Investor visa —
residency through your company.
Tie your UAE residency directly to your mainland LLC. 2-year partner visa standard. AED 2M property or qualifying investment unlocks 10-year Golden Visa.
- From
- AED 3,200
- Timeline
- 10–14 d
- Validity
- 2 years
- Golden upgrade
- AED 2M
Definition — Investor Visa
A UAE investor or partner visa is a 2-year residency tied to ownership of a UAE-licensed company. Eligibility: ownership of a Dubai DED or Abu Dhabi DED licence (any percentage), passport-attested MoA showing shareholding, and active trade licence. Process is similar to employment visa but the visa sponsor is the company itself — meaning the investor doesn't need an external employer. Renewable indefinitely while company licence remains active. AED 2M+ property holding or qualifying investment unlocks the 10-year Golden Visa instead.
Three ways to get residency through your company.
Investor / partner / Golden — all three give you UAE residency, but the threshold, validity, and family-sponsorship economics differ substantially.
| Route | Threshold | Validity | Renewal | Family sponsorship |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Standard investor / partner visa | Any shareholding in DED-licensed entity | 2 years | Linked to active trade licence | Spouse/children if declared salary ≥ AED 4,000 |
| Property-investor Golden Visa | AED 2M+ UAE real estate (owned outright or equity ≥ AED 2M) | 10 years | Renewable while property held | Unlimited (no income threshold) |
| Public-investor Golden Visa | AED 2M+ qualifying investment (UAE company shares, deposits, bonds) | 10 years | Renewable while investment maintained | Unlimited (no income threshold) |
| Entrepreneur Golden Visa | AED 500k+ audited project value + UAE incubator nomination | 5 years (renewable) | Subject to project continuity | Unlimited |
Where people get this wrong.
Pulled from 500+ YABS engagements. Each pitfall has a knock-on cost in time or AED — knowing them up front is half the value of using a PRO.
Filing investor visa before MoA notarisation is complete
Cost: GDRFA rejection; AED 1,100 stamping fee burned; 7-day delay re-applying after MoA fix
YABS fix: We sequence the licence issuance → MoA notarisation → Establishment Card → investor visa as a single workflow.
Assuming Golden Visa property route accepts mortgaged properties
Cost: Application rejected; equity portion ≥ AED 2M is the actual test, not the title-deed value
YABS fix: We check mortgage/equity status before opening the Golden Visa case — many AED 2M titles fail because outstanding mortgage drops the equity below threshold.
Sponsoring family on investor visa without declaring a director salary
Cost: Income-threshold test fails; family entry permits rejected
YABS fix: We draft a board resolution declaring a director salary at the appropriate threshold before family sponsorship begins.
Letting investor visa lapse when trade licence expires
Cost: Auto-cancellation of residency; AED 100/day overstay penalty after grace period
YABS fix: Investor visas are tracked alongside trade licence in the renewal calendar — both renew in sync.
Document checklist.
- Original passport (6+ months validity)
- MoA showing investor's shareholding (notarised)
- Trade licence + Establishment Card
- Photo (white background)
- Bank statement (for proof of investment)
- Title deed (if Golden Visa via property)
What you actually pay.
| Item | AED |
|---|---|
GDRFA entry permit | 700 |
MOHRE work permit (investor category) | 250 |
Tasheel typing | 200 |
DHA medical fitness | 320 |
Emirates ID (2-year) | 200 |
GDRFA residency stamping | 1,100 |
Medical insurance (basic annual) | 800 |
| Government fees subtotal | 3,570 |
| YABS service fee | 800 |
| 5% VAT (on YABS service fee) | 40 |
| Total | 4,410 |
Government fees vary by activity and approval requirements. Final quote confirmed after activity selection.
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between investor visa and Golden Visa?
Standard investor visa is 2-year residency tied to your DED licence — any shareholding qualifies. Golden Visa is 10-year residency requiring AED 2M+ qualifying investment (property, business, deposits). Golden Visa unlocks: 10-year validity, no sponsor required, family sponsorship without income threshold. Many founders start with investor visa and upgrade to Golden once they meet AED 2M threshold.
Can I sponsor family on an investor visa?
Yes — investor visa holders can sponsor spouse, children, and parents under the same income rules as employment visa: AED 4,000+ for spouse/children (set as your declared director salary), AED 20,000+ for parents. Company resolution + MoA can establish your shareholder dividend/salary for sponsorship purposes.
How long does investor visa processing take?
Standard investor visa: 10–14 working days. Slightly longer than employment visa due to MoA verification step. Golden Visa via property route: 30 working days post-DED-licence-issuance. YABS pre-checks eligibility before submission to avoid rejection delays.
Also useful.
Get started with investor visa
Apply online in 4 steps. Itemised AED quote, no sales-call gate.
This page was last reviewed by the YABS compliance team in Q2 2026 and reflects current Dubai DED, Dubai Municipality, DHA, MOHRE, FTA, and DLD requirements.