The UAE Golden Visaby investment

An account with a local bank is convenient — and sometimes necessary — for paying the upkeep of the property and the utilities. The banks check the origin of funds and the connection with the UAE, and some require a personal visit. We prepare the file in advance — it is a separate service, and no intermediary can guarantee an account is opened.

Yes, an owner may let their home. The contract is registered in the emirate’s system and the income is declared under the rules of your country of tax residency. Preparing the property, finding a tenant and controlling the payments can be taken on under a separate agreement.

No. The visa gives the right to live in the country, but tax residency is confirmed separately — by days of presence and the availability of housing, with a certificate issued. While you remain a resident of another country, its rules continue to apply. We go through this before the transaction.

The visa is renewed while the grounds are kept: the property in ownership and compliance with the requirements as at the date of renewal. The conditions of the programme may change — so before renewal we check the current rules rather than relying on those in force at filing.

Parents and other relatives can be arranged on separate sponsored visas if the requirements as to income and housing are met. That is not part of the basic investor pack: we go through the family composition and the possible visas at the consultation.

The requirements as to the form of ownership are strict: as a rule the property must be registered to the applicant as an individual. Ownership through a company is considered separately and does not always qualify. We check this before the deposit is paid, because a mistake at that step costs the whole transaction.

Residence visas carry a requirement not to be absent from the country for longer than a set continuous period — otherwise the status may be cancelled. For the golden visa the rules are milder than for ordinary residence visas, but the entries still have to be watched. We give the exact periods for your type of visa.

Payments usually go in dirhams, and the transfer goes through the developer’s bank or an escrow account for new builds. The banks check the origin of funds, so we prepare the documents in advance — otherwise the payment gets stuck in compliance.

There is no capital gains tax for individuals in the UAE, but the emirate’s land department fees are paid on the transaction. We work out any tax consequences in your country of residency separately — that is where the question most often arises.

From 2,000,000 dirhams — around $545,000. The threshold can be met with one or several properties. The alternative options are a term deposit with a UAE bank for the same amount or a shareholding in a company worth from 2,000,000 dirhams.

Yes, on certain conditions. On a mortgage the paid share counts — it must be at least the threshold, and the bank confirms it. Off-plan properties qualify if the developer is approved and the money goes through an escrow account.

The programme does not require permanent residence. But the status is maintained by entries: a long absence without a single entry puts the visa in question. We check the exact periods as at the date of the process — the ICP rules change.

No. That is a fundamental difference from the European programmes: a visa is needed for the Schengen countries. UAE resident status makes it simpler to obtain, but it does not give visa-free entry.

There is no personal income tax, no capital gains tax and no inheritance tax. Since June 2023 a corporate tax of 9% has applied to companies with profit above the set threshold, and there is VAT of 5%. For an individual the benefit works on a move of tax residency — the previous one has to be closed properly.

A spouse by registered marriage, sons up to 25, daughters until they marry, children with a disability with no age limit and dependent parents. A separate visa, medical check and Emirates ID are arranged for each.

The status is reconsidered: residency rests on owning the asset. We plan a sale in advance — usually together with the purchase of a new property, so that the threshold is kept continuously.

1-2 months from the transaction to the issue of the visa and the Emirates ID. It is the shortest timeline among the investment programmes we work with.

Practically not. Citizenship is granted in exceptional cases by decision of the authorities and is not connected with investment programmes. You should not count on a passport through this visa.

The community fees, the utilities and the maintenance are paid separately and do not count towards the investment threshold. Their size depends on the property, so we include the upkeep in the overall budget before the transaction.