Dubai issues 66,000 “Golden Visas” and over 1 million new UAE residence permits in the first half of 2026

In the first half of 2026, Dubai—through the General Directorate of Identity and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA)—processed around 66,000 “Golden Visas”. At the same time, the authorities issued 1 million new residence permits, more than 900,000 renewals, and carried out over 5 million operations related to entry permits.

GDRFA’s official data for the first half of 2025 did not publish comparable figures for “Golden Visas,” so a reliable year-on-year comparison is not possible. If the current pace is extrapolated, Dubai could see roughly 132,000 Golden Visa issuances in 2026. That is below the record 158,000 set in 2023, but still clearly higher than the levels typical of the period before the record was established.

Where the application surge is coming from

Rafael Cintron, CEO of Dubai-based company Wealthy Expat, links the high volume to the fact that holders of shorter-term residence categories are switching to Dubai Golden Visas.

According to him, the key driver of growth is the conversion of two-year residence permits into Golden Visas. He notes that this year, more than 100 clients have already applied, and over 50 of them held an existing standard UAE residence permit.

In addition, the process received another boost in May, when Dubai removed the minimum real-estate value requirement for a two-year investor visa. In practice, this type of permit has become a kind of “entry corridor”: an investor can buy a property at any price point, then upgrade the status to a 10-year UAE Golden Visa once the investment reaches the AED 2 million threshold (about $545,000).

Cintron believes the threshold is likely to remain. No easing is expected, as a Golden Visa can be obtained through investment in ongoing construction projects without having to commit the full amount upfront. Based on his observations, many investors are already using this route.

Stress-testing the model amid conflict

Jeremy Savory, founder and CEO of Savory & Partners, views the first-half figures as a continuation of accumulated demand for the UAE across multiple segments—business, tourism, real estate, and relocation.

Among the reasons he believes are pushing people toward Dubai are rising anti-exile and anti-wealth sentiment in “developed world” countries, instability in parts of the Global South, declining confidence in political governance, and concerns about personal safety.

The main pull factors Savory highlights are stable leadership, low taxes, and an open migration policy. In his view, in 2026 these points have effectively been tested in real life.

Over the first six months, the situation was influenced by the escalation of the conflict around Iran, disruptions in the area of the Strait of Hormuz, airspace closures, and the evacuation of some Golden Visa holders (around 500 people) who found themselves abroad. At the same time, Savory stresses that a sense of safety in the UAE has not disappeared, which is reflected in relatively limited population outflows. He notes that the UAE has demonstrated effectiveness in protecting both citizens and residents.

As a parallel, he points to an earlier crisis: “The UAE received a strong boost when it showed how it handled COVID, in contrast to Australia, Canada, and Europe.” Today, he says, the country is demonstrating that it can maintain public safety. His company’s data also suggests that those who left were more often driven by conflict-related impacts on business—including in tourism, entertainment, and real estate—rather than solely fears for personal safety.

Cintron agrees that the reputation of the UAE as a “quiet safe haven” won’t be damaged for long, but notes that not everyone keeps the course they initially chose. He says some clients who previously considered the UAE are now looking at other jurisdictions—for example, the Cayman Islands or Greece with a “flat tax” regime.

What to expect in the second half of 2026

Both experts expect slower applications and approvals in the remaining months, followed by a rebound.

Savory forecasts that volumes will first drop noticeably and then start rising again, since “problems in the rest of the world remain and, in general, are getting worse.” He also acknowledges that predicting the speed of recovery is difficult—among other reasons due to the unpredictability of political decisions.

Cintron, meanwhile, expects the slowdown to be shallow. In his estimate, the flow of applications will remain strong, especially from overseas investors looking to take advantage of a cooling real-estate market and falling property prices.

In the long term, Savory bets on a geographic factor: wealthy people need a “hub” for meetings and business activities, and—based on his logic—there are no comparable alternatives “from Switzerland to Singapore.” In addition, one-third of the world’s population lives within a four-hour flight of Dubai.

If you’re considering the UAE Golden Visa, it’s crucial to understand what drives the application flow: Dubai is seeing a rise in conversions from shorter residence permits to long-term status, and the investor visa framework is also evolving. Want to assess your options and choose the most efficient path (investment route or status upgrade)? Contact Digital Nomad — we’ll help with documentation, strategy selection, and end-to-end support.

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