UAE Real Estate Investor Visas for Residency

The government of the UAE announced the Golden visa in 2019 which allows applicants to obtain long-term residents visa based on several newly-added eligibility criteria. One of these new criteria is investment. Real estate investors in the UAE can now obtain a long-term resident visa depending on the size of their investment. 

Combining that with the latest leniency guidelines issued by the UAE government regarding real estate investment for foreigners, the scope for real estate investment in the UAE has gained promising prospects. We will cover different kinds of investor visas available in the UAE, the conditions and eligibility criteria one needs to clear, and the key things to remember about it here. 

Types of UAE Investor Visa

UAE Investor visas can be divided into 3 major types of resident visas – a 10-year UAE visa, a 5-year investor visa for Dubai, and a 5-year investor visa for Abu Dhabi. These visas are popularly known as the Golden visas of the UAE. Holders of these visas can enjoy their stay in the UAE, work, or study while also taking advantage of several other benefits. 

Apart from investors, folks with special talents and recognition in their fields are offered golden visas as well. There are a few other types of investor visas that can be obtained in the UAE such as retirement visas for senior citizens, company investment visas, and so forth. 

Let’s discuss the long-term residency visa for investors in the UAE as per type and the unique conditions applying to each of them. 

10-Year UAE Investor Visa 

Investors can apply for a 10-year UAE investor visa for residency if they have at least AED 10 million worth of investment in the UAE. The investment can be done in any of the 7 emirates and in variating forms too. 

Out of the total investment amount (say AED 10 million), at least 60% of the investment amount (in this case, AED 6 million) shall be invested in sectors other than real estate.

Applicants under the General Investor Category can obtain a real estate Golden investor visa in the UAE if one of the following conditions related to their investment is met – 

• Established a new company in the UAE with a capital investment of at least AED 10 million 
• Established a partnership in the UAE with a shared partnership investment value of at least AED 10 million 
• Having deposits worth at least AED 10 million in any of the seven UAE emirates 

Eligibility Criteria and Conditions for a 10-Year UAE Investor Visa

Given below are the conditions that must be fulfilled to be eligible to apply for a 10-year real-estate investor visa in UAE – 

• The minimum required investment amount is AED 10 million out of which AED 6 million shall be in sectors other than real estate. 
• The investment amount shall come from the personal wealth of the investor and not via a loan 
• Investors are required to retain their investment in the UAE for at least 3 years to be eligible for the visa 
• Investors who have a 10-year investors resident visa in the UAE can sponsor an advisor and executive director in addition to their spouse and children 
• If the visa-holder is their business partner, the investor visa can be extended to them as well provided each qualifying partner has an investment of at least AED 10 million 
• A multiple-entry permit can be obtained by a foreign investor before they get their visa. This permit stays valid for 6 months. 

5-Year Dubai Investor Visa 

The 5-year real estate investor visa for residency is the same as the aforementioned visa valid for 10 years. This particular visa is valid for staying in Dubai. The only difference is that this visa is valid for 5 years and the investment amount required is AED 5 million – only half of what is required for a 10-year visa. The additional conditions applicable to the 10-year visa don’t apply here. 

Eligibility Criteria and Conditions for a 5-Year Dubai Investor Visa

These conditions must be met to get the 5-year Dubai real estate investor visa – 

• Applicants for this visa for real estate investors must have invested in a property that is worth at least AED 5 million 
• The investor must retain the said property for at least 3 years 
• The investment amount must not be on a loan from a bank or financial institution – it shall be from the personal wealth of the investor 

Special Conditions Applicable to 10 and 5-Year Dubai Investor Visa

Given below are some additional important rules that apply to both 10 and 5-year resident real estate investor visas for Dubai – 

• The AED 10 million worth of property investment required for the 10-year visa must be counted as per the purchase value of the property and not its current market value. For instance, if you purchase your property for AED 9 million 2 years ago and it is now worth AED 10 million, you will not be eligible for a 10-year investor visa. 
• Only a few types of properties are included in the list of eligible investments. You can contact the Dubai Land Department to understand which types of properties are to be invested in to get a real estate investor visa. Residential properties included in this list are serviced apartments, apartments, townhouses, office space, villas, hotel apartments, hotel rooms, and warehouses. 
• The property chosen for investment must be in liveable condition – this means that under-construction properties and properties declared unsafe by the concerned authorities will not qualify as legible investments for the visa 
• The property must be located in the freehold areas of Dubai where foreign residents and investors are allowed to own property. If it is located in the leasehold areas, you will not be seen as the rightful owner of the property and hence will not qualify for the visa. 
• Any properties listed as off-plan, leasehold, and disputed are not eligible to be investor visa investment prospects 

5-Year Abu Dhabi Investor Visa 

A similar 5-year investor visa for residency can be applied for Abu Dhabi as well. The guidelines and conditions to obtain this visa, however, are considerably different than those applicable for getting a 5-year investor visa in Dubai. The total investment required for this visa is only AED 2 million instead of AED 5 million. 

Eligibility Criteria and Conditions for a 5-Year Abu Dhabi Investor Visa

The following conditions must be met to clear the application eligibility criteria for a 5-year real estate investor visa for Abu Dhabi – 

• The property invested in Abu Dhabi must be valued at least AED 2 million 
• If the property has been mortgaged, the applicant must have at least AED 2 million cash or bank balance to get this visa 
• The investments must be retained for at least 2 years 
• Spouses and children of the investor are also allowed to stay in Abu Dhabi with a real estate investor visa 
• The holders of a real estate investor visa in Abu Dhabi can also sponsor house help by following the due procedure 
• The investor must either present their investment portfolio or proof of ownership of property worth at least AED 2 million 
• Proof of mortgage status, if applicable, must also be submitted

UAE Investor Visa Fees 

Given below is the schedule of charges for investor resident visa and entry permit – 

Investors can also sponsor their children, parents, and spouses in the UAE and get a resident visa for them. Keep in mind that the fees vary for parents, children, newborn children, and spouses. 

Interesting Things to Know About UAE Investor Visas

Check out a few interesting and important things that any prospective investor must know about a resident investor visa in the UAE below – 

• It is not mandatory to invest in a single property worth AED 10 million. Investors are allowed to invest in up to 3 properties with a total value of at least AED 10 million to be eligible for the visa. 
• In case the mortgage on a property in Abu Dhabi is joint, the visa applicant must have a share of at least 10 million or the required amount as per the visa duration they are applying for 
• If the joint ownership is that of a husband and a wife, the marriage certificate must be submitted as proof at the time of visa application. Other required documents attested by both spouses must also be present. 
• Mortgaged properties are eligible for visa application if the investor has already paid off at least AED 10 million out of the total mortgage amount 
• Visa rules related to family sponsorship will be applicable in the case of investor visas as well. Investor visa holders seeking to sponsor their families must follow the applicable rules. 
• Abu Dhabi Residents Office recently launched a few special commercial benefits for its Golden visa holders in 2022. Investors holding a golden visa can enjoy special benefits such as discounts on health care, cars, banking services, property, health insurance plans, and hospitality.  
• The “Thrive in Abu Dhabi” program allows investors to get a 10-year visa when they invest in the assigned key sectors of the emirate 
• UAE authorities have also made noteworthy changes in their citizenship rules recently. The investor residents, for instance, can now become a citizen of the UAE once they invest in the country as per the guidelines. 

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