How can I apply for an investor visa in Dubai?
Are you an investor looking to invest in the UAE? With a host of options offered through the UAE’s visa schemes, you can apply for the right visa and become a long-term resident in the UAE.
Want to find out how? Check out this article below.
Investors and entrepreneurs can apply for a residence visa in the UAE through the following:
- Dubai Investor Visa: As an investor, you can be eligible to apply for a residence visa through investments in residential property or in a company.
- Golden Visa for Investors
- Retirement Visa
- Green Visa
Dubai Investor or Partner Visa:
According to Invest in Dubai, the following options are available to investors looking to apply for residency in the UAE through the Dubai Investor Visa:
Investment through a residential property: Individuals who have invested in residential property worth AED 1 million or more can be eligible to apply for a Dubai Investor Visa. The main criteria for this type of visa are that a maximum of 50% of the property value should be under a mortgage and that the investment must be made in a single residential property, not commercial property. Moreover, it is important to note that this visa is applicable to freehold residential properties; off-plan property owners will not be able to apply for the Investor Visa.
In the case where a property is jointly owned, investors can still be eligible to apply for the Dubai Investor visa provided each individual’s share is worth at least AED 1 million. The total validity of the visa can range between three and five years and can be valid for as long as the investor owns property in the UAE.
Investment in a company: Investors who have invested in or have started a business in Dubai’s mainland or Free Zone can also be eligible to apply for the Investor Visa. The minimum capital requirement as an investor in a company would be buying shares in an existing company worth at least AED 72,000 or establishing a company with a capital investment worth the same amount.
Golden Visa:
In the latest amendments to the UAE visa scheme, there were various benefits announced for the Golden Visa scheme that will come into effect from September 2022. Investors and entrepreneurs who meet the criteria set by the UAE government can also be eligible for the 10-year residency permit: the Golden Visa.
Some of the updates announced for the Golden Visa include but are not limited to:
- A long-term, renewable visa valid for 10 years
- No requirement for an employment sponsor
- Ability to stay outside the UAE for more than six months
- Ability to sponsor family members including spouse and children
- Sponsoring domestic helpers
Eligibility requirements for a Golden Visa
Investing in real estate:
- As an investor, you can be eligible to apply for a Golden Visa when you purchase a property worth at least AED 2 million.
- Investors buying one or more off-plan properties of no less than AED 2 million from approved local real estate companies can also be eligible to apply for the Golden Visa.
- Investors can now also be eligible to apply for a Golden Visa when purchasing a property with a loan from approved specific local banks.
Entrepreneurs:
- Any entrepreneur who is an owner of or partner in a startup registered in the UAE in the SME industry. The annual revenue of the startup should not be less than AED 1 million.
- If an entrepreneur is the sole or one of the founders of an existing project that was sold with a total value of not less than AED 7 million.
Retirement visa:
You can also choose to retire in Dubai as an investor with Dubai’s Retirement Visa. Launched by Dubai’s GDRFA (General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs), you can be eligible to apply for this 5-year retirement visa if you meet the following eligibility criteria.
- You must be at least 55 years old
- Earn a sustainable income of at least AED 180,000 a year or AED 15,000 a month
- Have a three-year fixed deposit of AED 1 million
- Have an unmortgaged property of AED 1 million or a mortgaged property for which the payment to date is at least AED 1 million
- A combination of a fixed deposit or a mortgaged or unmortgaged property with a value of at least AED 1 million in the three-year fixed deposit or a property investment of AED 500,000.
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