Many people who have worked for years outside the UAE want to spend their retirement in Dubai or another emirate. The UAE has a separate residence for them that needs no employer or sponsor. This article is based on the "Issuing a residence permit for the retired foreigner" service page of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in Dubai (GDRFA) and the "Issue Residence Permit" service page of the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), checked on 25 October 2026.
Who is this residence for?
GDRFA describes this residence as one for a retired foreigner who lives in the UAE without a sponsor, on their own financial means. The basic conditions:
| Condition | What the official pages say |
|---|---|
| Work history | At least 15 years of work before retirement, inside or outside the UAE |
| Age | At least 55 Gregorian years |
| Passport | Valid for at least 6 months (ICP) |
| Financial ground | One of the three routes in the next section |
| Sponsor | Not needed; the residence is issued without a sponsor |
There is one difference in the wording of the two pages that you should know: GDRFA Dubai lists the 15 years of work and the age of 55 side by side, as two conditions, while the ICP page joins them with "or". If you apply in Dubai, take the GDRFA condition as the basis; if you meet only one of the two, ask the residency office about your case before paying any fee.
Three financial routes
Both pages name three financial grounds, and GDRFA asks for separate documents for each. ICP joins these routes with "or", meaning one of them is enough.
| Route | Condition | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Property | One or more properties in the UAE with a total value of at least AED 1,000,000 | The value is set by the competent authority of that emirate; a mortgaged title deed is accepted if at least AED 1 million of the mortgage has been paid |
| Deposit | A deposit of at least AED 1,000,000, inside or outside the UAE | Must be moved to a financial institution in the UAE within 60 days of the residence being issued, unless it is invested in the UAE |
| Income | A fixed annual income of at least AED 240,000 or its equivalent in another currency | From a source inside or outside the UAE, with bank statements for the last 6 months |
An annual income of AED 240,000 means an average of AED 20,000 a month. A pension, rent from a property or another fixed income can be the source, provided an official body confirms its source in a letter.
Documents for each route
GDRFA separates the documents by financial route:
| Route | GDRFA documents |
|---|---|
| Property owner | Copy of the passport, and proof of ownership or a property valuation from the Land and Property Department |
| Deposit holder | Personal photo, copy of the passport, deposit certificate, and an undertaking to move the deposit to the UAE |
| Income holder | Personal photo, copy of the passport, bank statements for the last 6 months, and a letter from an official body on the source of income |
ICP also has a more general list: passport, personal photo, water and electricity bill, a work certificate showing retirement and the length of service, a certificate of property ownership and valuation, a bank certificate of fixed income with a 6-month statement, and valid health insurance. Documents issued outside the UAE, such as a work certificate, usually have to go through the attestation chain; the article "Attesting foreign documents for the UAE" explains that chain.
Fees in Dubai
GDRFA lists these lines for issuing a retired foreigner's residence permit:
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Residence permit fee | AED 200 |
| Knowledge Dirham | AED 10 |
| Innovation Dirham | AED 10 |
| Fee for applying from inside the country | AED 500 |
| Delivery | AED 20 |
| Increase in the issuing fee | AED 100 for each year of residence beyond two years |
GDRFA gives 48 hours for this service. The Emirates ID has a separate fee: ICP charges foreign residents AED 100 for each year of residence plus AED 100 smart service fee. The medical examination and health insurance are also separate.
Validity, renewal and staying in the UAE
| Subject | Stated rule |
|---|---|
| Length of residence | Five years (GDRFA) |
| Renewal | On the same conditions as the issuance (GDRFA) |
| Stay before issuance | ICP says the applicant's stay in the UAE to complete the issuance must not exceed 60 days from entry |
| Overstay fine | AED 50 for each day after the period ends (ICP) |
| Period after expiry or cancellation | 60 days to stay in the country (GDRFA) |
Two examples
These examples are hypothetical and only put the official conditions and fees above side by side.
**Example 1: a retired engineer with a monthly income.** A 61-year-old man who worked for 32 years in his own country receives AED 25,000 a month in pension and rent, which is AED 300,000 a year, above the AED 240,000 threshold. He applies through the income route and files the application from outside the UAE before entering.
| Line | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Five-year residence permit, estimated with the GDRFA rule | 200 + (3 × 100) | AED 500 |
| Knowledge and Innovation Dirhams | 10 + 10 | AED 20 |
| Delivery | — | AED 20 |
| Emirates ID for five years | (5 × 100) + 100 | AED 600 |
| Total | — | AED 1,140 |
If the same application is filed from inside the UAE, another AED 500 is added. The medical examination, insurance and document attestation are not in this table. Ask GDRFA how the fee for years beyond two years is calculated when you apply; the figure above is an estimate.
**Example 2: an apartment owner with a mortgage.** A 58-year-old woman with 20 years of work history bought an apartment in Dubai valued at AED 1.4 million, but has so far paid only AED 800,000 of its mortgage. Because a mortgaged title deed is accepted only when at least AED 1 million has been paid, this property is not yet enough for this residence. She can wait until her payments reach AED 1 million, or, if she has a fixed annual income of AED 240,000, apply through the income route.
Practical points
- First see which financial route you can prove most clearly, and complete the documents for that route.
- If you apply through the deposit route, do not forget the 60-day deadline for moving the deposit to the UAE.
- Attest the work certificate and the letter on the source of income in the issuing country before travelling.
- If you enter the UAE to complete the issuance, plan around the 60-day stay limit and the AED 50 daily fine.
- Track the expiry of the residence, the identity card and the insurance together so that renewal on the same conditions is done on time.
- If you have more capital, also weigh the golden residence; the article "UAE Golden Residency: an overview" explains it.
Royal Golden does not give legal, financial or immigration advice. This article is general information, and the decision on any residence rests with the official UAE authorities.
Sources
- General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs Dubai (GDRFA), Issuing a residence permit for the retired foreigner — https://www.gdrfad.gov.ae/en/services/8ea80db0-f43e-11eb-0320-0050569629e8 (checked on 25 October 2026)
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), Issue Residence Permit — https://icp.gov.ae/en/services-details/?serviceid=64afe3c1035448005bd52e64 (checked on 25 October 2026)
- Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP), New Identity Card Issuance — https://icp.gov.ae/en/services-details/?serviceid=64afe3c1035448005bd52e5a (checked on 25 October 2026)