Investor Visa or Golden Visa? They Are Not the Same

You own shares in a UAE company, or a Dubai apartment, and want residence on the strength of it. You search "investor visa" and find three different answers, with thresholds from "regardless of the property value" to AED 2 million.

Those answers describe three separate routes. GDRFA Dubai's service for "an investor or partner in a commercial project" is "Issuing green residence permit (partner investor)", which allows residence "for up to five years without needing a guarantor or employer". The golden residence for investors is a different route with an AED 2 million share threshold on GDRFA Dubai's page. The Dubai Land Department (DLD) publishes its own two-year and golden services for residence based on Dubai property.

For the full set of residence categories, start with the overview of UAE residence visa types. Below, each route is quoted from its own authority, with a question list at the end.

Three routes share one search term

People search for "partner visa", but we did not find it as a service name on the GDRFA Dubai, ICP or u.ae pages reviewed on 20 September 2026. The official wording differs by authority:

GDRFA Dubai's green residency group also lists "(High Skilled Worker)" and "(self-employment)" categories. Of the three, the partner investor category is the one named for investors and partners.

The GDRFA Dubai card that ranks for "investor visa" is titled "Issuing a golden residence permit (investors)". It covers the 10-year golden route, not a partner visa.

Route 1: the green residence permit for a partner investor

GDRFA Dubai's service card describes it this way: "A green residence permit allows an investor or partner in a commercial project to reside in the country for up to five years without needing a guarantor or employer. It is renewable under the same terms as when it was first issued."

What GDRFA Dubai lists

The card lists four requirements:

1. "Personal Photograph."
2. "A copy of the passport, and its validity is not less than 6 months."
3. "Partnership/ memorandum of association or investment contract."
4. "Trade license."

It shows a time of "48.0 Hour(s)". It names two channels: digital channels available "24/7" and Amer centres during their "normal operating hours".

It also states: "The grace period to stay inside the country after the expiration of the residence permit or its cancellation is (180) days."

If the company does not exist yet, the trade licence comes first. See the guide to business setup in Dubai and the guide to mainland company setup in Dubai.

The capital question: ICP publishes an amount, GDRFA Dubai does not

Check this point before you apply. ICP's "Issuing Residency Permit" service, with the category set to "Green Residence Investor" and read in a browser on 20 September 2026, lists these terms:

• "Passport valid for no less than 6 months"
• "Approval from the competent authorities and authorization for the applicant to conduct the activity."
• "The investor's contribution to the company must not be less than AED 1,000,000 in cash or its equivalent in foreign currencies, whether at the time of establishing the company or when contributing to an existing company."
• "If the investment or company capital consists of in-kind contributions or tangible or intangible assets, the Ministry of Economy shall evaluate these shares to verify compliance with the minimum contribution requirement."

We did not find a capital or share amount on GDRFA Dubai's green partner investor card, its entry visa and renewal cards, or the two u.ae green visa pages reviewed on 20 September 2026. ICP's page is a federal page, and we did not find a statement on it of whether the amount applies in Dubai. If your company is licensed in Dubai, ask GDRFA Dubai which contribution amount it applies to your application.

ICP's Green Residence Guide lists for investors and business partners: "Provide proof of investment or contribution to a business venture within the UAE." and "Obtain the necessary licences and approvals from the relevant authorities." We did not find an amount in that guide.

Entering on the green entry visa

GDRFA Dubai has a separate entry visa card, "Green visa issuance (investor/partner)". It states: "A business entry visa for the partner/investor category is given to a foreigner and entitles the holder to remain in the country for (60) sixty days from entry until the necessary processes for issuing residency have been completed."

Its requirements mirror the residence card: photo, passport "valid for at least 6 months", "Partnership or investment contract." and "Trade license."

Renewal

GDRFA Dubai's renewal card renews the permit "under the same terms as when it was first issued". Its list is longer than the issuance list:

• "A recent coloured personal photo with a white background for the sponsored person."
• "A copy of the passport."
• "A decent medical examination approved by the concerned authorities for those over 18 years old."
• "ID receipt"
• "Health insurance."

ICP's federal page, which does not state whether it applies in Dubai, adds a condition for keeping the permit. The investor "must continue to meet all conditions stated in this article and must notify the issuing authority if any of these conditions are no longer met." If your shareholding changes, check with the issuing authority.

What happened to the two-year partner visa

You may see references to a two-year investor or partner visa. The u.ae page "Green visa for investors" states: "The Green visa for investors is given to investors establishing or participating in commercial activities in the UAE. It replaces the previous residence visa that was valid for 2 years only."

We did not find a current two-year investor or partner residence service on the GDRFA Dubai website searches made on 20 September 2026.

DLD's Taskeen service, a separate property scheme covered under Route 3, does list a "Two years residency permit". If someone mentions a two-year investor visa, ask whether they mean company shares or property.

Route 2: the golden residence for company investors

GDRFA Dubai's golden investors card states: "The Golden Residence Permit is granted to foreign investors in UAE, whether in the real estate or public investments sector. The residence permit is valid for 10 years and can be extended if the same conditions are met."

For a company shareholder, the card lists: "An investor or partner in a company within the UAE with a value of no less than AED 2 million (the value of their share of the company's assets)".

The Ministry of Economy and Tourism (MoET) golden visa page for public investments includes: "Or be a partner in an existing or new establishment/company with a share of at least AED 2,000,000."

The card's company-route documents include "Submit a certified financial report proving the approved value, issued by an accredited audit firm within UAE". It also lists "A bank statement for the company" and "Tax registration with tax receipts for the last year". For free zones it lists "A certificate issued by the free zones proving the company's capital and the investor's share".

The card also lists deposit, tax contribution and property bases.

Two further lines matter after issue. "One of the conditions for maintaining a Golden Residence Permit is the ability to support oneself and one's family without needing government support." And: "Golden Residence Permit holders are exempt from the 180-day residency law, as the residency is considered void only if it expires outside the country."

For the full set of golden categories, see the guide to the UAE Golden Visa.

Route 3: residence through Dubai property (DLD)

Taskeen: the two-year property investor residence

DLD's "Investor Residence Application (Taskeen)" page states: "This service enables real estate investors to apply for a residency visa linked to property ownership within the Emirate of Dubai".

Its value conditions are:

• "Individual Ownership: The property owner is allowed to apply for the issuance of a license and residency visa, regardless of the property value."
• "A co-owner of the property is allowed to apply for the issuance of a license and residency visa, provided that their share value is not less than AED 400,000."

The page lists a "Two years residency permit" and a time of 7 to 10 business days. Its documents include, paraphrased, the passport, an electronic title deed copy, a photograph and a good conduct certificate from Dubai.

DLD's golden visa for property investors

DLD's "Golden Visa application - Investor" page covers owners whose property "purchase value of which is equal to or more than 2 million AED at the time of purchase, to apply for a 10-years renewable residence permit."

Its conditions include "The value of the property is 2 million AED, wholly owned by the investor (one or more properties)", "The property may be mortgaged, and a no-objection bank letter to be submitted" and "The applicant must be inside the UAE".

One conflict on golden property validity

The pages disagree on golden real estate validity. The u.ae Golden visa page lists "10 years (public investments) 5 years (real estate investments)". GDRFA Dubai's golden investors card applies 10 years to "the real estate or public investments sector", and DLD's page says "10-years renewable". Confirm the validity with GDRFA Dubai or DLD before relying on either figure.

Published fee lines side by side

These are government fee lines as each page publishes them. They are not totals, apart from DLD's own line, and exclude provider fees.

Keep three kinds of cost apart: the government lines above, third-party costs such as the health insurance the green renewal card requires, and any provider's own service fee. Ask for each on its own line.

Fees checked on 20 September 2026.

Family, work and time outside the UAE

Family on the green route. The u.ae green visa page lists "the ability to sponsor family members, including spouses and children". ICP's residency permit page states: "Holders of the Green Residence are also entitled to sponsor first-degree relatives." Article 54 of Cabinet Resolution No. (65) of 2022 states that the family permit "shall be granted for the same period of residence as the Guarantor/Head of the family". We did not find a family statement on GDRFA Dubai's green partner investor card as read on 20 September 2026.

A separate family rule for partners. GDRFA Dubai's family entry visa card lists "Partnership contract for the partner." and states: "The partner's share must be at least 48 thousand Dirhams, as stated in the partnership agreement." That line appears on the family entry visa card, "Issuing an entry visa for residence without work Family Sponsorship", not on its green partner investor card. Family sponsorship is covered in the guide to family visa sponsorship eligibility in the UAE.

Family on the property routes. DLD's golden page states: "The husband or wife, children and parents can be sponsored." DLD's Taskeen page lists family fee lines, such as "For children under 18 years: AED 6,482.25". We did not find a family statement on GDRFA Dubai's golden investors card.

Work. The u.ae green visa page says holders can "live, work or run a business in the UAE". We did not find a work statement on GDRFA Dubai's green partner investor card.

Time outside the UAE. GDRFA Dubai's golden card exempts golden holders from "the 180-day residency law". The green card's "(180) days" is described there as a "grace period to stay inside the country after the expiration of the residence permit or its cancellation". Ask GDRFA Dubai how each line applies to your permit.

Route comparison and shareholder question list

Practical asset: the three-route comparison table and eight-question shareholder check. Read across each row, then answer the questions with your own documents in front of you. | | Green residence (partner investor) | Golden residence (investors, company route) | DLD Taskeen (property) | |---|---|---|---| | Basis | Share in a company: "Partnership/ memorandum of association or investment contract" | Share of company assets | Dubai property ownership | | Threshold as published | GDRFA Dubai: none stated. ICP (federal): "not be less than AED 1,000,000" | GDRFA Dubai: "no less than AED 2 million" | Sole owner: "regardless of the property value". Co-owner share: "not less than AED 400,000" | | Validity as published | GDRFA Dubai: "up to five years" | GDRFA Dubai: "valid for 10 years" | "Two years residency permit" | | Sponsor | "without needing a guarantor or employer" | Not quoted here; ask GDRFA Dubai | Not stated on the Taskeen page as read; ask DLD | | Family | u.ae and ICP: may sponsor family | Not found on the GDRFA Dubai card | Family fee lines listed | | Issuing channel | GDRFA Dubai digital channels and Amer centres; ICP Smart Services (federal) | GDRFA Dubai | DLD service page | DLD's separate golden property route requires property of "2 million AED" and is described as "10-years renewable"; u.ae lists 5 years for real estate. Confirm which applies. Eight questions to match a shareholding to a route 1. In which emirate, or which free zone, is the company licensed? Write the licensing authority: ______ 2. Does your memorandum of association or partnership contract name you as a partner? [yes / no] 3. What contribution does the memorandum show against your name, in AED? ______ 4. Is that contribution in cash, or in kind? ICP says the Ministry of Economy evaluates in-kind shares. 5. Has GDRFA Dubai (or your emirate's authority) told you what contribution amount it applies? Write the answer and date: ______ 6. Could an accredited UAE audit firm certify the value of your share of the company's assets? The golden card asks for "a certified financial report". 7. Do you also own Dubai property, alone or jointly? If jointly, what is your share value? ______ 8. Whom do you plan to sponsor: spouse, children, parents? Note which route's page mentions them.

A worked example

Take a shareholder who holds 30 per cent of a Dubai mainland company and co-owns an apartment with a sibling.

Company shares. The green partner investor card asks for the memorandum and the trade licence, but names no amount. ICP's federal page names AED 1,000,000. The shareholder writes down the contribution shown in the memorandum and asks GDRFA Dubai which amount, if any, it applies.

Golden residence. The golden card asks whether the shareholder's share of company assets is "no less than AED 2 million", proved by a report from "an accredited audit firm within UAE". The authority, not the shareholder or a provider, decides whether the value is met.

Property. On the Taskeen page, the co-owner's share must be "not less than AED 400,000". The shareholder checks the title deed and asks DLD how it values the share.

Each question goes to the authority that publishes the rule. For the structure decision behind the company, see the mainland or free zone decision guide.

Who decides, what you prepare, what a provider can do

What the authority decides. DLD publishes its own Taskeen and golden services for property owners; ask DLD which authority issues the permit. The authority, not any provider, decides each application and whether a threshold is met.

What you prepare. The passport, photograph, trade licence and memorandum or partnership contract. The golden company route adds the audited financial report, company bank statement and tax records. DLD's Taskeen page lists an electronic title deed copy among its documents.

What a provider can do. Where its licence allows, a provider can help assemble these documents, submit them through the channel the authority names and track progress. It cannot change a threshold.

Eligibility is determined by the relevant UAE authority. This article describes published requirements and is not immigration advice.

Last verified: 20 September 2026. Information verified against official sources on 20 September 2026.

If you are comparing residence routes for a shareholding or a property, contact RINJAZ to confirm availability, scope and quotation. RINJAZ is a privately licensed UAE service provider. It is not a government entity and does not act for any authority.

A provider's role, within whatever its licensed activity covers, is to prepare documents, submit them through the correct channel and track progress. The issuing authority, such as GDRFA Dubai or ICP, decides each residence application, and no provider can promise the outcome.