How to Get a UAE Investor Visa in 2026: Step-by-Step Guide

Setting up a company in the UAE entitles you to apply for a UAE residency visa. The standard route for company owners is the investor or partner visa, a 3-year renewable residency that comes with an Emirates ID, the right to sponsor family members, and access to UAE banking, healthcare, and schools.

Setting up a company in the UAE entitles you to apply for a UAE residency visa. The standard route for company owners is the investor or partner visa, a 3-year renewable residency that comes with an Emirates ID, the right to sponsor family members, and access to UAE banking, healthcare, and schools.

Types of UAE Residency Visa for Business Owners

This guide focuses on the investor and partner visa, the standard path for most company founders.

Eligibility

• You must be a shareholder or partner in a UAE company (mainland LLC, free zone company, or branch).
• The company must hold a valid, active trade licence.
• You must pass a UAE medical fitness test (blood test for HIV, hepatitis B and C, and tuberculosis).
• You must have no criminal record that would disqualify you under UAE immigration rules.
• For free zone visas, the free zone authority issues the visa on behalf of the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) or ICA (federal).

Step-by-Step Process

1. 1Incorporate your UAE company and receive your trade licence. The visa application cannot begin before the licence is issued.
2. 2Apply for an Entry Permit (if you are outside the UAE). This allows you to enter the UAE for the purpose of completing the visa process. Entry permits are issued by the GDRFA (Dubai) or ICA (federal) and are typically valid for 60 days.
3. 3Enter the UAE on your Entry Permit, or if already in the UAE on another visa status, apply for a Status Change to convert your existing status to 'residence visa in process'.
4. 4Complete the medical fitness test at an approved UAE health centre (DHA-approved in Dubai). The test includes a blood draw, chest X-ray, and biometric scan. Results are typically available within 24–48 hours.
5. 5Submit your Emirates ID application through the ICA (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security). This involves biometric fingerprinting.
6. 6Your visa is then stamped in your passport, either at a GDRFA or ICA typing centre, or at the free zone authority's visa services desk. The passport is usually returned within 3–5 working days.
7. 7Your Emirates ID is printed and couriered to you, typically within 5–7 working days of biometric submission.

Costs

Government fees for a standard investor visa in Dubai typically total AED 3,500–6,000 per person, broken down approximately as follows:

• Entry permit fee: approximately AED 200–500 (varies by nationality and issuing authority).
• Medical fitness test: approximately AED 300–600.
• Emirates ID: approximately AED 370 for 3 years (ICA fee).
• Visa stamping (GDRFA or typing fee): approximately AED 400–800.
• Status change (if converting inside UAE): approximately AED 500.
• Free zone visa service charge: varies by free zone (AED 500–1,500).
• PRO / typing fees: variable.

Timeline

For a straightforward application, the full investor visa process typically takes 2–4 weeks from company licence issuance to Emirates ID in hand. The medical test and ICA processing are usually the rate-limiting steps. Applications where passports require special handling or where nationalities require additional security clearances may take longer.

Sponsoring Your Family

Once you hold a UAE residency visa, you can sponsor dependent family members, spouse, children, and in some cases parents. The sponsorship process mirrors the investor visa process: entry permit, medical test, Emirates ID, and visa stamping for each dependent. Children over 18 years old must have their own eligible status (student or employment visa) unless they are female and unmarried, in which case they can remain on a parent's sponsorship in some circumstances.

The UAE Golden Visa

The Golden Visa is a long-term residency programme introduced in 2019 and expanded significantly in 2022. It is distinct from the standard investor visa in both duration and eligibility criteria.

• 10-year Golden Visa: available to investors who own AED 2 million or more in UAE real estate (paid up, not mortgaged) or who have established a UAE business with minimum AED 2 million in capital. Also available to outstanding students, researchers, scientists, doctors, and 'exceptional talents' in culture, arts, and sports.
• 5-year Golden Visa: available to entrepreneurs with an existing or planned project in the UAE with a minimum value of AED 500,000 and the approval of a UAE business incubator.
• Golden Visa holders do not need a sponsor, the visa is self-sponsored.
• Golden Visa holders can sponsor family members under the same long-term framework.
• The visa is renewable and not tied to a specific employment or company; it remains valid even if the qualifying investment or company changes, subject to renewal conditions.