The UAE Golden Visa Through Property Investment: The AED 2 Million Route

Quick answer

You can obtain a 10-year UAE Golden Visa by owning property worth at least AED 2 million. In Dubai, since February 2026, off-plan and mortgaged properties can qualify as long as the Dubai Land Department certified valuation reaches AED 2 million, with a bank letter of no objection — though a heavily mortgaged property is best treated case by case. Abu Dhabi requires AED 2 million of equity outside any mortgage. Multiple properties can be combined to reach the threshold.

Property is the route most people picture when they think of the Golden Visa, and for good reason. If you are buying real estate in the UAE anyway, the ten-year residency is a marginal addition to a purchase you were already making — as our cost breakdown shows. The rules changed meaningfully in early 2026, though, and the detail now matters more than ever, especially the difference between Dubai and Abu Dhabi. This guide walks through the eligibility threshold, what now qualifies, the mistakes that get files rejected, and the step-by-step process from purchase to visa issuance.

The core rule: the AED 2 million threshold

The qualifying threshold is AED 2 million in UAE property, evidenced by the title deed, and it grants a ten-year renewable residency. This figure held firm through the 2026 reforms. It is worth being clear that the widely reported removal of a minimum property value applies to a separate two-year property investor visa, not the Golden Visa. For the Golden Visa, the AED 2 million floor remains.

The AED 2 million is not a fee or a cost — it is the eligibility bar your investment has to clear. You can meet it with a single property or by combining several. The valuation that matters is the Dubai Land Department certified valuation, not the price you happened to pay, so a property bought below AED 2 million that has since appreciated may now qualify, and a property bought at auction below market may not. If you are not yet sure you qualify, our requirements guide covers eligibility across all routes.

What now qualifies: off-plan and mortgaged property

The most useful change is flexibility on how you hold the property. In Dubai, since February 2026, off-plan properties from approved developers and mortgaged properties both qualify, provided the Dubai Land Department certified valuation reaches AED 2 million. The previous rule, which required AED 1 million or 50 percent paid up front, has been removed. For a mortgaged property, the land department places a lien on the title and you supply a bank letter of no objection to the residence permit. You can also combine multiple properties to reach the AED 2 million threshold rather than relying on a single asset — two apartments each valued at AED 1 million, for instance, can be presented together.

Dubai and Abu Dhabi treat mortgages differently

This is where applicants trip up. Since February 2026, Dubai's position is that a mortgaged property can qualify on its Dubai Land Department certified valuation rather than on paid-up equity alone, provided that valuation reaches AED 2 million. This is still a relatively new position and current sources are not fully settled on how a heavily mortgaged Dubai property is assessed, so treat it as case by case. Abu Dhabi is clearer and stricter: the investor's equity must independently reach AED 2 million outside any mortgage. So a AED 5 million property with a AED 3 million mortgage gives you AED 2 million of equity, which qualifies in Abu Dhabi, while a heavily mortgaged AED 2 million property may fall short. Confirming how your specific file will be treated, and choosing the right emirate to apply in, is part of getting this right.

A common ownership mistake

Joint ownership catches people out. Non-spousal joint owners each need AED 2 million in their individual share. A AED 3 million property split equally between two unrelated investors gives each a AED 1.5 million share, and neither qualifies. Spouses are treated differently, but two friends or business partners cannot pool a single property to land one visa each.

A worked scenario: buying to qualify

Consider an investor who does not yet own UAE property and wants the ten-year residency for their family. They identify a ready apartment in Dubai with a Dubai Land Department certified valuation of AED 2.1 million, comfortably clearing the threshold with a small cushion in case the certified figure lands below the asking price. They intend to take a mortgage covering part of the purchase.

The sequence is straightforward. They complete the purchase and register the transfer at the Dubai Land Department, which issues the title deed and, because there is a loan, records the bank's lien. They obtain a letter of no objection from the mortgage lender confirming it does not object to the residence permit. With the title deed and the no-objection letter in hand, the Golden Visa application goes through the ICP or GDRFA: pre-approval, medical fitness test, biometrics, then issuance of the Emirates ID and the ten-year residence. Because the certified valuation cleared AED 2 million and the lender co-operated, the mortgage is no obstacle in Dubai. Had they applied in Abu Dhabi instead, the same file would need AED 2 million of equity outside the loan — a materially different structure.

Common mistakes

• Assuming off-plan always qualifies. Off-plan only counts when it is from an approved developer and the certified valuation reaches AED 2 million. An early-stage off-plan unit bought below that figure does not qualify simply because the eventual completed value will be higher.
• Relying on the price paid rather than the certified valuation. Eligibility is judged on the Dubai Land Department certified valuation, not the contract price. A bargain purchase can fall short; an appreciated asset can clear the bar.
• Treating a mortgaged property as automatically eligible. In Dubai the position is new and case by case for heavily mortgaged assets; in Abu Dhabi you need AED 2 million of equity outside the loan. Do not assume the two emirates work the same way.
• Pooling a single property between unrelated owners. Non-spousal co-owners each need an individual AED 2 million share. Splitting one property does not produce two qualifying investors.
• Applying in the wrong emirate. The same property and loan can qualify in one emirate and fail in another. Choosing where to apply is a decision, not a formality.

The process, step by step

From purchase to visa issuance, a clean file moves through a predictable sequence:

• Confirm the property qualifies. Check that the Dubai Land Department certified valuation reaches AED 2 million, that the developer is approved if the unit is off-plan, and that the holding structure suits the emirate you intend to apply in.
• Complete the purchase and register the transfer. The Dubai Land Department issues the title deed; where there is a loan, it records the lender's lien on the title.
• Obtain the bank no-objection letter if the property is mortgaged, confirming the lender does not object to the residence permit.
• Secure pre-approval through the ICP or GDRFA, submitting the title deed and supporting documents.
• Complete the medical fitness test and biometrics.
• Receive the Emirates ID and the ten-year residence, typically within two to four weeks of a complete file. The visa extends to your spouse and children, and adult children can remain on it.

What affects your total outlay

Beyond the property purchase itself, the cost of turning it into a Golden Visa depends on several drivers rather than a single fixed figure. The main factors are whether the property is mortgaged or bought outright, the number of dependants added to the file, whether the unit is off-plan or ready, and the processing tier you choose. Rather than publish figures that move with policy and your circumstances, we prepare a tailored quote once we have seen your file. Request a tailored quote from Auxilium and we will price the residency side against your specific purchase.

Where Auxilium fits

Auxilium manages the residency side of a property purchase, from confirming the property meets the current threshold and emirate rules, to handling the bank no-objection letter on a mortgaged asset, to running the ICP or GDRFA application for you and your family. You focus on the property; we make sure it converts cleanly into a ten-year residency without a rejected file.

Buying property in the UAE? Turn it into 10-year residency. Auxilium handles the Golden Visa application for property investors, confirming the asset qualifies under current Dubai or Abu Dhabi rules and managing the process for you and your family. Speak to our residency team.