Dubai scraps the minimum property purchase threshold for a 2-year investor residence visa

The Dubai Department of Land Resources (DLD) has removed the requirement for a minimum property value of 750,000 dirhams (around $204,000) for applicants seeking a 2-year investor residence visa tied to real estate ownership. The update applies to cases where the applicant holds the property as the sole owner (sole ownership).

The change was posted on the DLD platform Cube Centre on April 29. Rules for co-owners were also adjusted: each co-owner now needs a minimum stake worth 400,000 dirhams (about $109,000) rather than the previous threshold of 750,000 dirhams for every participant in the ownership structure.

No separate official decree or notice appeared in the government gazette alongside the update. Still, several immigration firms—including Fragomen and Erickson Immigration Group—have already sent client advisories, treating the revision as active.

This isn’t the “Golden Visa”

A 2-year residence visa is a renewable permit directly linked to holding property in Dubai. In terms of duration and required investment levels, it is clearly different from the Golden Visa.

For example, a 10-year Golden Visa still requires a real estate purchase of at least 2 million dirhams (approximately $545,000). For the 5-year retirement visa (available to applicants 55 and older), the minimum remains 1 million dirhams.

Jeremy Savory, founder and head of Savory & Partners, drew the distinction sharply: “This is not a golden visa. This is a two-year visa—more like you’re simply running a business here. There’s nothing ‘golden’ about it.”

A targeted push for the lower price bracket

Savory described the decision as a demand-support measure aimed at a specific segment of the market. In his view, the update is designed to ease price pressure where the real estate market is particularly sensitive.

He added that the adjustment primarily concerns low- and middle-income buyers—exactly where the impact of job losses is most visible. That effect is felt not only within real estate, but also across connected sectors such as tourism and other “indirect” markets that depend on these two industries.

According to Savory, this isn’t a one-off change. After the conflict began and as the UAE faced disruptions related to the Strait of Hormuz earlier this year, trade flows were disrupted, construction supply chains were hit, and consumer confidence weakened. “This is a package of measures introduced since the start of the conflict, and the government is acting proactively—trying to keep the situation under control,” he said.

Premium remains steady; commercial activity is moving up

At the same time, Savory emphasized that no comparable residency-related easing appears to be happening in the upper segment. “There are no changes elsewhere in the market: neither for owners in the premium segment, nor for villas, nor for commercial real estate,” he said.

Meanwhile, the commercial sector is showing the opposite trend. Disruptions to supply chains linked to the Strait of Hormuz have pushed up the cost of construction materials, and scarcity has intensified in an already undersupplied market. “Commercial real estate was underfilled to begin with, and prices—unbelievably—have gone even higher,” Savory added.

How to apply

Now sole property owners whose assets are already registered with DLD can submit an application regardless of the purchase price.

However, off-plan properties that are registered only through Oqood (temporary registration for ongoing development projects) do not qualify. To apply, applicants must have a confirmed title deed—meaning the property must be completed.

If the property is mortgaged or acquired through developer financing, the applicant must provide NOC (consent for the transaction) from the bank or developer, along with a payment statement.

In addition, requirements include medical insurance arranged through any UAE provider and a good conduct certificate from Dubai Police.

According to DLD Cube Centre, the processing time is typically 10–15 business days. Applications are submitted through the same platform.

Broader administrative adjustments behind the scenes

The new relaxation comes at a time when Dubai is reshaping administrative procedures related to real-estate-based residency. A few weeks earlier, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) and DLD signed a memorandum of understanding to streamline three related residency services into a single administrative pathway: Golden Residency, Retiree Residency, and Property Residency.

Separately, in February, a federal circular removed the 1 million dirham upfront payment requirement for Golden Visa applicants and confirmed that off-plan assets may be considered—based on the overall value reflected in title documents or Oqood contracts.

Taken together, these steps can be seen as a redesign of Dubai’s real-estate residency “framework”: entry barriers are lower, administration becomes more consistent, and the route to residency via the Golden Visa pathway looks more flexible. Whether these changes will truly cool demand in the lower segment will depend on how long regional tensions persist and how quickly buyer confidence recovers.

Expert note: When people compare Dubai residency options, they often focus only on the headline purchase thresholds. But for an investor visa in Dubai, the “real” decision factor is usually the administrative stability of the chosen route—how clearly the authorities define documentation, how predictable the renewal process is, and how consistently the rules are applied across different property statuses (completed vs. off-plan, sole vs. joint ownership). A lesser-known practical point: applicants who plan for renewal from the start tend to prepare proof of ongoing compliance (ownership status, payments, and any required consents) earlier, which reduces delays and resubmissions later—especially when timelines fluctuate across departments.

Wondering how the latest updates to investor residence visas via real estate in Dubai may affect your plan? Digital Nomad will help you review current thresholds, ownership structures (sole owner/joint owners), and the key differences from Golden Visa—so you can choose the best option. Learn more: https://digital-nomad.gr/en/goldenvisa

Our Telegram channel about various types of Greek residence permits, digital nomad programs, and the Greek Golden Visa: @digitalnomadgr