If you have bought an apartment or villa in Dubai but are not ready to commit to the Golden Visa's AED 2 million entry point, there is a cheaper route into UAE residency. It is a separate category, the two-year investor visa, issued by the Dubai Land Department through its Taskeen service, and in 2026 the eligibility rules were loosened in a way that changes who can actually apply.
For years, agent listings and forum threads repeated one figure: AED 750,000, treated as the minimum property value below which an application would not even be considered. That figure is gone. It no longer appears on the Dubai Land Department's live service page for this visa. This guide covers what is required now, who qualifies without any minimum at all, who still needs to hit a specific number, what it costs, and how long it takes.
Every figure and rule below is taken from official sources, the Dubai Land Department's own service page and the related GDRFA Dubai service. Primary-source links sit inline in the text and are repeated in the Sources section at the end.
The 2026 change: the AED 750,000 threshold is gone
The Dubai Land Department's current service page for the investor residence visa states the new rule directly: "Individual Ownership: The property owner is allowed to apply for the issuance of a license and residency visa, regardless of the property value" (Dubai Land Department, Investor Residence Application). For a sole owner, in other words, there is no minimum property value at all.
That wording applies specifically to sole ownership. Where a property is registered to more than one owner, a different condition kicks in: each co-owner's share must be worth at least AED 400,000, a threshold the same service page lists separately for joint ownership (Dubai Land Department). The old single AED 750,000 bar has effectively split into two scenarios: no minimum for a sole owner, and a per-share minimum, not a whole-property minimum, for co-owners.
The practical effect is straightforward. Owners of smaller studios and apartments who previously fell short of AED 750,000 and could not apply for this visa category at all are now eligible regardless of price, as long as the unit is registered in their name alone.
Who qualifies: eligibility and documents
The baseline condition is simple: the applicant must be the registered owner of a Dubai property, with title held in their own name in the DLD registry. The document list published by DLD itself covers a passport, an electronic copy of the title deed, a personal photo, a copy of a current visa or entry permit if one exists, and a good conduct certificate issued in Dubai and addressed to the Land Department (Dubai Land Department).
The applicant must attend in person. Submission through a representative is not accepted (Dubai Land Department).
A related GDRFA Dubai service, "Issuing a visa to a foreigner who owns property," describes a similar residency-through-ownership route and clarifies two points worth knowing in advance: the property must be fully constructed and habitable, and financing through a local bank, meaning a mortgage, is accepted on the same footing as outright ownership (GDRFA Dubai). If a unit is still under construction and no title has been issued, there is no formal basis yet to apply for residency through ownership; you need to wait for handover and the title deed.
If the property carries a mortgage, the comparable Golden Visa process requires a no-objection bank letter confirming the paid amount and the remaining balance before residency can be granted on a financed unit (Dubai Land Department, Golden Visa investor service). DLD's service page for the two-year investor visa does not spell out a separate rule for this scenario, so it is worth confirming the exact mortgage paperwork directly with DLD Cube or a registered trustee office at the time of application.
Cost and processing time
According to DLD, the service fee is AED 10,212.50 for the main applicant (Dubai Land Department). That is the full cost of the residence visa itself through the Taskeen service, separate from the cost of the property purchase and from the DLD registration fee on the sale. DLD's own property sale registration service sets that fee at 4% of the sale value, and on the secondary market the buyer in practice covers it (Dubai Land Department, Property Sale Registration). If you are still shortlisting a unit, it is worth reading up on the full breakdown of purchase costs and taxes in Dubai before you commit.
DLD states a processing time of 7 to 10 business days (Dubai Land Department). The process runs through document submission and payment at a service centre, a medical exam, and issuance of the residence permit.
Applications can be filed through the Taskeen portal on dubailand.gov.ae or in person at DLD Cube at Al Manara Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road; both channels are listed on the service page (Dubai Land Department).
Adding a spouse, children, or parents
DLD's service page explicitly describes family residency as part of the same offering: alongside the main applicant, there are separate categories and document sets for a spouse, children, and parents (Dubai Land Department). In practice this means the investor visa does not isolate the owner from their family, but each additional family member needs their own application, their own document set, and their own fee. It is not an automatic extension of the main applicant's visa.
Two-year investor visa or Golden Visa: how to choose
These two categories get confused often, even though the thresholds are entirely different. The two-year investor visa described above requires no minimum property value for a sole owner and costs AED 10,212.50 (Dubai Land Department). The Golden Visa for real estate investors runs for 10 years but requires one or more properties with a combined value of at least AED 2,000,000 (Dubai Land Department, Golden Visa investor service).
If your budget stretches to AED 2 million from the start, the 10-year Golden Visa is usually the better deal once you weigh the setup cost against how long the status lasts. If the property is cheaper and repeat renewal every two years is not a dealbreaker, the two-year investor visa remains the only legal path to residency through property with no price threshold attached. A full breakdown of Golden Visa conditions, including the mortgage and family-sponsorship nuances, is covered separately in our guide to the UAE Golden Visa through property investment.
If you are still choosing your first property for a residency application, it is worth understanding the purchase process itself first. Our guide on how to buy property in Dubai as a foreigner covers the steps; without a completed DLD title, neither the investor visa nor the Golden Visa will be considered at all.
FAQ
Is it true the AED 750,000 threshold for the investor visa was fully removed? Yes, for a sole owner of the property. The current DLD service page for this visa lists no minimum property value at all; the requirement only remains for co-owners, where each share must be at least AED 400,000 (Dubai Land Department).
Can I get this visa on an apartment that is still under construction? Formally you need a completed title deed, and the related GDRFA service specifies that the property must be fully constructed and habitable (GDRFA Dubai). While a unit is still under construction and DLD has not issued title, there is no basis to apply.
How much does the two-year investor visa cost and what does that cover? DLD lists the service fee at AED 10,212.50 for the main applicant (Dubai Land Department). This covers the residence visa itself, separate from the cost of the property transaction.
How long does processing take? DLD states a processing time of 7 to 10 business days once the full document set is submitted (Dubai Land Department).
Can I apply through a representative if I am not in Dubai? No. The service page requires the applicant's personal attendance; representatives are not accepted for this application (Dubai Land Department).
Which is better value, the two-year investor visa or the Golden Visa? It depends on the property's value. The investor visa has no minimum for a sole owner but runs for only two years and needs renewal (Dubai Land Department). The Golden Visa runs for 10 years but requires a property, or properties, worth at least AED 2,000,000 (Dubai Land Department, Golden Visa investor service).
Sources
- Dubai Land Department. Investor Residence Application (Taskeen), two-year investor visa. https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/request-for-investor-visa/
- Dubai Land Department. Golden Visa application, Investor. https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/request-for-golden-visa-investor/
- GDRFA Dubai. Issuing a visa to a foreigner who owns property. https://www.gdrfad.gov.ae/en/services/d551ce81-52e8-11ea-0320-0050569629e8
- Dubai Land Department. Property Sale Registration. https://dubailand.gov.ae/en/eservices/property-sale-registration/
