For many families, buying property in Dubai is not only an investment; it is also a route to residence. The article "Buying property in Dubai as a foreigner" explained purchase and registration costs and said that property bought with a mortgage had to be asked about separately. This article answers that question and explains the two property routes to residence, based on these sources: the service pages of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA) for "Issuing a visa to a foreigner who owns property", "Renewal of a residence permit for a property owner" and "Issuing a golden residence permit (investors)", the Dubai Land Department page "Golden Visa application – Investor" and the golden visa page of the UAE Government portal (`u.ae`), all checked on 25 October 2026.
The two routes at a glance
| Subject | Property owner visa | Real estate investor golden residence |
|---|---|---|
| Property value | No minimum on the issue page | At least AED 2 million, one or more properties |
| Mortgaged property | Accepted, if the loan is from a local bank | Accepted, with a bank no-objection letter |
| Income | Financial stability or a monthly income of at least AED 10,000 on the issue page and AED 15,000 on the renewal page | No minimum income on the pages; keeping the residence requires supporting oneself and the family without government support |
| Duration | Not stated on the pages | 10 years per GDRFA and the Land Department; 5 years per the UAE Government portal |
| Grace period after expiry or cancellation | 60 days, per the renewal page | — |
Route one: the property owner visa
GDRFA gives a foreigner who owns property a visa without the need to work, allowing a 60-day stay from the date of entry until the residence process is completed. The conditions on the issue page:
- the property is not vacant land and is fully built;
- an ownership certificate from the real estate registration authority is presented;
- the applicant fully owns the property, or it was bought with a loan from a local bank;
- the property is habitable;
- the applicant shows financial stability during the stay or has a monthly income of at least AED 10,000.
The renewal page gives the same conditions with two differences: a monthly income of at least AED 15,000, and "full ownership or at least AED 2 million of the property's value paid". Renewal documents: a passport copy, a recent photo with a white background, the ownership certificate, and a salary certificate or employment contract.
| Fee item | Entry visa | Residence permit (renewal) |
|---|---|---|
| Main fee | AED 200 plus 5% value added tax | AED 200 |
| Knowledge and innovation dirhams | AED 10 + 10, if the applicant is inside the country | AED 10 + 10 |
| In-country fee | AED 500, if the applicant is inside the country | AED 500 |
| Delivery | — | AED 20 |
| Fee increase | — | AED 100 for each year beyond two years |
| Time | 48 hours | 48 hours |
In its "Additional information", the issue page says that if at least AED 2 million of the property's value has been paid, the owner is entitled to the golden residence.
Route two: the real estate investor golden residence
| Condition | Official rule |
|---|---|
| Value | A property or group of properties with a total value of at least AED 2 million; the Land Department uses the "purchase value" |
| Value certificate | A property status certificate from the Dubai Land Department; a valuation certificate from offices licensed by the Land Department is also accepted |
| Joint ownership | The applicant's share must not be less than AED 2 million |
| Mortgaged property | Accepted; the Land Department asks for a bank no-objection letter with the amount paid and the balance |
| Lien | A lien is registered on the property so that ownership continues throughout the residence; the property cannot be disposed of during the 10-year residence |
| Presence | The applicant must be inside the UAE and attend in person; companions or representatives are not accepted |
| Family | Spouse, children and parents, with conditions such as health insurance and a certified marriage contract and birth certificate |
| Staying outside the UAE | Golden residence holders are exempt from the 180-day rule; the residence lapses only if it expires while the holder is outside the country |
Documents per the Land Department: passport, electronic title certificate or deed, personal photo, Emirates ID and a copy of the current residence, if any. Applications are filed at centres approved by the Land Department and take 7 to 10 working days.
Fees at the Dubai Land Department
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Medical examination | AED 700 |
| 10-year Emirates ID | AED 1,153 |
| 10-year residence permit confirmation | AED 2,856.75 |
| Land Department fees | AED 4,020 |
| Administrative fees | AED 1,155 |
| Total for the investor | AED 9,884.75 |
| 10-year family residence permit | AED 5,774.50 |
| Opening a family sponsorship file | AED 318.75 |
| 10-year parents' residence permit | AED 5,774.50 |
| Each additional sponsored person | AED 100 |
The GDRFA page for the same service lists the fees as AED 1,100 for the residence permit, AED 10 + 10 knowledge and innovation dirhams, AED 500 in-country, AED 20 delivery and AED 100 for each year beyond two years. Ask the Land Department whether the family fee is per person or for the whole family.
Two examples
These examples are hypothetical and only put the official conditions and fees above side by side.
Example 1: an AED 1.2 million flat without a mortgage. An owner with a monthly income of AED 12,000 does not reach the AED 2 million golden residence threshold; their route is the property owner visa. Their income meets the AED 10,000 condition of the issue page but not the AED 15,000 of the renewal page; ask GDRFA about this difference before planning.
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Entry visa from outside the country | 200 × 1.05 | AED 210 |
Example 2: an AED 2.5 million villa with a mortgage. An investor bought a villa with a purchase value of AED 2.5 million with a bank loan. The property meets the value condition, and with a bank no-objection letter they can apply through the Land Department.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Investor fees at the Land Department | AED 9,884.75 |
| Opening a family sponsorship file | AED 318.75 |
| 10-year family residence permit, per the table | AED 5,774.50 |
A lien is registered on the property, and they cannot sell it during the residence. See the loan and its conditions in the article "Buying property in Dubai with a mortgage as an expatriate".
Practical points
- If your aim is the golden residence, check the purchase value and your share of any jointly owned property against the AED 2 million threshold before buying.
- For a mortgaged property, obtain the bank no-objection letter early.
- Ask about the duration of the real estate golden residence when applying; the sources say 5 or 10 years.
- For the property owner visa, ask about the income conditions for issue and renewal separately.
- For off-plan property, see the article "Buying off-plan property in Dubai" and ask about the condition separately; the Land Department page says nothing about off-plan.
Royal Golden does not give legal, real estate or immigration advice. This article is general information, and the decision on any residence rests with the Dubai residency directorate and the Dubai Land Department.
Sources
- General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA), Issuing a visa to a foreigner who owns property — https://www.gdrfad.gov.ae/en/services/d551ce81-52e8-11ea-0320-0050569629e8 (checked on 25 October 2026)
- General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA), Renewal of a residence permit for a property owner — https://www.gdrfad.gov.ae/en/services/dff87d82-b81d-11ed-5210-4cd98f768936 (checked on 25 October 2026)
- General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA), Issuing a golden residence permit (investors) — https://gdrfad.gov.ae/en/services/8ea80da4-f43e-11eb-0320-0050569629e8 (checked on 25 October 2026)
- Dubai Land Department, Golden Visa application – Investor — https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/request-for-golden-visa-investor/ (checked on 25 October 2026)
- UAE Government portal, Golden visa — https://u.ae/en/information-and-services/visa-and-emirates-id/residence-visas/golden-visa (checked on 25 October 2026)