Countries/UAE/UAE Residency & Golden Visa
UAE · Residency
UAE Residency & Golden Visa.
The right residency, for the right reason, for the next ten years.
UAE residency is not one product; it is a family of pathways with different durations, eligibility tests, costs and trade-offs. The two that matter to most of our clients are the standard two-year investor / employment visa and the ten-year Golden Visa. We pick the right one based on how the family lives, works and intends to deploy capital.
What it is
The full picture, in plain language.
UAE residency grants the right to live in the UAE, sponsor dependants, open bank accounts and qualify for UAE tax residency. The standard residence visa lasts two years and is tied to a sponsor — typically a company, employer, or property. The Golden Visa, introduced in 2019 and expanded materially since 2022, lasts ten years, requires no local sponsor and survives changes in employment or company ownership.
Pathways include investor (company / shareholder), property (AED 2 million+ qualifying real estate), specialist (talent, scientists, doctors, creatives), entrepreneurs, students and pensioners. The right pathway depends on what the family actually does — not which route looks fastest on paper.
Who it's for
Designed for these situations.
Principals relocating with family
Founders, executives and investors moving to the UAE as their primary base.
Property investors
Buyers of qualifying UAE real estate at or above AED 2 million who want long-term residence tied to the asset.
Talent & specialists
Senior professionals, scientists, doctors, executives and creatives eligible for talent-endorsed Golden Visa.
Multi-base families
Families maintaining homes in the UK, India or elsewhere who want UAE tax residency as their primary base.
Benefits
What the right structure delivers.
10-year residence
Golden Visa holders enjoy a decade of residence without re-application, surviving employment and company changes.
Family sponsorship
Spouse, children and parents can be sponsored under the principal's residence; Golden Visa dependants get the full ten-year duration.
No local sponsor
Golden Visa is independent of any UAE national sponsor or employer.
UAE tax residency
Residence supports the path to UAE tax residency, including the Tax Residency Certificate for treaty purposes.
Six-month absence rule
Standard visas lapse after six months outside the UAE; Golden Visa permits unlimited absence without lapse.
Banking & contracting
Real residence unlocks personal banking, mortgages, school registration and tenancy contracts in the principal's own name.
The process
Step by step — nothing hidden, nothing skipped.
- 01
Discovery & pathway selection
Week 1We assess the family's situation — sources of income, real-estate plans, talent eligibility, dependants — and select the most appropriate pathway, not just the most marketed one.
- 02
Eligibility evidence pack
1-2 weeksWe assemble the evidence pack: title deeds, share certificates, employment letters, talent endorsements, academic credentials or pensioner proofs, depending on the route.
- 03
Application & nomination
5-10 working daysWe file the application with the appropriate authority — ICP, GDRFA, DLD for property routes, or specialist talent bodies. Nominations and pre-approvals are issued at this stage.
- 04
Entry permit issuance
3-7 working daysOn approval, the entry permit is issued. The principal enters or status-changes in the UAE on the basis of the new permit.
- 05
Medical, biometrics & Emirates ID
5-10 working daysMandatory medical screening, Emirates ID biometric enrolment and submission of the residence visa stamping file.
- 06
Residence visa stamping
5-7 working daysResidence visa is stamped (digitally) and the Emirates ID is issued — typically 2 and 10 years for standard and Golden routes respectively.
- 07
Dependants
2-4 weeksSpouse, children and parents processed under the principal's sponsorship, with full Golden Visa duration where the principal qualifies.
- 08
Tax residency activation
As requiredWhere the family intends to claim UAE tax residency, we coordinate the 183-day physical presence record and the Tax Residency Certificate application.
Timeline
What a typical engagement looks like.
Week 1
Discovery, pathway selection, evidence checklist.
Weeks 2-3
Evidence pack assembled, application filed.
Weeks 3-4
Entry permit issued, principal enters or status-changes in the UAE.
Weeks 4-6
Medical, Emirates ID biometrics, residence visa stamping.
Weeks 6-10
Dependants processed, school enrolment, banking and tenancy in personal name.
Documents required
The evidence pack we will ask for.
Passport (principal & dependants)
Minimum 6 months validity, clear colour scans.
Recent photographs
White background, neutral expression.
Marriage certificate
Attested in country of issue and at the UAE Embassy / Consulate.
Children's birth certificates
Attested as above; required for each dependant child.
Title deed (property route)
DLD-issued title deed showing the principal as registered owner of qualifying property.
Share certificate / trade licence
Where residence is via a UAE company; original entity documents.
Talent endorsement letter
For specialist Golden Visa routes — from the recognised endorsing authority.
Educational certificates
Attested degree certificates where the pathway requires academic qualification.
Proof of address (home country)
Utility bill or bank statement, less than 3 months old.
Costs & fees
What you should budget for.
Residency costs vary by pathway, number of dependants and whether the application is processed inside or outside the UAE. The figures below are typical for a Golden Visa principal with one dependant.
Government fees (Golden Visa, principal)
AED 2,800 - 4,200
Medical & Emirates ID
AED 1,200 - 1,800
Per person.
Dependant Golden Visa
AED 2,200 - 3,500
Per dependant; lower than principal.
Property valuation (property route)
AED 2,000 - 4,000
Where required by DLD or the residency authority.
Morifar professional fee
From AED 12,500
Pathway selection, evidence pack, full file management, family coordination.
Standard two-year investor or employment visas are materially cheaper but require renewal every two years and depend on continued sponsorship. Golden Visa is more expensive up-front and significantly cheaper over a ten-year horizon.
FAQs
Questions we are asked, and the honest answers.
Do I have to live in the UAE full-time?+
No. There is no minimum stay requirement to hold the residence. UAE tax residency is a separate question — it generally requires 183 days of physical presence in any 12-month period, or 90 days plus the right ties for treaty-favoured cases.
Is the AED 2 million property threshold per property or per buyer?+
It is on the principal's combined qualifying property holding at the relevant time, supported by current DLD title deeds. The property must be ready (not off-plan unless paid in full) and free of disqualifying conditions.
Can I get a Golden Visa through my UAE company?+
Yes — investor / entrepreneur routes are available where the underlying business meets the qualifying thresholds, typically with audited turnover, paid-up capital and recognised incubator or accelerator endorsement.
Will my children get a 10-year visa too?+
Children sponsored by a Golden Visa principal receive the full ten-year duration up to a defined age (currently 25 for sons and unlimited for daughters), with extensions where they remain in higher education.
What happens if I sell my qualifying property?+
Property-route Golden Visas are tied to the qualifying asset. Disposal without replacement may cause the residence to lapse; we plan disposals and replacements in advance to avoid gaps.
Can I switch from a standard visa to a Golden Visa?+
Yes. Many of our clients begin on a standard investor visa during incorporation, then transition to Golden Visa once the qualifying threshold is met. We sequence both so there is no gap in residence.
Common mistakes
What we see go wrong — so it doesn't happen to you.
Confusing residence with tax residence
Holding a UAE residence visa does not by itself make you UAE tax resident. Tax residence is a separate, evidence-based test driven by physical presence and ties.
Off-plan property as the qualifying asset
Off-plan properties usually do not qualify unless paid in full and title deed-ready. Many buyers discover this after committing capital.
Letting the standard visa lapse on travel
Standard two-year visas lapse after six continuous months outside the UAE. Golden Visa does not — but the trigger is often missed by frequent travellers on the standard route.
Treating the Golden Visa as automatic
There is no automatic entitlement. Each pathway has hard eligibility tests, evidence requirements and a decision-maker. We do not file unless the case is genuinely strong.
Forgetting dependant attestations
Marriage and birth certificates require attestation in the country of issue and at the UAE Embassy. Skipping this delays dependant applications by weeks.
Explain like I'm 10
The simplest version of the whole thing.
A UAE residency is like a permission slip from the country that says 'you can live here, your family can live with you, and you can do normal life things — open a bank account, sign a flat, send your kids to school'. The Golden Visa is a special long permission slip that lasts ten years and doesn't depend on your job or your company. We look at your family and figure out which permission slip is the right one for you to ask for.
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