The Golden Visa, without the sales pitch
Which routes exist, what each one really requires, and which are quietly harder than they look.
The property route at AED 2,000,000 is the one everybody knows. There is also the salary route, the skilled professional route, the investor route through a company, and the specialist categories that get advertised least because they are hardest to sell. We tell you which one you actually qualify for before anyone charges you a fee.
How we help
- 01Which route fits your situation, with the real threshold for each
- 02What the medical, the Emirates ID and the stamping cost end to end
- 03What sponsoring your family adds, and which documents they need
- 04Where mortgaged property still counts and where it stops counting
- 05How long each route currently takes, not how long the brochure says
What people are asking right now
Ranges from the market, not live listings. We move them when the market moves.
| Route | Validity | Requirement | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Visa (property) | 10 years | AED 2,000,000 | threshold |
| Investor / partner visa | 2 - 3 years | AED 50,000 + | share capital |
| Freelance permit (IFZA) | 1 - 2 years | AED 12,500 + | setup |
| Freelance permit (DIFC) | 1 - 2 years | AED 30,000 + | setup |
| Employment visa | 2 - 3 years | employer paid | - |
Swipe sideways for the rest
Tell us what you need
The more concrete you are, the more useful our answer.
Questions people ask first
Is AED 2,000,000 the only property number?
No. AED 2,000,000 is the ten-year route. There is a two-year investor visa at AED 750,000. Off-plan counts in some cases, mortgaged property in others, and that detail decides the whole application.
Do I have to buy anything at all?
Not necessarily. A monthly salary of AED 30,000 in a qualifying role, a recognised specialisation, or a company with the right capital can all carry it. The salary route surprises people most often.
Does it lapse if I leave?
The Golden Visa does not expire after six months abroad the way a normal residence visa does. That difference alone is why some people choose it.
Other things we help with
Setting up a company in Dubai
Free zone or mainland, what each one really costs, and which banks open the account afterwards.
What we trackBuying property in Dubai
What the portal price leaves out, and what a purchase costs from signature to key.
What we trackRenting an apartment in Dubai
What a flat in that tower actually goes for, and how not to hand a year of rent to the wrong person.
What we trackHealth cover in Dubai, and what it skips
The legal minimum, what it does not cover, and where paying more actually buys something.
What we trackYour first six weeks in Dubai, in order
Emirates ID, bank account, licence, DEWA, school places. What comes first and what it costs.
What we trackOpening a bank account in Dubai
Personal or corporate, which banks say yes to whom, and what actually causes a rejection.
What we trackThe freelance permit, priced honestly
Who it fits, what it costs in year one and at renewal, and where it falls short.
What we trackCrypto in the UAE, licensing included
What VARA actually regulates, what needs no licence at all, and what a licence costs.
What we trackGetting into the night you actually wanted
Tickets, tables and the weeks when the whole city drops its prices.
What we trackThe good ones, as they appear.
Free, no sign-up, leave whenever.
@dxbradar