UAE: the investor Golden Visa

A 10-year residence permit for an investment from AED 2 million: conditions for real estate and deposits, family, tax and what the status does not give.

Checked on: 4 October 2026

The UAE is the most popular foreign destination for Russian property buyers: according to NF Group, the country accounted for half of their foreign deals in the first half of 2026. The long-term residence permit here is called the Golden Visa. The published conditions contain no restriction by the applicant's nationality.

Parameter	Condition
Minimum investment	AED 2,000,000
Term	10 years, renewable. This is what the ICP authority and the Dubai Land Department state; the government portal u.ae gives 5 years for real estate
Sponsor	Not required
Family	Spouse, children of any age and parents
Absence from the country	The status remains valid even after more than six months abroad
Health insurance	Required for the whole period of the status

Real estate

The investor must own one or more properties in the UAE with a total value of at least AED 2 million; title is registered in the investor's name. Purchase with a mortgage from approved local banks and purchase of off-plan property from approved developers for the same amount are allowed.

In Dubai the application is handled by the Dubai Land Department. The stated service time is 7-10 business days. With a mortgage, a bank letter stating the amount paid and no objection to the visa is required. Fees for the 10-year permit are about AED 9,900 for the investor and about AED 5,800 for each family member.

Deposit, fund or company

The second route is so-called public investments: a deposit of at least AED 2 million with an investment fund or a national bank, a UAE company with capital of at least AED 2 million, or a partner's share of the same amount. A company that pays at least AED 250,000 in tax in the UAE each year also qualifies. The invested capital must be fully owned by the investor and must not come from a loan.

Tax and tax residency

The UAE does not levy income tax on individuals. But a visa and tax residency are different statuses. Under Cabinet Resolution No. 85 of 2022, effective from 1 March 2023, an individual is a UAE tax resident in one of three cases.

The usual place of residence and the centre of financial and personal interests are in the UAE.
The person spent at least 183 days in the UAE within a consecutive 12-month period.
The person spent at least 90 days in the UAE within 12 months, holds a valid residence permit and has a permanent home, or employment or a business, in the country.

The status is confirmed by a Tax Residence Certificate issued by the UAE Federal Tax Authority.

A Golden Visa on its own does not make a person a UAE tax resident. Until the UAE residency conditions are met, the previous country may continue to treat the person as its tax resident.

What the status does not give

A Golden Visa is a residence permit, not citizenship.
UAE status does not lift the EUR 100,000 limit on deposits of Russian citizens in EU banks: the exemption applies only to holders of citizenship or a residence permit of EU, EEA countries and Switzerland.

What to check before the deal

The value of the property on the title document is at least AED 2 million, and the property is registered with the land department of the emirate.
Which bank will accept the payment and which source-of-funds documents it will ask for.
The visa term for your category on the filing date.
A tax plan is built on actual presence in the country, not on holding a visa.

Sources

This material is for reference only and is not legal, tax or investment advice. Programme terms change: verify them against the primary source before deciding.

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