Path three — Buying property
Buy well first. The visa follows the asset.
Residency route
Golden Visa — 10 years, renewable, via the AED 2,000,000 property route
For buyers whose purchase is also a residency decision. The order matters: a property chosen only to clear a visa threshold is usually a bad asset, and a bad asset is a ten-year problem. We start with the investment case, then structure the purchase so it qualifies cleanly.
Where the rules currently stand
- The Golden Visa property investment threshold is AED 2,000,000 (roughly USD 545,000), assessed on a Dubai Land Department certified valuation.
- Up to three properties can be combined to reach the AED 2 million total, each within an approved freehold area.
- Mortgaged and off-plan property can qualify for the Golden Visa route once the certified value reaches AED 2 million; mortgaged purchases require a bank no-objection certificate.
- There is no minimum-stay requirement to keep a Golden Visa valid.
- A qualifying Golden Visa holder can sponsor spouse, children and domestic staff under the same residency.
What's included
What we handle on this path.
Property search matched to eligibility
Freehold, designated-area properties that hold their value on their own merits and satisfy the qualifying criteria — in that order.
RERA-licensed broker introduction
We are not a brokerage and never present ourselves as one. We introduce you to licensed brokers and sit on your side of the table.
Single or multi-property strategy
Up to three properties can be combined to reach the AED 2 million threshold, each within an approved freehold area. Sometimes that's smarter than one unit; often it isn't.
Off-plan vs completed guidance
Handover risk, payment-plan mechanics, escrow protections, and how each choice interacts with the visa route you're targeting.
Mortgage & bank NOC coordination
Mortgaged property can qualify for the Golden Visa route once the certified value reaches the threshold; a bank no-objection letter is required and the authority places a lien on the title.
DLD valuation & title deed
Coordination of the Dubai Land Department certified valuation that the application is assessed against, and title deed issuance.
Golden Visa filing support
Document assembly, application submission through licensed channels, medical, biometrics and Emirates ID.
Family & domestic staff sponsorship
Once granted, a Golden Visa holder can sponsor spouse, children and domestic staff under the same residency.
The sequence
How it runs, week by week.
Indicative timings for a straightforward case. Government processing times, bank compliance and document attestation in your home country are the variables that move them.
- 01Week 0
Investment brief
Budget, holding period, yield versus capital growth, and whether residency is the objective or a by-product.
- 02Weeks 1–4
Shortlist & viewings
Area analysis, developer and building due diligence, accompanied viewings with RERA-licensed brokers.
- 03Weeks 3–6
Offer & contract
Price negotiation support, MOU review, deposit and escrow mechanics, mortgage coordination if financed.
- 04Weeks 5–8
Transfer & title deed
Dubai Land Department transfer, certified valuation and title deed issuance. Bank NOC handled here if there's a mortgage.
- 05Weeks 8–12
Golden Visa filing
Application submitted through licensed channels, followed by medical, biometrics and Emirates ID.
- 06Week 12+
Family & handover
Dependant and domestic staff sponsorship, then the full document pack and renewal calendar in your portal.
Packages
Choose the whole path, or one piece of it.
Every package can be paid in full at the start, or released as each service completes. Pricing is quoted after your brief, because a single founder and a family of five are not the same job.
Property Search Only
Sourcing and representation, no visa filing.
- Requirements brief and area analysis
- Shortlist and accompanied viewings
- RERA-licensed broker introduction
- Offer and contract review support
Best for
Buyers who already hold residency or don't want the visa route.
Property + Golden Visa
Purchase and residency, run as one project.
- Everything in Property Search Only
- Eligibility structuring, single or multi-property
- DLD valuation and title deed coordination
- Mortgage / bank NOC handling if financed
- Full Golden Visa filing, medical and Emirates ID
Best for
Most buyers using property as their route to residency.
Property + Golden Visa + Family
The whole household, settled.
- Everything in Property + Golden Visa
- Spouse, children and domestic staff sponsorship
- School placement
- Health insurance, banking and driving licences
- Utilities, Ejari where relevant, and settling-in support
Best for
Families relocating on the back of a purchase.
Please note
Figures on this page were reviewed in August 2026 and are subject to change by the relevant UAE authorities. Thresholds, eligibility rules and fees should be confirmed for your specific case before you commit funds. FirstKey Dubai coordinates with licensed partners and is not itself a visa-issuing authority, a licensed real estate brokerage, or a bank.
Individual services
Or engage just one thing.
Residency
Residence visas & Emirates ID
Entry permits, medicals, biometrics and Emirates ID, tracked end to end.
Residency
Golden Visa
The 10-year route — property, salary, business or talent.
Business
Bank account opening support
Personal and corporate introductions, with the file prepared properly.
Property
Property purchase & rental
Buying or renting, with someone on your side of the table.
Life admin
Ejari, DEWA & utilities
Tenancy registration and the services that depend on it.
Life admin
Driving licence
Direct conversion where you're eligible, the fastest test route where you're not.
Life admin
School placement
Curriculum matching, assessments and waitlist strategy.
Life admin
Health insurance
Compliant cover for you and your dependants, before the deadline.
Residency
Family & domestic staff sponsorship
Bringing your household onto your residency.
Questions
Asked and answered.
Is there still a cheaper property route to residency?
Yes, but it is a different visa. Dubai's 2-year property investor visa no longer carries a minimum property value for a sole owner, and joint owners each need a share of at least AED 400,000. That is a 2-year renewable permit, not the Golden Visa — and unlike the Golden Visa route, off-plan units generally do not qualify; the property should be completed and registered. The AED 2 million figure belongs to the 10-year Golden Visa and nowhere else.
Can I combine several apartments to reach AED 2 million?
Up to three properties can be combined toward the AED 2 million total, provided each sits within an approved freehold area. Whether you should is a separate question — three small units means three service-charge bills, three tenancies and three exit decisions.
Does a mortgage disqualify me?
Not on the Golden Visa route. Once the certified value reaches AED 2 million the property can qualify even if financed, with a no-objection certificate from your bank; the authority places a lien on the title while the visa is in force.
Do I have to live in the UAE to keep the visa?
There is no minimum-stay requirement attached to the Golden Visa, which is one of the main reasons buyers choose it over shorter permits. Tax residency is a separate matter with its own day-count tests — worth advice from a tax specialist in your home country.