How much does the UAE Golden Visa cost in total?

The qualifying investment is the large number: AED 2,000,000 in property or an equivalent qualifying business or fund position. Government and processing charges for the visa itself run to a few thousand dirhams per person, covering the entry permit, status change, medical fitness test, Emirates ID and visa stamping. Our professional fee is quoted separately and upfront.

Is the AED 2 million a fee or an investment?

It is an investment you continue to own. Unlike a Caribbean contribution, the property or fund position remains your asset and can appreciate, generate rent, and eventually be sold, subject to keeping the qualifying threshold in place while the visa is current.

What does it cost to add a spouse and children?

Dependants are sponsored under the main holder. Each dependant carries their own entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and stamping charges, and there is no additional investment threshold for family members. Domestic staff can also be sponsored, at their own cost.

Are there recurring costs after approval?

Yes, and they are routinely left out of quotes. Budget for Emirates ID renewal, health insurance, which is mandatory for residents, property service charges if the qualifying asset is real estate, and the renewal cycle itself every ten years.

Can the property be mortgaged?

A mortgaged property can qualify where the equity meets the threshold and the lender is an approved UAE bank, subject to current rules. Off-plan purchases are treated differently from completed handover units. We confirm the current position on your specific unit before you commit.

Cost breakdown

What the UAE Golden Visa really costs

Separating the qualifying investment you keep from the government charges you spend, plus the recurring costs that only appear after you have moved.

The UAE Golden Visa is unusual among premium residence routes because the headline figure is not a fee. AED 2,000,000 placed into qualifying Dubai property remains your asset: it can be rented, it can appreciate, and it can be sold once the visa position has been restructured. What you actually spend is the government and processing layer, which is measured in thousands of dirhams rather than millions.

That distinction matters most to American and European buyers comparing the UAE with Caribbean citizenship, where the contribution is genuinely gone the moment it clears. Different instruments, different arithmetic.

Line by line

Every charge on a Golden Visa file

Indicative government ranges current for 2026. Amounts vary by emirate, by route and by whether you are applying inside or outside the country.

UAE Golden Visa cost lines
Item	Basis	Indicative amount
Qualifying property or fund investment	Retained asset, not a fee	AED 2,000,000
Entry permit and status change	Per applicant	AED 1,100 to 2,300
Medical fitness test	Per applicant over 18	AED 320 to 750
Emirates ID, ten years	Per applicant	AED 1,150
Visa issuance and stamping	Per applicant	AED 500 to 1,200
Property registration and DLD fees	Property route only, on purchase	4% of value plus admin
Mandatory health insurance	Annual, per person	From AED 800
Our professional fee	Fixed, invoiced on engagement	Quoted upfront

Government charges are set by UAE authorities and can change without notice. We reconfirm every line at filing and pass them through at cost.

Where the budget goes wrong

Four costs people forget

Service charges on the qualifying property

Dubai service charges are billed per square foot annually and vary enormously by tower. On a AED 2m apartment they are a meaningful recurring line, not a rounding error.

Health insurance for every dependant

Residency requires valid UAE health cover. For a family of four this is an annual commitment that continues for as long as the residence does.

Maintaining the qualifying position

Selling the property or dropping below the threshold while the visa is live can put the residence at risk. Plan the exit before you plan the purchase.

Tax residency is not automatic

Holding the visa does not by itself make you tax resident in the UAE, and for US citizens it changes nothing about worldwide filing. Both need separate advice.

See the full UAE Golden Visa program page, the Dubai and UAE advisory hub, or the property checklist for qualifying units.

Questions

Cost questions we are asked most

How much does the UAE Golden Visa cost in total?: The qualifying investment is the large number: AED 2,000,000 in property or an equivalent qualifying business or fund position. Government and processing charges for the visa itself run to a few thousand dirhams per person, covering the entry permit, status change, medical fitness test, Emirates ID and visa stamping. Our professional fee is quoted separately and upfront.
Is the AED 2 million a fee or an investment?: It is an investment you continue to own. Unlike a Caribbean contribution, the property or fund position remains your asset and can appreciate, generate rent, and eventually be sold, subject to keeping the qualifying threshold in place while the visa is current.
What does it cost to add a spouse and children?: Dependants are sponsored under the main holder. Each dependant carries their own entry permit, medical, Emirates ID and stamping charges, and there is no additional investment threshold for family members. Domestic staff can also be sponsored, at their own cost.
Are there recurring costs after approval?: Yes, and they are routinely left out of quotes. Budget for Emirates ID renewal, health insurance, which is mandatory for residents, property service charges if the qualifying asset is real estate, and the renewal cycle itself every ten years.
Can the property be mortgaged?: A mortgaged property can qualify where the equity meets the threshold and the lender is an approved UAE bank, subject to current rules. Off-plan purchases are treated differently from completed handover units. We confirm the current position on your specific unit before you commit.

Next step

Get a costed Golden Visa plan for your family

Send us the route you are considering and the family members involved. You receive a written breakdown with our fee shown separately from every government charge.