UAE Golden Visa eligibility checker
Pick your category, enter your figures and tick what applies. The checker lists each published condition and shows which ones your answers meet. It does not decide your application.
The conditions, category by category
| Category | Main condition | Article |
|---|---|---|
| Real estate investor | Property worth at least AED 2,000,000 in total; loans only from approved local banks; off-plan from approved developers | 8 |
| Investor | AED 2,000,000 deposit or company capital, or AED 250,000 a year in federal taxes; own money, not borrowed | 7–8 |
| Entrepreneur | Project with AED 1,000,000 annual revenue, or incubator / Ministry of Economy approval, or a project sold for AED 7,000,000 | 9–10 |
| Skilled professional | MOHRE level 1 or 2, bachelor's degree, valid contract, AED 30,000 monthly salary | 15, 17 |
| Scientists and specialists | Recommendation from the Emirates Scientists Council or the relevant ministry | 15–16 |
| Talents (culture, art, sport, digital, inventors) | Recommendation or approval from the competent authority; no salary or degree needed | 11–14 |
| High school students | Grade 12 average of at least 95% | 19 |
| University graduates | GPA 3.5 (UAE category A or world top-100) or 3.8 (UAE category B), graduated within 2 years | 20–21 |
| Humanitarian pioneers | 5 years with a recognised organisation, a merit award, or AED 2,000,000 in humanitarian support, plus a degree | 22–23 |
| First line of defence | Recommendation from a government agency for crisis work | 24 |
All figures are from the annex "Regulating Golden Residence Permits" in Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022, the executive regulation of Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 on the entry and residence of foreigners. It has been in force since 3 October 2022 and has no listed amendments. Article 4 adds that every holder must be able to support themselves and their family without government help and keep valid health insurance. We cross-checked the categories with the ICP Golden residency guide.
Worked examples
Example 1: a doctor on AED 35,000 a month
A specialist physician at MOHRE level 1 with a medical degree, a valid contract and health insurance meets all five conditions of the skilled professional route. ICP will still ask for the salary certificate, the degree attested by the Ministry of Education, and, in Dubai, six months of bank statements.
Example 2: two flats worth AED 1.2 million and AED 900,000
Together they are worth AED 2.1 million, which is more than AED 2,000,000. If one is mortgaged, the loan must be from an approved local bank. The checker counts the property condition as met; tick the loan and developer lines if they apply to you.
Example 3: a manager on AED 28,000
The salary is below AED 30,000, so the checker marks that condition ✗, even with a degree and a level 1 job. A pay rise in the contract, or another route such as property, would change the answer.
Example 4: a graduate with a 3.6 GPA
From a world top-100 university or a UAE category A university, 3.6 is above the 3.5 minimum, as long as you graduated within the last two years. From a UAE category B university the minimum is 3.8, so 3.6 is not enough.
Common mistakes
- Assuming any AED 30,000 package qualifies. The salary rule comes with a MOHRE level 1 or 2 job and a bachelor's degree. A high salary in a lower-level job is not enough.
- Counting borrowed money for the investor route. Deposits and company capital must be your own, not a loan (Article 8). Only the property route allows bank finance, and only from approved local banks.
- Relying on old summaries. Some pages still show 5-year terms or a 3.8 GPA for every graduate. The 2022 regulation gives 10 years and the GPA rules above.
- Forgetting health insurance. It is a condition for every category, for the holder and the family.
Where to apply
- ICP (icp.gov.ae and the UAEICP app): applications for Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.
- GDRFA Dubai (gdrfad.gov.ae): applications in Dubai, with its own document list and fees.
- Nominated categories apply through the authority that recommends them, for example the Emirates Scientists Council or a culture or sports authority.
Frequently asked questions
What salary do I need for a UAE Golden Visa?
AED 30,000 a month for the skilled professional category (Article 17 of the Golden residence annex to Cabinet Resolution 65 of 2022). You also need a job at level 1 or 2 of the MOHRE occupational classification, at least a bachelor's degree and a valid employment contract. The regulation says "monthly salary" and does not say whether it means basic or total pay; ICP decides from your contract and salary certificate.
Can I get a Golden Visa by buying property?
Yes, if your property in the UAE is worth at least AED 2,000,000 in total. One or more properties can be added together, off-plan units from developers approved by the local authority count, and a loan is allowed if it comes from an approved local bank (Article 8). Dubai's GDRFA also accepts mortgaged property and joint ownership where your own share is at least AED 2 million.
How long is the UAE Golden Visa?
Ten years, renewable on the same conditions (Articles 1 and 5). The outstanding student and graduate permit is the exception: it is granted once and is not renewable (Article 18).
Can I sponsor my family on a Golden Visa?
Yes. Article 3 lets a Golden residence holder sponsor a spouse and children regardless of age, and parents, for the same period. The normal rule for other residents (sons up to 25, unmarried daughters) does not apply. Holders can also sponsor domestic workers according to their financial means.
What counts for the investor category?
One of three things: a deposit of at least AED 2 million in a UAE investment fund or national bank, a company capital or share of at least AED 2 million, or a company that pays at least AED 250,000 a year in federal taxes. The money must be fully yours and not borrowed (Articles 7 and 8).
What do entrepreneurs need?
A project with annual revenue of at least AED 1 million, or a project approved by an accredited incubator, the Ministry of Economy or the local authority, or a project you founded and sold for at least AED 7 million (Article 10). One ICP service page mentions an AED 500,000 project value; that figure is not in the regulation, so we use the regulation.
Does the Golden Visa lapse if I stay outside the UAE for six months?
GDRFA Dubai says Golden residence holders are exempt from the rule that cancels a residence permit after more than 180 days abroad, and the u.ae portal says holders can stay outside longer than six months. The permit still has to be valid; it lapses if it expires while you are abroad.
Does this checker tell me if I will get the visa?
No. It shows which published conditions your answers meet. ICP, or the emirate's residency office, checks your documents and may ask for more or refuse. Use it to see what is missing before you apply.
This checker compares your answers with the published conditions. It is not a decision and not legal advice: ICP and GDRFA check documents, can ask for more, and decide each application.
Last verified on 2026-11-09 against Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022 (Executive Regulation of Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021), Annex on Golden residence permits (Arts. 1 to 24), and the ICP Golden residency guide on icp.gov.ae.