UAE Golden Visa costs in 2026: what you actually pay

1. The qualifying investment

• Property route: AED 2 million in real estate, which remains your asset. Since February 2026, mortgaged and off-plan property qualifies on full purchase value. See the property route guide.
• Public investment route: AED 2 million in an accredited fund or deposit, also your asset.
• No-capital routes: talent, entrepreneur and the newer categories require credentials rather than capital, as covered in our categories guide.

2. Government fees (per applicant)

For a 10-year visa in Dubai, expect the core government charges to look roughly like this:

• Residence permit issuance: around AED 2,850 for the 10-year permit.
• Emirates ID (10 years): around AED 1,150.
• Medical examination: around AED 700.
• Application and processing charges through the DLD or ICP channels, typically a few hundred to a few thousand dirhams depending on route and channel.

All-in, a main applicant on the property route typically pays in the region of AED 10,000 to 14,000 in fees and charges, roughly USD 3,000 to 4,000. Renewal at year ten repeats a similar, slightly smaller set of charges.

3. Dependants

Each sponsored family member (spouse, children, parents) carries their own visa, Emirates ID and medical fees, broadly similar per person to the main applicant’s. A family of four should budget roughly AED 30,000 to 45,000 in total government and processing charges. There is no additional investment requirement for dependants; one qualifying investment covers the family.

4. Professional fees and incidentals

• Advisory and processing support: varies with complexity; at Citizenship360 our proposals are itemised so you can compare like with like.
• DLD valuation certificate (where needed): a modest fixed fee.
• Document attestation and translation for marriage and birth certificates when sponsoring family: a few hundred dirhams per document.
• Health insurance: UAE-compliant cover is required for residents; cost depends on age and cover level.

The bottom line

If you already hold, or plan to hold, AED 2 million of UAE property or investments, the marginal cost of a decade of residency is a rounding error on the investment itself, and the process is measured in weeks, not months. The fuller question is usually strategic: whether the UAE alone serves your family’s goals, or whether it pairs with a European programme, a question we examine in our UAE vs Portugal comparison.

This article is for general information only and does not constitute legal, tax or investment advice. Fees change and vary by emirate; always confirm current amounts before budgeting.