As per the regulations of the Dubai Land Department, individuals who purchase a property in Dubai of minimum value of AED 1,000,000 are entitled to apply for a UAE residence visa.

The property must be a freehold property (located in a freehold area) and not under construction (off-plan) as it must be in a habitable condition. Investors who lease properties, including 99-year lease agreements, are not eligible to apply for the relevant residence visa as they are not considered as the rightful owners of such properties.

Types of property accepted when submitting the Property Investment Visa application include, apartments, serviced apartments, villas/townhouses, hotel apartments, hotel rooms and commercial properties such as offices and warehouses.

Property Investment Residence Visa options available for investors are as follows:

  • 6-month multiple entry visa: considered as a 'tourist visa', whereby the investor will not be granted the Emirates Identity Card ('Emirates ID'). The value of the purchased property(ies) must be of at least AED 1,000,000 (low fees and short processing time, if applying for this option).
  • 3-Year Visa: the investor will receive all the perks of being a Resident in Dubai, such as being grated the Emirates ID. The value of the purchased property(ies) must be at least AED 1,000,000.
  • 5-Year Visa: the investor will receive all the perks of being a Resident in Dubai, such as being grated the Emirates ID. The value of the purchased property(ies) must be at least AED 5,000,000 (it is important that the property(ies) must not under any circumstances be mortgaged).

It should be noted that the above options are Residence Visas, so the investors applying (including sponsored family members) will not be permitted to work within the UAE.

The Regulations of the Dubai Land Department are constantly updated and the relevant requirements may vary.

Originally published 07 May 2020.

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