Residency & Golden Visas / United Arab Emirates / Route
United Arab Emirates · Residency route
10-year UAE golden residence for talented persons, scientists and specialists, and outstanding students — no investment required.
Last updated: 2026-10-01
Programme overviewنظرة عامة
Advising UAE residents on residency abroad from our Dubai office.
What the UAE golden visa actually requires
The governing instrument is the Annex to Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022. Golden residence is a 10-year renewable permit — the UAE has no permanent residency at all.
| Route | Threshold |
|---|---|
| Property | AED 2,000,000 (a local-bank mortgage is acceptable) |
| Public investment — deposit, company capital or partnership share | AED 2,000,000 |
| Annual tax paid | AED 250,000 |
| Entrepreneur — pilot project revenue | AED 1,000,000 a year |
| Entrepreneur — prior venture sold | AED 7,000,000 |
| Skilled worker | from AED 30,000 a month |
One thing to get right on off-plan property. The federal rule permits buying off-plan from an approved local developer. But the Dubai Land Department requires an e-Certificate of Title in practice, so the federal rule and Dubai's practice are not the same thing. XIPHIAS confirms the specific project with the Land Department before you rely on an off-plan purchase.
Your Indian passport is safe on a residency
Section 9(1) of India's Citizenship Act 1955 ends Indian citizenship only on the voluntary acquisition of another country's citizenship. Holding a residence permit, permanent residence or a long-term visa does none of that.
So every route on this page is safe to hold. What differs between countries is the endpoint — and we will tell you plainly where a route can never become a citizenship, where it can, and what taking that step would cost you.
A warning about the "lifetime golden visa" you may have read about
The UAE has no lifetime golden visa and no nationality-specific golden visa. On 8 July 2025 the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security publicly denied reports of a "lifetime golden residency for a number of nationalities" offered from outside the UAE through consultancies on relaxed conditions. The Authority stated that:
- golden residency categories, conditions and controls are set only by official laws, legislation and ministerial decisions
- all golden residency applications are managed exclusively through official government channels inside the UAE, and no advisory entity, inside or outside the country, is an approved party in the process
- the reports had come from a consultancy office in another country, and described conditions with no basis in law
- legal action would be taken against those spreading the rumours in order to obtain money unlawfully
- applicants should not pay any sum or hand over personal documents to anyone claiming to provide that service
The official nomination service for golden residence is run by the government, is free of charge, and is not restricted by nationality. Golden residence is granted for ten renewable years under Cabinet Resolution 65 of 2022, and the property threshold is AED 2,000,000. If anyone offers to sell you a UAE lifetime golden visa, that is the moment to stop.
XIPHIAS advises only on the golden residence categories the UAE publishes.
Talk to an immigration consultant in Dubai
XIPHIAS Immigration has guided families abroad since 2009, and our Dubai team works with UAE residents. We were named Best Immigration Consultant by The Times of India in 2022. Our immigration consultants in Dubai will take you through the legal requirements, costs and timeline.
Sources
- Annex to UAE Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022
- ICP — denial of lifetime golden residency rumours, 8 July 2025
- WAM — UAE denies rumours about lifetime golden visa
- ICP — Nomination Request for Golden Residence user manual
Verified against government sources on 30 September 2026.
What you getالمزايا
10-year golden residence, renewable (the outstanding-student permit is one-time and non-renewable).
Live, work, and study in the UAE.
Sponsor your spouse and children — sons under 25, unmarried daughters and children with special needs — for the full term of your permit, without additional investment.
Access to world-class healthcare, education, and infrastructure.
No personal income or capital gains tax.
No physical presence requirement — residency not forfeited by extended absence.
Eligibilityالأهلية
Requirements
Valid passport (6+ months validity).
Clean criminal record and medical fitness.
Valid UAE health insurance coverage.
Documented achievements or recognition under the selected category.
Scientists and specialists: skilled workers from AED 30,000 a month. Talented persons: no salary or qualification threshold.
Compliance with any licensing or endorsement rules applicable to your profession.
Who cannot apply
Applicants with serious criminal records.
Inability to evidence achievements or recognition aligned to the chosen category.
Non-compliance with UAE immigration or visa conditions.
The processكيف نعمل
Preliminary Eligibility Review
Share your CV, portfolio, awards, publications or academic results for a quick category match.
Evidence Dossier Build
Collect endorsements, nomination letters, licenses, and legalized translations as required for your category.
Application Submission
Submit the Golden Visa application with supporting documents through the official ICP or GDRFA channels.
Medical & Biometrics
Complete medical fitness tests and Emirates ID biometrics.
Residence Issuance
Receive your golden residence permit and Emirates ID.
Document checklistالوثائق
Identity
- ✦Valid passport
- ✦Passport-size photos
Evidence / Portfolio
Provide category-specific proof. All foreign documents must be legalized and translated if required.
- ✦Awards, publications, or verified metrics
- ✦Nomination letter or endorsement from competent UAE authority
Compliance
- ✦Valid UAE health insurance proof
- ✦Police clearance certificate
Your XIPHIAS advisor prepares a personalised document list at onboarding. The checklist above is indicative and may vary by family size.
Family scopeالأسرة
All eligible dependants can be included in one application or added after approval.
Age limits, dependency definitions, and addition fees vary by jurisdiction. Your advisor confirms exact rules at onboarding.
Risk notes
The UAE has no permanent residency. Golden residence is a renewable 10-year permit, not a settled status.
UAE citizenship is available by nomination only, through the Rulers’ and Crown Princes’ Courts, Executive Councils and Cabinet on the nomination of a federal entity. An investor cannot initiate it, and residence never ripens into it.
Federal rules and Dubai practice differ on off-plan property. Cabinet Resolution 65 of 2022 permits off-plan purchases from approved local developers, but the Dubai Land Department requires an e-Certificate of Title in practice. Confirm with the relevant emirate’s authority before relying on an off-plan purchase.
A separate GDRFA property-owner entry visa (60 days) requires the property to be entirely constructed and habitable plus AED 10,000 a month income. Off-plan does not qualify on that route.
The UAE has no lifetime golden visa and no nationality-specific golden visa. On 8 July 2025 the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security denied reports of a lifetime golden residency for a number of nationalities offered from outside the UAE, and stated that all applications are handled exclusively through official UAE government channels.
Compliance
Governing instrument: the Annex to Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022. Golden residence is 10 years, renewable.
Property route: AED 2,000,000. A mortgage from a local bank is acceptable. Off-plan qualifies federally where the purchase is from a local company approved by the competent local authority.
Public investment route: AED 2,000,000 as a deposit, new company capital or partnership share, or annual tax of AED 250,000.
Entrepreneurs: a pilot project with annual revenue of at least AED 1,000,000, or a prior venture sold for at least AED 7,000,000.
Skilled workers: from AED 30,000 a month. Talented persons: no salary or qualification threshold. Outstanding students: one-time and non-renewable.
The official nomination route for golden residence is free of charge and carries no nationality restriction.
Questionsأسئلة شائعة
This route, answered.
No. This pathway is based on achievements and recognition, not monetary investment.
Start the United Arab Emirates route.
A senior advisor will confirm the exact costs, timeline and documents for your case — privately, and entirely off the record.