Residence for you, your team and your family
Your company sponsors your investor visa, then your staff and family. Investors and specialists who qualify can apply for the ten-year Golden Visa.
Facts checked October and November 2026 against the official sources listed below.
2 guides, each with its timeline and official sources
Every residence starts with a licensed company or a qualifying investment. The steps are the same in every emirate: entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID and residence.
Residence visas
Once your company holds its licence and establishment card, it can sponsor you as owner or partner, then your staff. Your own residence lets you sponsor your family with...
- AED 1m
- Paid share for the 5-year Green Visa for investors in Dubai
- 2 years
- Validity of a standard employment visa, renewable
Golden Visa
The Golden Visa is a 10-year renewable residence with no employer sponsor. Holders can sponsor their family and are not bound by the usual six-month limit on time outside...
- AED 2m
- Minimum investment or property value
- 10 years
- Validity, renewable
The numbers that matter
Each figure links to the official source it comes from.
| Guide | Figure | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Residence visas | AED 1m | Paid share for the 5-year Green Visa for investors in Dubai1 |
| 2 years | Validity of a standard employment visa, renewable3 | |
| AED 4,000 | Monthly salary to sponsor a spouse and children5 | |
| AED 320 | Basic health insurance a year per employee, paid by the employer4 | |
| Golden Visa | AED 2m | Minimum investment or property value6 |
| 10 years | Validity, renewable6 | |
| AED 9,884.75 | Total fees in Dubai for the property route17 | |
| 7 to 10 | Business days to process the property route in Dubai17 |
Step by step, with published timeframes
Green steps are handled by a government authority. Plan your own dates with the setup timeline planner.
Common questions about visas
How many visas can my company sponsor?
In a free zone it depends on the licence package and the space you lease: a RAKEZ flexi desk allows one visa, while a dedicated desk at Masdar City allows up to four. Ask for the quota before you sign the lease.10,11 Residence visas guide
Can I sponsor my family without a job?
Yes, if you hold your own residence, for example as an investor or partner, and meet the salary or income rules.5 Residence visas guide
Can I get a Golden Visa through my own company?
Yes, through the public investor route: a company with capital of AED 2 million, a share of that value, or a company paying at least AED 250,000 a year in federal taxes.6 Golden Visa guide
Is the property Golden Visa 5 or 10 years?
ICP and the Dubai Land Department issue the property route for 10 years; the UAE Government Portal still mentions 5 years. Check the current term when you apply.6,16,17 Golden Visa guide
Sources, checked October and November 2026
- GDRFA Dubai: Green residence for investors and partners
- ICP: Green residence for investors and partners
- UAE Government Portal: Work visa
- MOHRE: The basic health insurance scheme
- UAE Government Portal: Residence visa for family members
- ICP: UAE Golden Residency
- UAE Government Portal: Work permits
- GDRFA Dubai: Residence for parents
- UAE Government Portal: Recruiting in free zones
- RAKEZ: FAQs
- Masdar City Free Zone: Leasing options
- ICP: Green entry permit for investors and partners
- UAE Government Portal: Medical fitness test for residence, MOHAP (PDF)
- Dubai Health Authority: Smart Salem medical fitness service (PDF)
- UAE Government Portal: Recruiting on the mainland
- UAE Government Portal: Golden visa
- Dubai Land Department: Request for Golden Visa (investor)
- GDRFA Dubai: Golden residence for real estate and public investors
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