Buying property in the UAE grants a residence visa. There are two of them and the rules differ — the conditions for the shorter visa changed in 2026, and older articles online are now misleading.
Below is how it stands today, and what that means in practice: how many actual transactions clear each threshold, and which districts most often qualify for the long visa.
The two visas and their thresholds
| Visa | Term | Property condition |
|---|---|---|
| Investor visa | 2 years | With a sole owner there is no minimum amount. With multiple owners, each share must be at least 400,000 dirhams |
| Golden visa | 10 years | Property from 2,000,000 dirhams. The threshold applies to the property as a whole, with no minimum per co-owner — all of them can qualify |
The key 2026 change concerns the two-year visa: it previously required a purchase above a set amount, and now there is no threshold at all for a sole owner. If you buy alone, any apartment qualifies you for two-year residence.
The 400,000 figure applies only to joint ownership and is measured per owner’s share. So a property at 800,000 split between two people qualifies, while one at 700,000 does not.
What this means in practice
244,703 property transactions were registered in Dubai over the past twelve months.
- 98% of them were above 400,000 dirhams. So when buying jointly, almost any transaction clears the two-year visa threshold.
- 37% were above 2 million. Those are the ones that qualify for the golden visa: 91,363 purchases in a year.
Where a purchase most often qualifies for the golden visa
| District | Deals above 2m | Deals in a year |
|---|---|---|
| Al Yelayiss 1 | 98% | 4 943 |
| Palm Deira | 89% | 5 454 |
| Al Wasl | 89% | 2 002 |
| Al Yufrah 1 | 88% | 2 133 |
| Palm Jumeirah | 86% | 2 417 |
| Madinat Dubai Almelaheyah | 77% | 4 860 |
| Al Khairan First | 68% | 5 138 |
| Burj Khalifa | 66% | 5 127 |
| Marsa Dubai | 59% | 7 008 |
| Bukadra | 59% | 3 181 |
| Hadaeq Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid | 59% | 4 916 |
| Nad Al Shiba First | 56% | 3 288 |
Share of transactions above 2 million dirhams — those that qualify for the golden visa. Based on 244 703 transactions over the past 12 months; across Dubai 37% clear the threshold.
The spread is wide. In villa and premium districts almost every transaction clears the 2 million threshold; in high-volume areas fewer than one in ten do. If the golden visa is the goal, the district matters as much as the budget.
Find a property that matches the visa you need
Tell us which visa you need and whose name the property will be in, and we will select options that meet the conditions.
What the residence visa gives you
- The right to live in the UAE and to enter without limits on length of stay.
- Emirates ID — the resident identity card. Without it you cannot open a bank account, take out local insurance or access many services.
- Family sponsorship: spouse, children and in some cases parents.
- Access to local banks and mortgages on resident rather than non-resident terms.
What it does not give: it is not citizenship and not a route to it. A UAE passport is not issued on the basis of property ownership. The visa requires renewal, and the golden visa requires confirmation that you still own the property.
How it is issued
- Purchase and registration of title. The visa is processed once the title deed has been issued. Off-plan purchases registered through Oqood generally do not qualify.
- Medical test and biometrics in the UAE. Attendance is required; this step cannot be done remotely.
- Submission through the Land Department or GDRFA centres.
- Emirates ID is issued after approval, in anywhere from a few days to a few weeks.
Processing costs usually come to a few thousand dirhams per person: government fees, the medical, insurance and card issuance. The exact figure depends on the visa type and the number of family members.
Frequently asked questions
What amount is required for a visa when buying property
For the two-year visa with a sole owner there is no minimum. With multiple owners each share must be at least 400,000 dirhams. For the ten-year golden visa the property must be worth at least 2 million, and then all co-owners can qualify.
Is it true that 750,000 dirhams is required
That condition is out of date. In 2026 the threshold for the two-year visa was removed for sole owners, and joint ownership is governed by the 400,000 per-share figure. Many articles online still repeat the older number.
Does an off-plan purchase qualify for a visa
Generally no: a completed transaction and a title deed are required. While the property is under construction you hold an Oqood registration, not a title deed.
Do I have to live in the UAE for the visa to remain valid
You do not have to live there permanently, but you cannot be outside the country beyond the permitted continuous period, or the visa is cancelled. The rule is more lenient for the golden visa than for an ordinary residence visa.
Does the visa lead to UAE citizenship
No. Citizenship is not granted on the basis of property ownership, and the golden visa is not a step towards it.
Can family members be included
Yes, the owner sponsors a spouse and children, and in some cases parents. Each visa is processed and paid for separately.
What next
If the golden visa is the objective, look at properties above 2 million: the apartments page has prices by district, and the villas page covers communities where practically every transaction clears the threshold.
If the aim is simply residence with a sole owner, any budget works, and the sensible basis for choosing becomes yield — which is set out on the same pages.
Visa conditions are set by the government and change periodically. This page reflects the rules in force as of August 2026; confirm current requirements with GDRFA or with us before a transaction.