with a company based in the Emirates.
In this scenario, your employer acts as your sponsor. It is your employer who must settle the bill and manage all the administrative paperwork to confirm your status.
This visa is valid until 2 years, renewable for as long as you remain in post.
This option is booming among consultants and digital nomads. This specific visa authorises you to operate your business legally and completely independently in the region.
The procedure requires the’obtaining a freelance licence at one of the many Free Zones that issue this pass.
This permit acts like a personal business licence: you become your own sponsor. It lasts between 1 and 2 years. Become a freelance in Dubai is an excellent alternative to setting up a full company if you are starting out on your own.
Le Green Visa changes the game. This new feature fills the gap between the standard employee visa and the Golden Visa, with validity extended to 5 years.
It targets skilled workers and self-employed people with a university degree. The barrier to entry is financial: you must provide proof of a monthly salary of at least AED 15,000 to be eligible.
Its major advantage is its self-sponsoring. You are not no longer handcuffed to a single employer to live here.
Please note: Whichever visa you choose, freelance status or the Green Visa offer precious freedom: self-sponsorship. If you hesitate between several options, choose the one that makes you independent of a single employer.
The economy is not the only reason to come to Dubai. The residence is also accessible for more personal life projects, and obtaining a dubai residence visa can transform your daily life.
If you've settled here, you won't be alone. All holders of a residence visa, whether employees or entrepreneurs, can sponsor its immediate family spouse and children.
La the main condition remains financial but accessible. A minimum salary is required, generally around AED 4,000 per month. The duration of the visa for family members is based on that of the main sponsor.
Forget the dreariness of your old age. Visit Retired visa is an option 5-year renewable scheme, specifically designed for people over 55.
Eligibility is based on concrete evidence. The applicant must prove either a monthly income of AED 15,000, or AED 1 million in savings, or a property worth AED 1 million.
It's an excellent option for enjoying the quality of life and the Dubai's tax advantages.
Dubai also attracts ambitious young people. Visit student visa is directly sponsored by the accredited university or school in Dubai.
It is valid for one year, renewable for the duration of your studies. You should know that the brightest students can even be eligible for the 10-year Golden Visa.
Once you've chosen the type of visa you want, it's time to take action. Here are the practical steps you need to take to validating your dubai residence visa, updated for 2025/2026.
You may think you can just walk in and sign some papers, but that's not the case. Wrong. It all starts with the’obtaining an entry permit. This is a temporary visa, valid for a few months, which gives you the legal right to set foot on Emirati soil to finalise your residency.
Forget endless queues. This is almost always done online via the GDRFA (for Dubai) or ICP portals. Most of the time, your sponsor (or service provider) will take care of this, to avoid costly data entry errors.
Once you're in Dubai with your entry permit, there's no way around it: you have to pass a compulsory medical examination in an approved centre. This is the sine qua non condition for proving your health fitness.
Next, you need to go to an ICP centre for the taking your fingerprints and photo for identity cards. The time taken to obtain an appointment may vary, so it is advisable to make arrangements in advance so as not to hold up your application.
If your medical results are positive, your sponsor will finalise the application. The authority validates the application and the residence visa is then issued. This is the official moment when you become a resident.
Please note that today, the visa is electronic and linked to your Emirates ID. There is no longer a sticker stuck in the passport; everything is digitised for greater efficiency.
Your Emirates ID, the local identity card, will be sent to you by post a few days later. This is the final document proving your residency status. Your Emirates ID then becomes the indispensable sesame for all your day-to-day needs.
To avoid chasing after paperwork and risking rejection, here are the main points to bear in mind basic documents you must have to hand.
Anticipate: Have your documents (diplomas, civil status certificates) certified by the Apostille and then by your country's Ministry of Foreign Affairs before you leave. This stage takes 2 to 4 weeks and blocks many applications.
Obtaining this status is just the beginning of the adventure. In practical terms, this status radically change your daily life and your ability to project yourself on site.
Obtaining a Dubai residence visa unblocks the’access to a normal, stable life. It is the master key that finally opens all the administrative and practical doors in the Emirate.
Please note that holding a residence visa does not automatically make you a tax resident in the UAE. This is a crucial technical nuance that must be grasped immediately to avoid any misunderstanding with the tax authorities.
To secure your tax status and be exempt from income tax, The standard rule is that you must be physically present in the country for more than 183 days a year.
There is an option from 90 days of presence with an economic activity. Understanding the difference between tax residence in Dubai and France is a step not to be neglected.
Once you have your Emirates ID, the top priority is to’open a bank account. It's the key to collecting your salary, paying your rent and structuring your daily life.
With a valid visa, the procedure becomes fluid and rapid. Local banks offer modern services and high-performance mobile applications to manage your finances.
Then, finalise your move: accommodation, permits, etc. We have a complete guide to the steps for open a bank account in Dubai.
Choosing the right visa is a crucial first step your expatriation to Dubai. Whether you opt for the Golden Visa or to set up your own business, each solution offers a number of advantages. unique opportunities. Prepare your application in detail to turn this administrative project into a success. a real springboard for your personal and professional success in the Emirates.
For obtaining a residence visa for Dubai This year, you need to apply for one of the eligible categories defined by the government. The most common options are property investment (purchase of a property worth at least AED 750,000), setting up a business (investor or partner visa), freelance status, or salaried employment sponsored by a local company. Exceptional talents (doctors, coders, artists) can also apply directly for a Golden Visa.
The Green Visa is a 5-year residence permit which allows beneficiaries to sponsor themselves, without the need for a local employer or sponsor. It is aimed primarily at skilled workers, freelancers and investors who are not eligible for the 10-year Golden Visa. It is an excellent intermediate option offering more stability than the standard 2-year visa, with the possibility of sponsoring one's family.
The cost depends on the route chosen. For a 2-year property investor visa, the administrative costs are around AED 10,000 to 15,000, in addition to the initial investment of AED 750,000 in a property. For an entrepreneur setting up a company in a Free Zone, the overall cost (licence + visa) generally starts at around AED 15,000 to 25,000, depending on the zone chosen and the type of business.
For sponsor your spouse, If you wish to sponsor your family, you will need to budget around AED 3,000 to 4,000 to cover the cost of opening the file, medical tests and issuing the Emirates ID. To be eligible for family sponsorship, you must earn a minimum monthly salary (usually AED 4,000) and have a home in your own name (Ejari contract).
Yes, it is quite possible to reside in Dubai but are not employed, The main options are the property investor visa (by buying a property), the Golden Visa via a bank deposit or investment, and the retired visa for people over the age of The main options are the property investor visa (by buying a property), the Golden Visa via a bank deposit or investment, and the retired visa for over-55s with substantial savings or passive income.
Recent reforms aim to making it easier for expatriates to settle in. Major changes include the removal of the requirement for a local sponsor for most business activities, the broadening of Golden Visa eligibility criteria (particularly for off-plan property), and the complete digitisation of procedures (the visa is now linked to the Emirates ID, with no sticker in the passport).
If you wish to stay beyond the standard tourist period (often 90 days for EU nationals), you must regularise your status by obtaining a residence visa. You cannot live indefinitely on a tourist visa. The transition is made by applying for a «Change of Status» once your residency procedure (via employment, investment or freelance) has been set in motion.
Avoid the mistakes that block a project. Documents, criteria, actual costs, deadlines, procedures and practical advice: it's all here. Download the guide and secure your home.
✨ GUIDE RESIDENCE AUX UAE
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Here you will find our additional articles on everything you need to know about living in Dubai: visa types, eligibility requirements, documents, costs, deadlines, renewals and mistakes to avoid.
