Half the Golden Visa enquiries I receive are from buyers who already qualify and don’t know it, and the other half are from buyers chasing a AED 2M threshold with AED 1.6M in their account.
The Golden Visa is a long-term UAE residency — typically 10 years, renewable — that can be obtained through property investment. The current real-estate threshold is AED 2 million of property value, whether held as a single unit or across multiple units, whether freehold ready or freehold off-plan (with at least 50% paid on the off-plan unit). It can be split between a couple and the visa is issued to the applicant plus sponsored family members.
The common misconception is that it’s automatic on purchase. It’s not. You apply through the GDRFA after the property is registered, submit the title deed or Oqood, proof of funds, medicals, Emirates ID biometrics. From start of application to visa stamping, allow four to eight weeks, not four days.
A client last month bought a AED 1.9M unit in Dubai Creek Harbour and was surprised he didn’t qualify. We restructured — he added a AED 180k payment on a separate off-plan unit to cross the threshold — and applied the following week.
Threshold is the floor, not the target. Don’t buy right at AED 2M exactly.
Related: Freehold, Title Deed, Oqood, DLD.
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