Retirement Visa in UAE

The retirement visa in the UAE is a 5-year, renewable residence for people aged 55 and over who have stopped working, with no employer or family sponsor needed. It is open to long-term residents retiring here and to retirees moving to the UAE, and it is based on savings, a regular income or property rather than a salary. Wordcraft checks which route you meet and files the application.

Who Qualifies After 55

• Age: generally 55 or over at the time of application.
• One financial route: savings, a regular monthly income (such as a pension), or property owned in the UAE, or a combination the rules allow. The amounts for each route are set by the authorities and confirmed at application.
• Long service: a long working history in the UAE is also considered under the rules in force.
• Health insurance accepted in the UAE for the whole term, and a passport valid for at least six more months.

If you own UAE property worth AED 2M or more, compare the Golden visa for property investors, which gives ten years instead of five and is not tied to age.

Dubai vs the Other Emirates

Dubai runs its own retirement programme, processed with the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA), while the other emirates follow the federal rules through the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP). The core idea is the same (age plus a financial route), but the way savings, income and property are assessed, and the documents each authority asks for, can differ. We tell you which authority handles your case, based on where you live or own property, and prepare the file to its requirements.

Documents for a Retirement Visa

• Passport copy and a recent photo
• Current visa and Emirates ID, if you already live in the UAE
• Savings route: a bank letter or deposit certificate
• Income route: pension or income statements, and bank statements showing the regular payments
• Property route: title deed or ownership certificate
• Health insurance with UAE coverage
• Attested marriage certificate for a spouse joining you

Pension letters and bank documents issued abroad in a language other than Arabic or English usually need a certified translation, which our team completes in-house.

How We File a Retirement Visa

1. Route check: send your passport and a summary of your savings, pension or property on WhatsApp; we tell you which route fits.
2. Quote: within 10–30 minutes, once we see which financial route you are using.
3. Documents: we prepare the file, translate foreign documents and attest your marriage certificate if your spouse is joining you.
4. Application: submitted to GDRFA or ICP with the bank or property evidence.
5. Status change or entry: if you are already a resident, your employment visa is replaced in the right order so there is no gap; see visa cancellation.
6. Medical and Emirates ID: we arrange both and send the card to your home.

Family, Insurance and Renewal

A retirement visa holder can usually sponsor a spouse, and in some cases children, under the conditions in force. Each family member needs an attested relationship document; see family visa. Keep your health insurance valid throughout, as it is checked at renewal. The visa is renewed every five years if you still meet the financial route, so keep the savings, income or property in place. For every other option, see our visa services.

Retiree residence conditions are summarized on u.ae, with applications through GDRFA Dubai or ICP.

Last checked: 29 September 2026 against ICP and GDRFA guidance on the retiree residence.

Frequently Asked Questions