How to Get a Residence Visa Through Real Estate Purchase in the UAE
In this article, we'll explain:
- How the residence permit process works
- What paperwork you'll need
- Which properties qualify for visa eligibility
- The benefits of UAE residency
Residence Visa Requirements
Partners can split the investment. You need to make a joint property purchase of AED 1,000,000 (roughly $272,000). This qualifies both spouses for a 2-year visa. Also, it is possible to get a mortgage from a local bank.
The visa duration is either 2 or 10 years, depending on the property value:
- To get the 2-year visa, you’d need to make an investment of at least AED 750 000 AED (~$204 000).
- To get the 10-year visa, you’d need to make an investment of at least AED 2 000 000 AED (~$545 000)
There are ways to make the purchase more accessible: spouses can become co-owners if they jointly invest AED 1,000,000 (around $272,000) or more — this qualifies for a 2-year visa. You can also take advantage of favorable mortgage options.
Residence Requirements and Visa Renewal
This depends on the visa’s type:
- For a 2-year visa, you must visit the UAE at least once per every 180 days.
- Golden visa holders (10-year visa) can live abroad indefinitely.
You can renew your visa as long as you own the property, but it's best to apply for renewal 30-60 days before your current visa expires.
Who Can Apply
The main applicant must be the property owner. Additionally, they need to meet these requirements:
- At least 18 years old
- Has verifiable income
- No criminal record
- No serious medical conditions (HIV, hepatitis, tuberculosis)
Your family can also qualify
The number of visas for family members isn't tied to the purchase amount. In other words, the minimum investment of AED 750,000 is enough to potentially secure visas for the entire family, granted there are additional requirements. These depend on the duration of the visa:
Here’s who in your family qualifies for a 2-year visa:
- Spouse.
- Children under 18.
And here’s who in your family qualifies for a 10-year visa:
- Spouse.
- Children under 18.
- Unmarried sons up to 25 years old.
- Unmarried daughters of any age.
- Children with disabilities of any age.
- Parents.
What documents you’ll need
Here’s a complete list. Note, that all documents from below must be translated into English or Arabic and notarized.
Main documents:
- Valid passport with at least six months until expiry and two blank pages—original required.
- Bank statements for the last 6 months showing account balance.
- Original police clearance certificates from both your home country and the UAE for all applicants over 18. For Dubai properties, these must be addressed to the Land Department.
- Copy of investment proof. For purchases, this is the property deed; for mortgages, you'll need letters from the bank and developer confirming the purchase.
- Passport-style color photos.
- Copy of medical insurance.
Additionally, you may need to submit:
- Original marriage certificate.
- Original birth certificates for children and proof of unmarried status for children over 18.
Note that regulations tend to shift frequently in the UAE, so you'll want to verify current information before you submit your application. If you're going through our real estate agency, your agent will walk you through all of this.
Fees
Our agency will ensure professional handling of all formalities on your behalf, providing you with a fixed-price solution and optimal processing time.
Visa cost — 19,000 AED (~5,000 USD), plus 5% VAT
What Types of Housing Qualifies
You can get a residence permit by purchasing any type of property in a Freehold zone: this includes apartments, villas, townhouses, hotel units, or commercial spaces.
Freehold zones are areas where foreigners can own property outright. These include most residential areas in major cities — and almost all premium properties are located in Freehold zones as per the norm — so this rule is mostly nominal and won't typically limit your choices in practice.
The most popular emirate for real estate is Dubai. The city offers the largest selection of properties. Real estate prices in Dubai have increased by 25% since 2014, which means making a purchase is both a path to a visa and a profitable investment.
Here are several promising properties in Dubai:
Popular Areas and Prices
There are several particularly attractive areas in Dubai for foreigners. Some of them are:
- Business Bay: approximately 27,700 AED (~7,500 USD) per square meter.
- Dubai Marina: approximately 14,000 AED (~4,000 USD) per square meter.
- Downtown Dubai: approximately 30,000 AED (~8,000 USD) per square meter.
- Palm Jumeirah: average of 15,000 AED (~4,000 USD) per square meter.
- Dubai Hills Estate: average of 18,000 AED (~5,000 USD) per square meter.
Fun fact: In these areas alone, almost 13,000 properties were sold in 2021, with a total value of 38 billion AED.
Important Things to Consider
Here are 4 key points to consider before investing:
- If you plan to sell the property, you can only do so after your visa expires (unless you plan to extend it).
- When buying with a mortgage, the down payment must be at least 50% of the cost.
- You can buy either a completed property or one under construction.
- Husband and wife can buy property in joint ownership — this is a good way to share the financial burden.
Mira Real Estate experts will help you choose suitable property in Freehold zones — for investment or residence, and will provide detailed consultation about all property maintenance costs. Leave a request and we will contact you.
Application Process
The visa process consists of several stages. We'll explain each one in detail so you understand how long the process takes and what it entails.
Stage 1: Undergo a Preliminary Check (1 day)
Before starting the application process, it's important to check if there are any risks of visa rejection. This is a quick and confidential procedure that will help save time and money if there are any obstacles to obtaining a visa.
Stage 2: Prepare Required Documents (2-7 days)
At this stage, you need to:
- Collect all necessary documents.
- Translate them into English or Arabic.
- Have them notarized.
- Prepare for travel to the UAE.
The trip is necessary so you can undergo a medical examination and submit documents for the residence visa.
Stage 3: Purchase a Property (2–7 days)
This stage can be completed in parallel with document preparation. You can choose a suitable unit and make the investment both in person or remotely. If you choose to work with us, a dedicated Mira expert will:
- Select properties according to your criteria.
- Organize viewings — on-site or online.
- Help verify the legal clarity of the transaction.
- Assist with property title registration.
Stage 4: Submit Documents
The main applicant and all family members included in the application must submit documents in one of these ways:
- Online, through the ICA website, GDRFA website, or via Dubai Now or UAEICP apps.
- In person at government multi-service centers and Amer immigration centers in Dubai.
Stage 5: Complete a Medical Examination (1 day)
After submitting documents, all applicants over 18 must undergo a medical examination at an accredited clinic. The examination usually includes tests for infectious diseases and chest X-ray. If working with us, we’ll recommend convenient private clinics in different areas of the city.
Stage 6: Decision and Document Receipt (5-30 days)
Usually, the decision is made within 5-7 days, but sometimes the process can take up to 30 days. After approval, all applicants will receive:
- Residence visa.
- Emirates ID (identity card).
The entire visa process typically takes 2-3 months, but you can speed it up by completing some stages simultaneously — for example, preparing documents and selecting property at the same time.
Once you have the visa, it's important to monitor its expiry date and apply for renewal in advance, 30-60 days before expiration.
If you miss the deadline, you’ll be charged fines that go up the longer you wait. For the first six months, it’s 25 dirhams per day. After that, the fine increases to 50 dirhams per day for the next six months. If the delay stretches beyond a year, the daily fine jumps to 100 dirhams. To avoid these charges, it’s a good idea to note your visa expiration date in your calendar and start the renewal process early.
After receiving all documents, enjoy all the benefits of life in the UAE.
Benefits of Living in the UAE
Safety
UAE is a place where people leave their laptops at coffee shops to save a seat. If you lose your phone, someone will probably turn it in before you even notice that it was missing. The crime rate is one of the lowest in the world here.
Tax System
No wealth tax, luxury tax, or even pension tax. This lets you preserve and grow your wealth without dealing with complex tax returns or large payments to the state.
Business
Everything you need for business success. The country offers excellent conditions for entrepreneurs: modern business centers, quick company registration, transparent regulations, and access to Middle Eastern markets.
Healthcare
Exceptional medical care: state-of-the-art hospitals and highly qualified doctors. Getting medical care in the Emirates is a pleasant experience.
Education
Three UAE universities rank among the world's best. Your children will attend modern schools and kindergartens, becoming fluent in English from an early age.
Shopping and Travel
It takes an average of 7 hours to reach most places in Asia and Europe on flights from Dubai or Abu Dhabi. The malls have the most global brands. During sales seasons, discounts typically range from 50-70%, with some brands offering markdowns of up to 80-90%.
Why You May Be Denied a Visa
The most common reason is issues with previous visas. For example, if you have an old residence visa that you didn't officially close before leaving the country, or if you received a tourist visa but never entered the UAE with it. Those who applied for a work visa through a UAE company but never arrived in the country may also be denied.
Visas are also often denied because of technical issues:
- Typos in personal information when filling out the application.
- Unclear or blurry document copies.
- Incorrectly made scans.
To avoid denial, carefully check all information when filling out the application and make high-quality copies of documents. If you had previous UAE visas, make sure they were properly closed.
If a denial does happen, it will be more difficult to submit documents again, so it's important to get everything right the first time. Mira Real Estate experts will help check all documents and avoid typical mistakes — we support the entire visa process and guarantee results on the first attempt.
