Golden Visa in the UAE Through Real Estate: Complete 2025 Guide

In 2025, the United Arab Emirates has implemented significant changes to its residency-by-investment program for real estate, making the process more transparent and convenient for foreign investors. These new regulations offer unique opportunities while introducing additional requirements that are crucial to understand before making any decisions.

Key changes have been made to residency visa conditions. A five-year residence visa now requires a property investment of at least 800,000 dirhams (approximately $218,000), representing a 50,000 dirham increase from previous years. For the prestigious 10-year Golden Visa, the minimum investment threshold remains at 2 million dirhams (about $545,000). Special attention should be paid to new mandatory requirements: health insurance coverage of at least 500,000 dirhams and compliance with “green” energy efficiency standards for properties.

The residency application process through real estate investment has become more structured in 2025. The first step involves careful property selection – it’s essential to verify that the property is located in government-approved areas, with the list regularly updated on the Dubai Land Department (DLD) official website. A new requirement this year is the mandatory independent market valuation, which now determines whether the investment threshold is met. After selecting a property, applicants must prepare documentation including a valid passport, apostilled police clearance certificate, proof of legal income, and health insurance policy. All transaction stages are now registered through the innovative DLD Chain blockchain platform, ensuring maximum process transparency. The final step involves submitting the application via the DubaiNow mobile app, completing the fully digitalized procedure.

Among the most significant 2025 updates are expanded family quotas. Investors can now include not only spouses and children up to age 25 (previously 18), but also parents with an additional fee of 50,000 dirhams. Another important change allows combining multiple properties to reach the required investment threshold – particularly valuable for those considering portfolio diversification. For time-conscious applicants, an express processing service is available for an additional 15,000 dirhams fee, reducing application review time to just five working days.

The financial aspects require special attention. The standard government processing fee is 5,250 dirhams, with an additional annual fee of 2,800 dirhams for the primary applicant. A significant advantage remains the tax exemption for the first seven years of residency, making the program especially attractive to international investors.

When selecting investment properties, experts recommend several promising areas. Dubai Hills Estate shows consistent annual price growth of 8-10% with developed infrastructure. The premium segment of Palm Jumeirah remains the leader in property liquidity. Dubai Creek Harbour represents an active development zone with strong potential, while Al Furjan offers the best price-to-quality ratio, particularly appealing to new investors.

However, potential investors should consider possible risks. First, remember the biennial market value reassessment that may affect residency status. Second, there’s a three-year resale restriction – visa status is automatically revoked if the property is sold during this period. Particular attention should be given to upcoming environmental legislation changes – starting 2026, all properties must meet new “green” standards, which may affect their value and liquidity.

The UAE’s real estate investment residency program remains one of the world’s most attractive, combining relatively accessible conditions, transparent procedures, and significant benefits for investors and their families. In 2025, the application process has become more digital and user-friendly while simultaneously demanding higher quality investments. The key to success lies in careful property selection, full compliance with legal requirements, and meticulous attention to detail at each application stage. With the right approach, the Golden Visa can become more than just a residency document – it can serve as a genuine “golden ticket” for the entire family, providing access to high-quality living standards, excellent business and educational opportunities, and one of the world’s most stable and dynamically developing economies.