The UAE Golden visa is a 10-year, self-sponsored residence for property owners, skilled professionals, investors, entrepreneurs, outstanding talent, scientists, top students and frontline heroes. Our Golden visa services in Dubai and across the UAE cover the eligibility check, the attestation and Arabic legal translation of your certificates, and the application with ICP or GDRFA until your visa and Emirates ID are issued.
Most Golden visa files that stall do so for a paperwork reason, not an eligibility one: a degree without UAE embassy attestation, a marriage certificate nobody translated, a title deed in joint names with no explanation of the shares. Those are exactly the parts we handle in-house.
Golden Visa Eligibility at a Glance: 8 Categories
The table sums up the eight main categories as the UAE government describes them. Only two figures appear on this page because they are fixed and widely published: AED 2M for property and a AED 30,000 monthly salary for skilled professionals. Every other threshold is checked against the rule in force on the day you apply.
| Category | Who qualifies | Key documents | Attestation or translation | Usually endorsed or filed by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Property investors | UAE property worth AED 2M or more (joint, mortgaged and off-plan cases have extra conditions) | Title deed, bank letter if mortgaged | Rarely needed for UAE title deeds | Dubai Land Department in Dubai; the emirate's land authority elsewhere, then ICP or GDRFA |
| Skilled professionals | AED 30,000 monthly salary, bachelor's degree, job at MOHRE skill level 1 or 2 | Employment contract, salary certificate, degree | Degree attested; equivalency where the authority asks | MOHRE classification, then ICP or GDRFA |
| Entrepreneurs | Owner or founder of an approved or successful project (threshold confirmed at application) | Trade license, project approval, audit or business plan | Company papers issued abroad attested and translated into Arabic | Endorsement from the relevant UAE authority, depending on the route |
| Public investors and company owners | Qualifying deposit, fund or company capital (threshold confirmed at application) | Bank letter, trade license, memorandum of association | Foreign company documents attested and translated | ICP or GDRFA; ADRO nomination in Abu Dhabi |
| Outstanding talent (creators, artists, athletes, inventors, doctors, teachers) | Endorsement from the relevant federal or local authority | Endorsement letter, portfolio, awards, license to practise | Foreign certificates attested and translated | Culture, sport, health or education authority, then ICP or GDRFA |
| Scientists and researchers | Recognized scientific achievement or research record | Recommendation, PhD, publications | PhD and supporting certificates attested | Endorsement from the relevant UAE authority |
| Outstanding students and graduates | Top school or university results and a nomination | Transcripts, school or university letter | Certificates from foreign universities attested | MOHESR (degrees), the Ministry of Education (school results) or the university, then ICP or GDRFA |
| Frontline heroes and humanitarian pioneers | Nomination for exceptional service or humanitarian work | Nomination letter, service record | Supporting certificates issued abroad attested | The nominating federal or local authority |
What a Golden Visa Changes for You
- Ten years of residence, renewable while you still meet the condition of your category.
- No employer or local sponsor: you sponsor yourself, so changing jobs does not touch your residence.
- Your family for the same period: spouse and children, and in many cases parents, under wider rules than a standard residence.
- Household staff: Golden visa holders can sponsor domestic workers under the conditions in force.
- Time abroad: the visa is built for long-term residents and is generally not tied to the usual stay-abroad limit of a standard residence. We check the current rule for your case.
Golden Visa in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah
The Golden visa is a federal program, but the office you deal with depends on the emirate you live in and, for property, where the property is registered.
- Dubai: residents file with GDRFA Dubai. Property owners usually start with the Dubai Land Department, which checks the title deed and value before the residence application. Our Al Twar office handles Dubai files.
- Abu Dhabi: the residence is issued through ICP, and many categories are nominated through the Abu Dhabi Residents Office (ADRO) first. See our Hamdan Street office.
- Sharjah: ICP processes the residence. Property owners need the title deed registered in Sharjah and the value accepted by the emirate. Our Al Majaz office prepares the file.
- Ras Al Khaimah: also ICP. RAK property owners and RAK-based professionals use the same federal categories, and our Al Nakheel office stays open until 10 pm on weekdays.
The official category descriptions are on u.ae and the ICP website; Dubai property owners can also check the Dubai Land Department.
Which Certificates Need Attestation for a Golden Visa
Everyone starts with the same basics: a passport valid for at least six months, a recent photo, your current visa and Emirates ID if you already live here, and valid health insurance. On top of that:
- Degree certificates (professionals, doctors, teachers, graduates) are attested in the issuing country and by the UAE embassy there, which now completes the UAE MOFA attestation digitally. Some professions also need an equivalency certificate. See degree certificate attestation.
- Marriage and birth certificates for the family are attested the same way and, if they are not in Arabic, translated by a legal translator.
- Company documents issued abroad (investors, entrepreneurs), such as certificates of incorporation, board resolutions or audited accounts, need attestation and an Arabic translation.
- UAE-issued papers such as a title deed, trade license or salary certificate usually go in as they are.
Our MOJ-certified legal translators do the legal translation into Arabic, and the attestation runs in the same file. The checklist of documents to attest for a UAE visa goes through the country routes.
From First Message to Emirates ID: How We Run a Golden Visa File
- Tell us your route. Send your passport and one line about your situation (salary, property, company, award) on WhatsApp. We reply with the category that fits and what is missing.
- Get the written quote within 10–30 minutes. It lists our service and each government fee, so nothing is added later.
- Documents. We collect originals from your home or office where needed, then attest and translate them.
- Nomination. Where your category needs one (Dubai Land Department for Dubai property, ADRO in Abu Dhabi, the endorsing authority for talent), we prepare and submit that request first.
- Residence application with GDRFA or ICP, tracked online so you can see each stage.
- Medical and biometrics. We book the medical fitness test where it applies and the Emirates ID appointment; the card arrives by courier.
Adding Your Family and Household Staff
Once your Golden visa is approved, your spouse and children can be sponsored for the same period, and parents can often be added. Each person needs a passport, a photo and an attested relationship document: the marriage certificate for a spouse and birth certificates for children, translated into Arabic where the authority asks. Age and status rules for sons and daughters are wider for Golden visa holders, and we confirm them for your family. The family visa and spouse visa pages cover the family-side documents.
Renewing a Golden Visa
Renewal follows the logic of the first application: you must still meet your category's condition, whether that is owning the qualifying property or earning the qualifying salary. Keep health insurance valid, start before expiry and renew family members in the same request. If you sold the property or changed jobs, tell us before renewal, because a different category may now fit better.
Last checked: 29 September 2026 against the Golden visa categories published on u.ae and by ICP.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is the UAE Golden visa valid?
Ten years, renewable as long as you still meet the condition of your category.
What salary do I need for a Golden visa as an employee?
Skilled professionals need a monthly salary of AED 30,000, a bachelor's degree and a job classified at MOHRE skill level 1 or 2. The professionals page has the full checklist.
Can I get a Golden visa by buying property in Dubai?
Yes. Property in the UAE worth AED 2M or more is one of the main routes. In Dubai the Dubai Land Department checks the deed first. Joint ownership, mortgaged and off-plan property each carry extra conditions, which we confirm at application.
Can doctors, nurses and teachers get a Golden visa?
Yes, through dedicated routes with their own conditions. See the pages for doctors and nurses and teachers.
Can my family be included in my Golden visa?
Yes. Your spouse and children can be sponsored, and parents in many cases. Their relationship certificates must be attested and, where required, translated into Arabic.
Do I need to attest my degree for a Golden visa?
For the professional, doctor, teacher and graduate routes, yes. A degree issued abroad goes through the home-country authentication and the UAE embassy, which now includes the MOFA step.
Can I start the application from outside the UAE?
Several categories allow the nomination to start while you are abroad, but the medical test and biometrics are completed in the UAE. We confirm the order for your category.
Is a Golden visa better than a Green visa?
It depends on your profile. The Golden visa runs for ten years and the Green visa for five, with different conditions. Our Golden vs Green visa comparison sets them side by side.
How much does the Golden visa service cost?
Government fees depend on the category and the number of family members. Your written quote lists every fee and our service charge before you pay anything.
