Where is it easier to get a Golden Visa: Dubai or Abu Dhabi?

The main request worrying investors from all over the world is: ‘How to get a UAE Golden Visa by investing in property’. Brokers just starting out in Dubai may not know all the nuances. In this article we will tell not only how investors can acquire a Golden Visa, but also in which emirate it is easier to do it.

How does a Golden visa differ from a resident visa?

Golden and resident visas are a kind of analogue of a residence permit in the United Arab Emirates. With their help, you can live and work in the UAE. A regular visa is granted for two years with the possibility of prolongation. Golden Visa allows you to enjoy all the bonuses of residency for ten years.

What a Golden Visa is for

With this type of visa you can live and work in the United Arab Emirates for a long term without restrictions.
It is easy to issue a sponsor visa to relatives: spouses, children, parents.
Get access to medical care, quality education and a banking system.
Become a tax resident of the UAE.

How to get a Golden Visa in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

Getting a Golden Visa is much easier than it seems. One of the common ways is to buy a property worth AED 2,000,000 or more. It does not matter at all whether it is commercial or residential. The investor can also become an equity owner (the existence of family ties is not important). The main thing is that his share is valued not less than 2 000 000 AED.

Golden Visa has one more undeniable advantage. If other types of visas need to enter the UAE at least for a short period of time once every six months, then with a Golden Visa you can not enter the country at all. That is, the investor can travel the world or live in his native country as long as he wants and he does not need to ‘check in’ every six months in Dubai.

According to the general rules, a long-term visa is issued within 10-15 working days to several months (if the full set of documents is correctly prepared).

Advantage of getting visa in Dubai

If your investor wants to get a Golden Visa when buying a property in Dubai, there are some advantages. In the last year, the criteria for the Golden Visa have been significantly relaxed. It is no longer necessary to contribute 50% of the property price or the entire amount to obtain it. A down payment of 10-20% of the value of the property will be sufficient.

If your client buys a property worth more than AED 2,000,000, he can qualify for a Golden Visa even if he had to take out an instalment or mortgage. All that will be required is to pay 20% of the value of the property, which is what most people do when they take a mortgage.

Disadvantages of getting visa in Dubai

- If your client wants to sell the property soon, not only his Golden Visa but also the visas of his relatives will be cancelled.

- Not all projects sold in Dubai are suitable for a Golden Visa. A lot depends on the developer, the cost of the property, the stage of construction, etc.

Advantage of getting visa in Abu Dhabi

Getting a Golden Visa in Abu Dhabi also has its advantages. The emirate is now actively attracting investments, population and wants to grow on the same principle as Dubai. Therefore, Abu Dhabi has come up with its own system of Golden Visa processing with good chips and bonuses.

- Here you can get a visa by buying housing at any stage of construction. That is, the building can be only in the project (at the zero stage), and the investor will already get the visa. Visa approval depends on the credibility of the object and the developer.

- If your client wants to sell the purchased property in the near future, the visa will still remain with him.

Top 3 projects suitable for obtaining the Golden Visa

Hatimi Residences is a unique complex located on the beachfront in Dubai. The territory of the project includes everything that is necessary for a comfortable and relaxed life: swimming pool, spa centre, recreation area, etc. For active residents, the complex has an aqua-gym, an outdoor yoga area and a sports club.

Handover: 1st quarter 2026

Price: from AED 2 150 000

Baccarat Residences is a premium residential complex in the heart of the popular Downtown area. Stylish interior design is based on the project of 1508 London studio. Property owners will be able to enjoy not only the developed internal infrastructure, but also the service of a five-star hotel. There is a swimming pool, a restaurant, a fitness centre, a spa centre, a cinema, a bar and a yoga studio on the territory.

Handover: 4th quarter 2026

Price: from AED 21 485 581

DaVinci Tower by Pagani is an exclusive project located in the prestigious Business Bay neighbourhood. Each lot has a spacious balcony, a terrace with a swimming pool, as well as special places for recreation. A variety of recreational activities are provided for the residents: swimming pool with Jacuzzi, fitness centre, landscaped gardens, sauna, play area and more.