A free PDF guide — residence for 10 years
A guide to the Golden Visa of the UAE:the terms, the cost and the tax
Residence for 10 years from the start, with no requirement to live there and no income tax. We set out the investment threshold, how the process runs, who can be in the application and what the status does not give.
- PDF in English
- Free of charge
- Verified on 11.08.2026
- Sent by email, WhatsApp or Telegram
Preliminary information is not a guarantee of approval. Whether the programme is open to you and the final cost are settled after the check on the applicant.
01 / The essentials first
What to know about the programme before the calculation
Four things that decide whether this country suits you.
- Residence for 10 years from the start
The visa is issued for ten years and renewed without any elaborate procedure. There is no requirement to live there.
- There is no income tax
The UAE has no personal income tax, no capital gains tax and no inheritance tax. That is the main reason people choose the country.
- The property stays yours
The threshold is AED 2,000,000 in property. It is the purchase of an asset, not a contribution: the property is yours and can be sold.
- One status for the family
A spouse, children and dependent parents come into the same status. New members of the family can be added after the visa has been granted.
02 / The budget
The budget for your family
The investment threshold is one per application. The registration fees and arranging the visa are counted per participant and confirmed on the date of filing.
03 / A comparison
The UAE and the European programmes
The two solve different problems: a tax base and the banks of the Gulf against access to Europe and the prospect of an EU passport.
The values were checked against the official material on 11.08.2026. Only the rows for which there is no official wording are marked separately.
| Criterion | The UAEThe Golden Visa — AED 2,000,000 | EuropeThe Golden Visas of Greece and Portugal |
|---|---|---|
| The term of the status | 10 years from the start | from 2 to 5 years, renewable |
| Income tax | none | under the country’s rules once resident |
| How long it takesA BRIDGES estimate | 1-2 months | 4-18 months |
| The residence requirement | none | none |
| Access to the Schengen area | on a visa | visa-free as an EU resident |
| The path to citizenship | all but absent | through naturalisation on the country’s timetable |
| Who it usually suitsA BRIDGES estimate | You want a tax base and the banks of the Gulf | You want Europe and the prospect of an EU passport |
- The term of the status
- 10 years from the start
- from 2 to 5 years, renewable
- Income tax
- none
- under the country’s rules once resident
- How long it takesA BRIDGES estimate
- 1-2 months
- 4-18 months
- The residence requirement
- none
- none
- Access to the Schengen area
- on a visa
- visa-free as an EU resident
- The path to citizenship
- all but absent
- through naturalisation on the country’s timetable
- Who it usually suitsA BRIDGES estimate
- You want a tax base and the banks of the Gulf
- You want Europe and the prospect of an EU passport
UAE residence opens no visa-free entry to the Schengen area — the key difference from the European programmes.
04 / The country
What the country looks like
Briefly about the country and about what sets the terms of the programme.
- DubaiThe cover of the guide: the country and the key terms of the programme.
- The essentials firstWhat to know before the calculation: the key facts of the programme.
- The terms of the optionsThe parameters of the programme in one table, on the official terms.
- The road mapThe process step by step — from the check to the documents.
- The check on the applicantWhat is examined before the status is granted, and where people stumble.
- The limitsThe limits that bear on the timings and the sum.
- Your teamWho runs the case and what each specialist answers for.
05 / The order of work
How the process runs
One of the shortest paths among the investment programmes — provided the property and the documents are ready in advance.
- The preliminary check
The nationality, the family, the source of funds. We settle the order of things and count the budget before the first outlay.
- Finding and checking the property
The property has to meet the requirements of the programme in price and status. The developer and the title documents are examined.
- The transaction and registration
The purchase is registered with the emirate’s land department and the registration fees are paid.
- The Golden Visa application
The documents are filed, with the medical check and the biometrics. The time for consideration is short — 1-2 months.
- The visa and the Emirates ID
A residence visa for 10 years and the resident’s identity card are issued.
- Adding the family
A spouse, children and dependent parents are arranged on the strength of the main applicant’s status.
07 / The check
What is examined before the transaction and before the filing
Bank compliance in the UAE is strict: the origin of the funds is examined separately from the migration procedure.
- The source of funds
A clear chain from the earnings to the account. Bank compliance in the UAE is strict, especially on large transfers.
- The property and the developer
The status of the property, the developer and the fit with the programme’s price requirement are all examined.
- The medical check
Required of everyone in the application. It is done at accredited centres in the UAE.
- The family
The financial dependence of parents is evidenced with documents; age rules apply to children.
The medical check is required of everyone in the application and is done at accredited centres.
08 / The limits
What the status does not give
Five limits worth knowing before the transaction.
Citizenship is all but out of reachThe programme gives residence, not a passport
The UAE grants citizenship in exceptional cases. A passport should not be counted on through an investment programme.
The status is tied to the assetSelling the property affects the visa
Residence rests on owning the property. On a sale the status is reconsidered, so the exit is planned in advance.
Schengen on a visaUAE residence gives no visa-free entry to the EU
Unlike the European programmes, the status opens no free entry to the Schengen area — a visa has to be obtained separately.
The tax advantage requires a moveZero per cent is for residents
The absence of income tax works if you become a tax resident of the UAE. Your former residence has to be closed properly.
The cost of keeping the propertyNot part of the programme’s quotation
Maintenance, utilities and community fees are paid separately and are not part of the investment threshold.
09 / Your team
Who runs your case
The work is led by specialists in the Gulf programmes and in bank compliance.
The editorial record
The material was prepared and checked by
- First published
- 11 August 2026
- Last updated
- 11 August 2026
The official sources
- The Golden Visa — the official UAE Government portalThe United Arab Emirates Government · checked 11.08.2026The terms on which the long-term residence visa is granted and the categories of applicant.
- The Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship of the UAEICP — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security · checked 11.08.2026How applications are filed, the medical check and the issue of the Emirates ID.
- The Dubai Land DepartmentDubai Land Department · checked 11.08.2026The registration of property transactions and proof of the price of the property.
10 / Common questions
Questions about the Golden Visa of the UAE
How much has to be invested?
AED 2,000,000 in property. The threshold is one per application and does not depend on the number of family members.
How long is the status granted for?
The residence visa is issued for 10 years from the start and renewed without any elaborate procedure.
Do I have to live in the UAE?
There is no requirement to live there. But for tax purposes residence is evidenced by actual presence.
Is it true that there is no tax?
The UAE has no personal income tax, no capital gains tax and no inheritance tax. The advantage is realised once you take tax residence in the UAE.
Who is covered by the status?
A spouse, children and dependent parents. New members of the family can be added after the visa has been granted.
May the property be sold?
Yes, but residence rests on ownership: on a sale the status is reconsidered. The exit is planned in advance.
How long does the process take?
1-2 months with a complete set of documents — one of the shortest among the investment programmes.
Does the status give access to the Schengen area?
No. Unlike the European programmes, UAE residence opens no visa-free entry to the EU.
Free of charge
Take the guide and a quotation for your family
We will send the PDF with the terms of the programme and a budget calculation for your family.
- The investment threshold and the requirements on the property
- The budget with the registration fees
- How the zero tax works and what it takes
- Who can be in the application and how the process runs