Dubai removes minimum property value threshold for 2-year visa

The Dubai Land Department (DLD) has officially removed the minimum property value requirement of 750,000 AED (approximately US$204,000) for sole owners when applying for a 2-year Real Estate Investor Visa, according to an update published on 29/04/2026 on the DLD’s Cube Centre platform. For co-owners, each individual must still own at least 400,000 AED (approximately US$109,000) in property shares.

Key changes

According to the Dubai Land Department, the new regulation is effective immediately on the Cube Centre platform without an accompanying official gazette or decree. The 2-year visa – also known by the Arabic name “Taskeen visa” – is a residence permit linked to property ownership in Dubai and can be renewed continuously.

Specifically:

• Sole owner: no longer has a minimum property value limit; one may apply for a visa as long as they own a completed unit with a title deed registered with the DLD
• Co-owner: each individual must have a minimum share of 400,000 AED. Previously, each co-owner had to independently meet the 750,000 AED threshold – which was difficult to achieve for most joint transactions

According to AGBI analysis, two investors jointly purchasing a property worth 800,000 AED can now both apply for a residence visa – a structure that was previously ineligible.

Scope of application and eligible property types

The new regulation applies specifically to Dubai, not to the entire United Arab Emirates (The UAE). Other emirates such as Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah operate their own real estate residency programmes with their own thresholds.

The property must meet the following conditions:

• Completed: must have a title deed registered with the Dubai Land Department
• Exclusion of off-plan: properties in the development stage only registered under Oqood (temporary registration system for incomplete projects) are ineligible
• Not in Free Zones: properties in the DIFC or other emirates are not accepted

For properties under mortgage or financed through the developer, the applicant must submit a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the bank or developer, along with a payment statement. Health insurance from a UAE provider and a Dubai Police clearance certificate are mandatory requirements.

Distinction from UAE Golden Visa

This 2-year visa is positioned significantly lower than The UAE Golden Visa both in terms of duration and investment threshold. The 10-year Golden Visa still requires a minimum property purchase of 2,000,000 AED (approximately US$545,000). The 5-year retirement visa – available only to those over 55 – maintains the 1,000,000 AED threshold.

According to Jeremy Savory, CEO of Savory & Partners, speaking to IMI Daily: “This is not a golden visa. This is a 2-year visa, similar to when you have a business here. There is nothing ‘golden’ about it.”

According to Savory, this decision is a demand-side intervention to support a price segment under pressure: “This is an attempt to reduce downward pressure on property prices in a specific segment of the market. The target is the low-to-mid income segment – because that is the segment that has seen a wave of layoffs, particularly in the real estate, tourism, and surrounding indirect markets.”

Context of Iran conflict and Strait of Hormuz

According to AGBI, this change is one of many measures the Government has introduced since the Iran conflict and the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz disrupted trade, construction supply chains, and consumer confidence in the UAE in early 2026.

Residential property sales in Dubai fell by nearly 20% in March 2026 – down to approximately 37 billion AED (US$10 billion) – compared to the previous month (before the Iran conflict began), according to data from research firm Reidin analysed from DLD.

However, Q1/2026 still recorded 138.7 billion AED in transactions across 44,000 contracts – a 21% increase in value compared to the same period last year. It is expected that more than 50,000 units will be handed over in Dubai in 2026.

Market reaction

According to AGBI, Mr Pranav Chaudhary, a real estate consultant at Livrichy Real Estate Brokerage, assesses: “Removing the minimum threshold is a significant demand-side catalyst at a critical time. This policy expands the pool of buyers to absorb upcoming supply and offset the downward pressure on demand in the real estate market due to the current regional conflict.”

Ms Shabana Rasool, Operations Client Relationship Manager at Sovereign PPG Corporate Services, stated: “The adjusted thresholds mean that existing property owners who previously did not qualify may now be eligible for residency, while potential buyers who previously declined residency benefits because they could not reach the threshold may now consider it a compelling reason to invest.”

Application process

The standard processing time for applications is 10-15 working days via the DLD Cube Centre platform. Applications are submitted entirely through the official DLD digital platform at dldcube.com or the service portal at dubailand.gov.ae. Applicants must visit the service centre in person for the biometrics and medical examination steps.

The visa allows for the sponsorship of a spouse and minor children. Visa holders can open a UAE bank account, register for an Emirates ID, obtain a UAE driving licence, and benefit from the UAE’s 0% personal income tax regime.

Parallel reforms

This 2-year threshold change follows a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Dubai Land Department and the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA) to merge three property-based residency services (Golden Residency, Retiree Residency, Property Residency) into a single administrative channel.

A separate federal policy circular in February 2026 removed the requirement for a 1,000,000 AED cash down payment for Golden Visa applications, while confirming that off-plan properties are eligible based on the total value recorded in the title deed or Oqood contract.

In summary, these reforms constitute a restructuring of the property-linked residency architecture in Dubai: lowering barriers at the entry level, simplifying administrative procedures for all tiers, and easing eligibility conditions for the Golden Visa property route.