Yes, a Dubai home can still get you a 10-year Golden Visa, and the price bar hasn't moved: AED 2 million. The change in 2026 came one rung down. Since April, a sole owner of a Dubai property at any price can apply for the 2-year investor visa. Until then the home had to be worth at least AED 750,000. Every rule below is stated as of 6 October 2026, with the official page it comes from.
Gulf News reported the April change on 29 April 2026. The Land Department's service pages we quote were last updated on 30 September 2026. Check them again on the day you apply.
Which property visas are there, and what do they need?
Table: property-linked residence visas in Dubai, rules as of 6 October 2026. Sources: Dubai Land Department service pages; ICP; Gulf News (date of the April change; retiree visa length).
| Visa | Property test | Length | Fees listed | Rule as of |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Visa (investor) | Purchase value of AED 2m or more at the time of purchase; one or more properties, wholly owned, in the applicant's name | 10 years, renewable | AED 9,884.75 | 6 Oct 2026 (DLD) |
| Investor residence (Taskeen), sole owner | Any value | 2 years | AED 10,212.50 | Since Apr 2026 (DLD; reported 29 Apr 2026) |
| Investor residence (Taskeen), joint owner | Applicant's share at least AED 400,000 | 2 years | AED 10,212.50 | Since Apr 2026 (DLD) |
| Retiree residence | Aged 55, or 15 years' service; property of at least AED 1m, or a AED 1m deposit, or annual income of at least AED 240,000 | 5 years | ICP fees | 6 Oct 2026 (ICP; length per Gulf News) |
Before April 2026 the 2-year visa needed a property worth at least AED 750,000. For a sole owner, that floor has gone.
The 10-year Golden Visa: what counts
These are the Land Department's own terms for the investor Golden Visa, as we read them on 6 October 2026:
- AED 2 million at purchase: DLD measures the purchase value at the time of purchase. On that wording, a home bought for less that has since gone up in price doesn't qualify.
- One property or several: two or more can be added together, as long as each is wholly owned by the applicant and registered in their name.
- Mortgaged property: allowed, with a no-objection letter from the bank stating the amount paid and the balance. DLD's own summary also refers to a bank letter showing AED 2 million paid. Read literally, that means AED 2 million of your own money in the property, not only a AED 2 million price. Ask how the centre applies it to your loan before you buy on that basis.
- Family: a spouse, children and parents can be sponsored, each with their own fee.
- Where you apply: in person, at a DLD-approved visa centre. The applicant must be inside the UAE, and nobody can apply on your behalf.
- Documents: passport, photo, title deed or e-certificate of title, plus Emirates ID and current visa if you have them.
Off-plan buyers should ask first. The DLD service page lists a title deed or e-certificate among the documents and sets no separate terms for off-plan. If your AED 2 million is in an off-plan unit, ask the visa centre which developer paperwork it accepts before you count on the visa.
The federal portal tells a slightly different story. The UAE government portal, updated on 28 July 2026, lists real-estate investors under a 5-year Golden visa term. DLD's Dubai service, which is the one Dubai buyers use, issues 10 years. We quote DLD's terms here. If you're buying in another emirate, check that emirate's own rules.
The 2-year investor visa after April 2026
For a sole owner, this visa is now open at every price. Two conditions still apply:
- Joint owners need AED 400,000 each: if you buy with a partner, each applicant's share must be worth at least AED 400,000. A AED 700,000 flat owned 50:50 qualifies neither owner.
- The paperwork is the harder test: DLD's list asks for a title deed and a good conduct certificate issued in Dubai and addressed to the Land Department.
The visa lasts two years and can sponsor a spouse and children. Parents get one-year permits, at AED 8,882.25 each under DLD's fee list.
How much of the market clears AED 2 million?
About a third of it. We counted the share of residential sales at or above AED 2 million each year.
Table: share of Dubai residential sales registered at AED 2 million or more, 2023 to September 2026, and what those sales were. n = registered sales in our records. Source: DLD registered sales, Peak Trust Research.
| Year | Sales in sample (n) | At AED 2m or more | Off-plan share of those | Villa share of those | Median sale (AED) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 157,371 | 36.1% | 59.6% | 29.8% | 1,421,000 |
| 2024 | 218,368 | 35.5% | 66.3% | 30.5% | 1,422,000 |
| 2025 | 257,712 | 34.6% | 69.1% | 23.0% | 1,412,000 |
| 2026 (Jan–Sep) | 147,501 | 33.9% | 73.0% | 23.7% | 1,369,288 |
Our record feed changed in early 2026, so the 2026 sample size isn't a market total and shouldn't be set against 2025. The shares are comparable.
The AED 2 million share has barely moved, slipping from 36.1% to 33.9%. What has changed is the mix above the line: 73.0% of those sales were off-plan in 2026, against 59.6% in 2023. That matters for the visa, because off-plan paperwork is the part DLD's page doesn't spell out.
Table: Dubai residential sales by price band, January–September 2026. Source: DLD registered sales, Peak Trust Research.
| Price band | Share of sales |
|---|---|
| Under AED 1m | 32.5% |
| AED 1m–2m | 33.6% |
| AED 2m–3m | 16.3% |
| AED 3m–5m | 11.2% |
| AED 5m and over | 6.3% |
Two-thirds of 2026 sales, 66.1%, were below AED 2 million. Before April, the cheapest of them, under AED 750,000, didn't qualify a sole owner for any property visa. Now a sole owner of any of them can apply, once the title deed is issued and the other documents are in order.
What it costs beyond the price
The visa fee is the smallest part. A buyer aiming at the AED 2 million line should budget for these:
- The 4% transfer fee: AED 80,000 on AED 2 million, on top of the price. DLD says it is paid as agreed between seller and buyer. In practice the buyer usually pays, so budget for all of it.
- The deposit if you borrow: Central Bank rules cap an expatriate's first-home loan at 80% up to AED 5 million, a second home at 60% and any off-plan purchase at 50%. Given DLD's mortgage wording above, a large loan may also count against the visa.
- Visa fees: AED 9,884.75 for the 10-year investor permit, plus AED 5,774.50 for each family member's 10-year permit, AED 100 for each sponsored person and a AED 318.75 family file-opening fee, under DLD's list.
- Holding costs: service charges and maintenance run every year you keep the property. See our service charges guide.
What it means for investors
- Buy the property first and the visa second. The visa comes with the purchase. A home that only makes sense because of the visa is a weak purchase, at AED 2 million or at AED 700,000.
- Check that AED 2 million is the price on your title deed. DLD counts the purchase value, and a discount can leave you under the line.
- Ask about mortgages and off-plan before you sign. Those are the two places where DLD's wording leaves room for interpretation, and a written answer from the visa centre is worth having.
- Keep the rules dated. Each rule here is stated as of 6 October 2026, so recheck the DLD pages before you apply.
- Treat tax at home as a separate question. Owning in Dubai and holding a UAE visa doesn't settle where you are tax resident. Take advice in your home country.
For an opinion on whether a specific home fits your plans, visa included, see how we work with investors. For where off-plan and ready prices sit by area, read off-plan or ready in Dubai, and for current registered prices, see our market overview.