Golden, Investor or Retirement: matching the visa to the investment
S K Pranav Bhalaji · 2026-09-10 · 4 min read
Three routes, three different shapes. The Golden Visa asks for AED 2,000,000 or more, spread across up to three properties if needed, and returns a 10-year renewable residency with no minimum stay. The Property Investor Visa asks for AED 750,000 in a single fully-owned, ready or largely-complete home, and returns 2 years, renewable, with a clear upgrade path to the Golden route once the portfolio reaches AED 2M. The Retirement Visa asks for AED 1,000,000, is open only from age 55, and returns 5 years, renewable, with the right to work, study or simply reside without a sponsor.
The question we ask every client is not "which visa is best" but "which one matches where you actually are." A first-time buyer building toward AED 2M chooses differently from someone past 55 consolidating into one property for the long term. We confirm exact eligibility with the Dubai Land Department before any commitment, so the residency plan is set before the purchase, not discovered after it.