Dubai Golden Visa Cost: Fees and Requirements

The Dubai Golden Visa, or the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Golden Visa, is a multiple-entry residence visa valid for up to 10 years. Even though it’s primarily intended for investors, the visa is available to multiple categories of applicants, causing its eligibility requirements and cost to vary greatly.

In this article, we’ll provide insights into the Dubai Golden Visa costs, detailing their structure and expected amounts. We’ll also discuss category-specific financial requirements and the visa application process. 

How Much Does the Dubai Golden Visa Cost?

The total cost of your Dubai Golden Visa depends on several factors, such as the approved length of residence and your applicant category. 

However, to initiate the Golden Visa process through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP), you will be expected to cover basic service fees, including:

Type of Fee	Cost
Request fee	AED 100
Issuance fee	AED 100
E-Services fee	AED 28
ICP fee	AED 22
Smart Services fee	AED 100

Additionally, the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs-Dubai (GDRFA) charges the following fees on all applications:

Type of Fee	Cost
Residence permit fee	AED 1100
Knowledge fee	AED 10
Innovation fee	AED 10
Fee for applications within the country	AED 500
Delivery fee	AED 20

For every year of residency above two, the total fees increase by another AED 100. 

Dubai Golden Visa Category-Based Costs and Fees

Your applicant category affects the costs and fees of a UAE Golden Visa in two ways:

1. Some categories have specific monetary eligibility criteria, such as a minimum investment requirement
2. Each category imposes fees related to the particular documents necessary for submitting an application

In the continuation, you will learn about the requirement costs and document fees for the following application categories:

1. Property investors
2. Bonds investors
3. Investors in public investments
4. Entrepreneurs
5. Exceptional talents

Property Investors

When applying for a Dubai Golden Visa under this category, the property value requirement is AED 2 million. You can either purchase the property with your own funds or secure a loan from an approved local bank.

To prove the value of your property, you may be required to provide an official Property Valuation Certificate, issued by the Dubai Land Department (DLD). Prices for the document vary depending on the type of property you own, and whether you apply for it through a Real Estate Services Trustee Center, which can add a fee of its own:

Property Type	Fee	Service Partner Fee
Vacant land for a major real estate project	AED 10,000	AED 430 + VAT
Residential apartment	AED 4,000	AED 230 + VAT
A hotel building with the land on which it is built	AED 15,000	AED 530 + VAT
Agricultural land and the building on it	AED 6,000	/

You’ll also be charged an AED 10 knowledge fee and an AED 10 innovation fee.

Bonds Investors

You can apply for a UAE Golden Visa if you’ve invested at least AED 2 million in local bonds. The acceptable types of bonds include both government bonds and Sukuks, Islamic bonds. 

As proof of sufficient funds, your bank can issue you an account balance certificate. The fee for issuing the certificate is typically AED 52.50.

Investors in Public Investments

As a business investor in Dubai, you can apply for a UAE Golden Visa if you meet one of the following conditions:

• Submit a letter from an investment fund accredited in the UAE stating that you have a deposit of AED 2 million
• Submit a valid commercial licence or industrial licence and a memorandum of association stating that the capital is not less than AED 2 million
• Submit a letter from Federal Tax Authority stating that you’ll pay the government no less than AED 250,000 (two hundred and fifty thousand) annually

Note that you must own the investment capital; it must not be a loan.

Some of the documents you might need for your application, such as a trade license and tax registration, should be readily available as part of business registration or regular business operation. The ones that might require additional effort to obtain include:

• A certified financial report from a locally-approved auditor, which can cost from AED 1,200 for a small business to tens of thousands for a large company
• A certificate issued by a Free Zone, showing the company’s capital and your share in it

A more straightforward way to qualify for the Dubai Golden Visa under the investors category is to make a direct bank deposit of at least AED 2 million in an approved UAE bank. You must not withdraw funds for two years to maintain eligibility as early withdrawals may result in visa cancellation.

To apply for the Dubai Golden Visa with a direct bank deposit, you must submit an official document from the bank where you deposited the funds confirming they are in a locked-in status. 

Entrepreneurs

The Dubai Golden Visa for entrepreneurs allows you to live and work in the country for up to five years if you can prove the ownership of successful innovative projects. The eligibility criteria for this pathway are one of the following:

• An auditor in the UAE stating that the project value is not less than AED 500,000
• The authorities in the emirate stating that the project is of a technical or future-oriented nature
• An accredited business incubator in the UAE establishing the proposed activity in the country

Exceptional Talents

The Exceptional Talents is a category under which scientists, doctors, company executives, inventors, cultural workers, and athletes can apply for a Dubai Golden Visa.

This pathway doesn’t have a specific financial requirement, except if you’re a company executive. In that case, you’ll have to provide evidence that your salary is at least AED 30,000 per month.

Additional Costs When Applying for a Dubai Golden Visa 

Besides the administrative, processing, and category-specific fees, you should account for additional fees that will add to the costs of your UAE Golden Visa application:

• Medical examination fee: The medical examination is a standard part of the application process, and the current price is AED 700 
• National ID card fee: The card costs AED 100 per year of residency, plus an AED 100 Smart Service fee. This amounts to AED 600 for a five-year residency, or AED 1100 for a 10-year residency 
• Health insurance: Health insurance is mandatory in Dubai, with plans starting at around AED 1000 per year for the most basic plans, and increasing based on coverage and additional options

Mapping the Costs of the Dubai Golden Visa Application Process

The application process for a Dubai Golden Visa has multiple steps, and each comes with a set of potential costs. Mapping out the expenses can help you plan and avoid missing any important fees and requirements. 

The steps of the process include:

1. Determining the best application route
2. Gathering the necessary documents and applying
3. Sponsoring dependents

Determining the Best Application Route

During this stage, the focus should be on finding the route that fits your long-term goals and circumstances. For example, choosing one of the investor categories entails considering the costs of setting up your investment. If you want to purchase a property, you may expect the following fees:

• Transfer of Registration fee: 4% of the property price, sometimes split between seller and buyer
• Service Partner fee: AED 4,000 + VAT
• Title deed issuance fee: AED 250

If you’re investing in a company, your expenses might include:

• Trade License fee: Starts at AED 1,070 for an eTrader License and can reach tens of thousands of dirhams
• Office space lease: Starts at AED 128/sq ft
• Trade name issuing fee: AED 620

You should also consider the availability of financing options that can make meeting the investment criteria easier. As an investor in public investments, you have to own the capital you’re using as the basis for Golden Visa eligibility. However, as a real estate investor, you may also finance the purchase of the property through a local bank’s loan.

Gathering the Necessary Documents and Applying

Most categories require preparing your photo and a copy of your passport. While you might come across some negligent costs there, preparing the rest of your documentation can be a resource-consuming process. 

Expenses you might encounter during this stage include: 

• Costs of issuing the required documents
• Attestation fees, such as attestation of educational records
• Translation fees for any document not originally in Arabic or English

After that, you will submit the documents as part of the application process. At this stage of the process, you will need to pay for the national ID card fees and the medical assessment.

Sponsoring Dependents

If you choose to sponsor dependents on your Dubai Golden Visa, you can expect to be charged some of the following fees during the process:

• Application processing fee
• Medical assessment fee
• National ID fee

Since health insurance is mandatory in Dubai, you should add it to your costs checklist for your dependents. 

Benefits of Getting a Dubai Golden Visa

Despite the costs of the investment and the fees, Dubai is still a popular destination for expats. Many high-net-worth individuals and entrepreneurs choose the Dubai Golden Visa to take advantage of the following benefits:

• Tax optimization: As a resident, you won’t be liable for personal income, capital gains, or inheritance tax, and will have access to foreign-business-friendly Dubai Free Zones
• Quality of life: Dubai is widely regarded for its high-quality healthcare, international education options, and shopping and entertainment offerings
• Ease of travel: The United Arab Emirates is an established global travel hub with connections to all continents. A UAE Golden Visa will allow you to take advantage of its position and leave the country for extended periods without losing your residential status 
• Safety: The United Arab Emirates is consistently graded as one of the safest places in the world, with a low crime rate

As appealing as these benefits are, navigating the UAE Golden Visa application process can be complex due to multiple pathways of obtaining the visa and a complex fee structure. Additionally, failure to account for every requirement and the associated fees may lead to delays in the process and additional costs. 

Working with an experienced consultancy can help mitigate those risks, which is why you should partner with Nomad Capitalist for your Dubai Golden Visa application process.

Optimize Your Dubai Golden Visa Costs With Nomad Capitalist

Nomad Capitalist has over a decade of experience helping clients navigate residency programs such as Dubai’s Golden Visa. We ensure you understand the requirements at every stage of the process and secure your visa status without surprises. 

If the Dubai Golden Visa is the right path for you, we will advise you on the best investment options and tax optimization strategies, helping you meet your overall financial and lifestyle goals. 

Once you fill out a form to ensure our services are the right match for your circumstances, we will do the following:

1. Schedule a 45-minute onboarding meeting to discuss your situation and goals in more detail
2. Develop an Action Plan and present it to you
3. Set the Plan in motion over the next 12 months, handling all of the administrative work
4. Provide lifelong support and updates to the Plan 

Our advisors can help you decide which of the application pathways is the best fit for your needs and ensure that you meet all the requirements. For comprehensive guidance through the residency-acquisition process, contact Nomad Capitalist today.