UAE Golden Visa for investors (public investments): the three routes to a 10-year residency
The public-investment Golden Visa as the ICP Golden Residency Guide states it: a 10-year residency through an AED 2 million fund deposit, AED 2 million company capital, or AED 250,000 in annual tax confirmed by the Federal Tax Authority. Documents, issuers, process and fees.
The short answer
You can obtain a 10-year Golden Visa as an investor in public investments through one of three routes on the ICP Golden Residency Guide: a deposit of at least AED 2 million confirmed by a letter from an accredited investment fund; ownership of a company with a valid commercial or industrial licence whose Memorandum of Association shows capital of at least AED 2 million; or a letter from the Federal Tax Authority confirming that you, as owner or partner, pay taxes of at least AED 250,000 a year. This category is distinct from the real-estate investor category, which the official pages list at 5 years. Checked 4 September 2026.
Key facts
- Duration stated
- 10 years (ICP guide; u.ae table)
- Route A: fund
- Deposit of no less than AED 2 million, letter from an accredited investment fund
- Route B: company
- Valid commercial or industrial licence plus Memorandum of Association with capital of no less than AED 2 million
- Route C: tax
- Federal Tax Authority letter confirming annual taxes of no less than AED 250,000 paid by the owner or partner
- Family guarantee
- AED 3,000 per family member, maximum AED 15,000 (ICP fee list, investor's family residency)
- Sponsor
- None; holder may sponsor spouse and children
Who this category is for
The ICP guide calls this category "Investors in public investments" and states two conditions in its summary: "a minimum capital investment of AED 2 million" or "ownership of real estate or a stake in an establishment that pays annual taxes of no less than AED 250,000". The document list then makes those conditions concrete as three routes. It suits people who hold liquid capital in a UAE fund, founders and shareholders of capitalised UAE companies, and owners or partners of businesses with a substantial tax bill.
It is not the route for property. Property investors have their own five-year category with a land-registration letter; the guide keeps the two apart, and so do we. If you hold both a company and property, the public-investor route gives the longer term on the official tables.
The three routes compared
| Route | What the guide requires | Decisive document | Issued by | Practical points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Fund deposit | A deposit of no less than AED 2 million | Letter confirming the existence of the deposit | An accredited investment fund | The guide says accredited investment fund; it does not name which funds count or which body accredits them. Ask the fund for its accreditation before you place capital. |
| B. Company capital | A valid commercial or industrial licence with capital of no less than AED 2 million | The licence plus the Memorandum of Association showing the capital | Mainland economic department or free zone authority (licence); notary or authority (MoA) | The capital figure in the MoA is what the authority reads. A high turnover with low registered capital does not meet this wording. |
| C. Annual tax | Owner or partner pays taxes of no less than AED 250,000 annually | Letter confirming the tax paid | Federal Tax Authority | The guide does not say which taxes count or over how many years. Ask the FTA what its letter will state before relying on this route. |
Documents and who issues them
| Document | Issued by | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Route letter: fund letter, or licence plus MoA, or FTA letter | As in the table above | One route is enough; the guide lists them as alternatives |
| Passport valid for at least six months | Passport authority | ICP residence card |
| Personal photograph | You | ICP residence card |
| Proof of eligibility for the category | The route letter | ICP card wording |
| Medical fitness certificate | Approved medical centre | Applicants aged 18 and over |
| Emirates ID application | ICP | Linked to residence issuance |
| For family: kinship documents, housing proof, health insurance | Home-country registries (attested); landlord or title; UAE insurer | General family-residence list on the ICP card |
How the application runs
- Choose the route whose document you can obtain most cleanly. If your company's MoA capital is below AED 2 million but the company pays substantial tax, route C may be simpler than a capital increase.
- Obtain the route letter. Fund letter, licence and MoA, or FTA letter.
- Run the ICP eligibility check (or use GDRFA Dubai's Golden visa services for a Dubai file) and submit the nomination request.
- Enter or change status. From abroad, ICP's six-month multiple-entry permit to finalise the Golden Residency; inside the UAE, cancellation of the current residence and a status adjustment for AED 500.
- Medical fitness, Emirates ID and residence issuance within 60 days of entry. ICP fee lines: AED 100 application, AED 100 per year issuance, AED 100 smart service.
- Family. Spouse and children after your residence is issued, with the AED 3,000 per-member guarantee up to AED 15,000.
The full sequence for each starting position is on the application process page.
Official fees
The ICP residence card lists application AED 100, Golden Residence issuance AED 100 per year, smart service AED 100, and a financial guarantee for the investor's family residency of AED 3,000 per family member up to AED 15,000. No total is published. GDRFA Dubai fees differ and a Golden-specific Dubai fee card was not found; the note we located gives AED 2,280 residence fees and AED 575 identity card for a five-year residency. Medical, Emirates ID and typing charges are separate.
Public investor or real-estate investor?
| Public investments | Real estate | |
|---|---|---|
| Duration on the official tables | 10 years | 5 years |
| Threshold | AED 2 million fund or capital, or AED 250,000 annual tax | AED 2 million property, without loans |
| Decisive letter | Fund, licensing authority plus MoA, or FTA | Land registration department |
| Proof of UAE residence listed | Not listed for this category | Listed: property ownership or tenancy contract |
| Page | This page | Property investor |
Check before you apply
- Is the fund accredited, and will its letter state a deposit of AED 2 million or more in your name?
- Does your company's Memorandum of Association state capital of AED 2 million or more, and is the licence commercial or industrial and current?
- Will the Federal Tax Authority issue a letter naming you as owner or partner and the annual tax figure?
- Are you applying through ICP or GDRFA Dubai? The channels, fee lines and appointment systems differ.
- If you hold an employment residence now, have you sequenced the cancellation so that family residencies are not left without a sponsor?
- Do you plan to withdraw the deposit or reduce the capital later? The official pages do not address what happens to the residency if the qualifying investment ends; take advice before you do it.
Next step
Run the eligibility checker to confirm the route, then ask for a document review. If your business is not yet set up in the UAE, the business setup hub explains mainland and free zone licensing, and investor and partner visas covers the two-year alternative at the AED 1 million level.
Any "starting from" figure is an indicative price for our service and excludes government and third-party fees, which vary by activity, visa count and jurisdiction. Government fees shown are official charges from the cited pages at the review date. Your exact, itemised quote is confirmed free of charge in a consultation, with nothing hidden.
Frequently asked questions
Does a bank deposit count as a public investment?
The guide names a letter from an accredited investment fund confirming a deposit of no less than AED 2 million. A bank savings account is not the document named. Ask the authority in writing before relying on a bank letter.
Can two partners share AED 2 million in company capital?
The guide asks for a Memorandum of Association with capital of no less than AED 2 million and does not say whether each applicant must hold that amount personally. Confirm with ICP or GDRFA Dubai how they treat partners in the same company.
Which taxes count towards AED 250,000?
Not stated on the guide. The letter must come from the Federal Tax Authority, which administers corporate tax, VAT and excise. Ask the FTA what its letter will confirm.
Is this a 10-year visa?
Yes on both official pages: investors in public investments receive 10 years. Real-estate investors are listed at 5 years.
Do I need to keep the investment for the whole term?
The official pages do not address this. Treat continued qualification as the safe assumption and take advice before withdrawing capital.
What is the difference from the investor residence visa?
The standard investor or partner residence on the ICP card requires a contribution of at least AED 1 million and runs for a shorter term with different conditions. See investor residence visa.
Official sources and review
The rules on this page were checked against the official pages below. We re-check every 30 days and after any announced change.
- ICPGolden Residency Guide (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security)Checked 4 September 2026
- UAE Government portal (u.ae)Golden visa — types of visasChecked 4 September 2026
- ICPIssuing residency permit — service card (fees and conditions)Checked 4 September 2026
- ICPICP smart services — Golden visa eligibility checkChecked 4 September 2026
- GDRFA DubaiGolden visa services (Dubai)Checked 4 September 2026
- ICPWhat is Golden Residency? (services: nomination request; multiple-entry permit to finalise Golden Residency)Checked 4 September 2026
- ICPVisa extension — service card (6-month multiple-entry permit for Golden/Blue Residence procedures)Checked 4 September 2026
Government fees, thresholds and processing times change without notice. Where an official page does not state a figure, we say so rather than estimate. Nothing here is legal advice or a decision of any UAE authority.
Immigration UAE is a brand of Cosmos Immigration, a private immigration and business-services consultancy. It is not affiliated with the Government of the UAE, ICP, GDRFA, MOHRE or any UAE government authority.
Have your investor route reviewed
Tell us whether your capital sits in a fund, in a company or in a tax bill. A consultant will tell you which route fits, which letter to request and from whom, and what the authority will look for at verification.
No private firm can guarantee the outcome of a UAE visa, residency or licensing application. Decisions rest solely with the relevant UAE authority.