Dubai has established itself as the preferred destination for international real estate investors thanks to its long-term residency program through the Golden Visa. This visa allows foreigners to reside legally for a full decade without the need for an employment sponsor, automatically renewable upon completion of the period. The Emirati government launched this initiative in 2019 to attract global capital and qualified professionals who contribute to the country’s economic development.
The minimum investment required to qualify amounts to two million Emirati dirhams (approximately $545,000), a figure that can be reached through the acquisition of individual properties or by combining several real estate units. However, off-plan properties present additional advantages over completed developments, as the requirements to obtain the visa become more flexible when the project reaches 30% construction.
Updated Requirements for Golden Visa Through Properties
The Emirati residency program establishes specific criteria for real estate investors seeking the Golden Visa. The property must be free of mortgage charges or, in case of financing, the applicant must have paid at least 50% of the total value to the bank or developer. This flexibility allows investors to access the visa even during early construction phases.
For off-plan developments, it is sufficient to make the initial payment of 10% of the property value, add the 4% corresponding to Dubai Land Department fees, and for the project to reach a minimum of 30% construction progress. Therefore, buying off-plan becomes an accessible strategy to obtain legal residency before construction is completely finished.
Exclusive Advantages of the Residency Program
✓ Automatic renewal after ten years are completed without complex bureaucratic procedures
✓ Family inclusion for spouses, children, and domestic staff under the same main visa
✓ Unlimited entry to the country without mandatory minimum annual stay restrictions
✓ 100% business ownership without the need for local partners to establish businesses
✓ Banking access facilitated for account opening and additional mortgage financing
The absence of personal income taxes represents another significant incentive, while the corporate tax remains at 9%. Additionally, visa holders enjoy international mobility without losing their residency status, even when living long periods outside the United Arab Emirates.
Five Off-Plan Developments with Guaranteed Eligibility
Dubai Investment Park leads the available options, combining economic accessibility with strategic logistical infrastructure. This industrial hub offers residential units starting from 750,000 dirhams that, when combined with other properties, quickly reach the two million threshold required for the ten-year visa. Its location near Al Maktoum International Airport boosts future returns through capital appreciation.
Business Bay presents off-plan towers with scheduled delivery between 2026 and 2027, whose prices average 1.8 million dirhams per two-bedroom apartment. Dubai Marina maintains exclusive waterfront projects with values starting from 2.3 million, individually exceeding the Golden Visa requirement without the need for additional purchases. Jumeirah Village Circle stands out for combined opportunities: three units of 700,000 dirhams each easily add up to the necessary investment.
Simplified Application Process and Timelines
Investors must initiate the process by obtaining a six-month multiple-entry visa, valid for managing the real estate purchase in person. After signing the property deed before the Dubai Land Department, the formal process begins, which includes mandatory medical examination, biometric registration for Emirates ID, and payment of government fees. The average timeframe ranges between 30 and 60 days from complete documentation submission until the final issuance of the residency stamp in the passport.
Current residents of the United Arab Emirates experience reduced times of approximately three months, while applicants from abroad require four months on average. Emirati institutional transparency guarantees regulatory predictability, a factor that reinforces the confidence of international capital compared to other jurisdictions with frequent regulatory changes.
