Investor Visa Dubai: Your Pathway to Financial Freedom
Dubai, a bustling metropolis known for its modernity and economic prosperity, offers a lucrative opportunity for foreign investors through its investor visa Dubai program. This Visa allows them to live and work in Dubai and provides a gateway to explore the vast business landscapes of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The requirements for a Dubai Investor Visa may vary depending on the Emirate and the type of investment a foreign national intends. In 2019, the UAE government revised its visa policy, allowing foreigners to live and work in the UAE long-term without any sponsor.
What is the Dubai Investor Visa?
Dubai investor visa also called a business visa or a partner visa, is a visa program designed for foreign nationals who want to either invest in an existing company or set up a new business on the mainland. The Interior Ministry of UAE issues an investor visa Dubai for three years, during which the visa holder can be involved in business activities. To obtain a UAE investor visa, you must understand visa rules. Usually, an investor visa Dubai is granted to individuals meeting specific criteria, such as purchasing company shares or setting up a new company worth AED 10 million.
Dubai Investor Visa Benefits
Being a gateway to the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia, Dubai offers a world-class infrastructure to investors with easy access to regional markets. Dubai investor visa offers numerous advantages to investors who want to live and work there. Some of the benefits are:
Long-term Residency
Living in Dubai is a dream of every other person. Investor Visa Dubai offers long-term residency to investors and their families. It allows investors and their dependents to live, work, and study in this dynamic environment. The extended stay in the Emirates provides stability and security for foreign investors and their families.
Business Opportunities
Dubai is famous for its growing and thriving business environment that offers innumerable business opportunities to investors. Obtaining an investor visa Dubai provides a golden chance to explore and engage in various business ventures, partnerships, and other investment options.
Tax Benefits
Like many other Gulf States, the UAE also has a favorable taxation system without personal income tax and minimal corporate tax on businesses since June 2023. As an investor, you can take advantage of these tax relaxations by retaining your maximum income and profits.
Easy Access to Regional Markets
The strategic location of the UAE plays a vital role in the growth of businesses. The holders of Dubai business visas can access regional markets of the GCC countries without much hassle. Moreover, being a gateway to the Middle East, the UAE offers several opportunities to investor visa holders in Dubai to expand their businesses.
Sponsorship Facility
Another striking advantage of the UAE investor visa is that it offers a sponsorship facility to the visa holders. They can sponsor their family members and dependents. The partner visa reunites families and allows them to enjoy top-class healthcare and education facilities.
Ultra-Modern Infrastructure
Investor Visa Dubai allows holders to live and work in a world-class infrastructure. They can travel in an advanced transportation system with top-notch health and education facilities.
Stability and Security
The United Arab Emirates is famous for its stable community and low crime ratio. Therefore, investors worldwide prefer living in this safe environment and enjoying life to its fullest with their families in this world-class community.
Remember that the UAE also offers retirement visas for individuals above 55 to live in this ultra-modern city with all the facilities one can only dream of.
Types of Investor Visa Dubai
Depending on the validity period, the Dubai Investor Visa has three types. These are:
- Short-Term Visa (03 Years Validity with renewable facility)
- Long-Term Visa ( Validity of up to 10 years with renewable option)
- Golden Visa (For individuals who meet specific criteria like investing a certain amount in the United Arab Emirates)
Investor Visa v/s Partner Visa
Most people use these interchangeably because of their requirements and legalities. However, there is a difference between an investor visa Dubai and a partner visa because both serve different purposes.
Usually, an investor visa is issued to individuals who want to invest in a sole proprietorship company in the UAE. It means that there would be no partner in their business.
A partner visa is issued to an individual who wants to invest in a company with more than one owner, partner, or shareholder.
Dubai Investor Visa Eligibility
An individual of 18 years or above is eligible for an investor visa Dubai if certain conditions are met. Recently, the UAE government launched UAE long-term and property investor visas. Also, the eligibility criteria differ with the category of Visa applied.
Eligibility for a 10-Year Investment Visa
To be eligible for a 10-year investor visa, an individual must invest at least 10 million AED in the following areas:
- Investment funds that are UAE-based
- Establish a sole proprietorship company with a 10 million AED capital
- Invest AED 10 million in a partnership in an existing company or purchase shares of a company worth 10 million AED.
There are also certain conditions on which type of investment is allowed in the UAE. The investor can utilize this amount in real estate and non-real estate investments.
Eligibility Criteria for a 5-Year Investor Visa Dubai
You can also apply for a 5-year investment visa in Dubai if you want to invest in real estate in the Emirates, provided the following conditions are fulfilled:
- The investor must buy a property in UAE worth 2 million AED.
- He must retain this property for at least two years.
- This amount can be a loan taken from a local bank.
- An investor must invest in one or more off-plan properties through certified real estate companies.
Eligibility for a 5-Year Non-Real Estate Investor Visa
Individuals can also secure a 5-year investor visa Dubai if they fulfill the following criteria.
- Invest a minimum of AED 500,000 in an existing or new project approved by accredited authorities.
Documents Required for Investor Visa
You must have certain documents to apply for a UAE investor visa or property visa UAE. First, you will apply for an entry permit, which requires the following documents:
- A Copy of the valid passport having expiry six beyond the application date.
- Passport-sized photographs
- Bank statement for the last six months
- Additional documents related to your purpose of gaining an investor visa in Dubai.
- A copy of the company trade license
- In the case of a partnership contract, a copy of the partnership contract
- Emirates ID of other participants
- A copy of the Memorandum of Association for LLC
- In case of a specialized talent, a copy of the accreditation from UAE authorities.
- A proof of patent for investors
After entering the UAE on an entry permit, your priority should be applying for an investor or long-term UAE visa. You will need the following documents to apply for a long-term residence visa:
Remember that this is not the final list of documents required for the UAE investment visa. The requirements may change depending on the type of Visa and its duration. You may also be required to take prior approvals of certain documents from UAE authorities.
How to Apply for a UAE Investor Visa?
You can easily apply for a Dubai Investment Visa if you have any investments. However, the processing time for different investor visa categories may differ. Here are the detailed steps for each category of UAE investor visa:
Through Acquiring a Property
- Enter into a property deed or buy a property in Dubai through authorized real estate agents.
- Visit the Dubai Land Department with your passport, Visa, and property deed to apply for an investor visa.
- Request them for a reference letter for the Dubai Police.
- Now, visit Dubai Police Headquarters and request a good conduct certificate.
- After getting a good conduct certificate, visit the Dubai Economic Department with all the documents to obtain a trade license.
- Go to the General Directorate of Residency and Foreign Affairs (GDFRA) and submit the requisite documents to apply for an investor visa Dubai.
Through Investing in a Company
Applying for a UAE investor visa is straightforward if you have a business there. You can apply through any Amer Center in Dubai. Some of the best options include Dubai Festival City, Al Karama, Ibn-e-Batutta Mall, Al Jafaliya, and Al Quoz.
Through Applying for a Retirement Visa
Remember that you can also get a long-term residence visa UAE by applying for a retirement visa. A few simple steps of the process are:
- Send an email along with the application and required documents.
- Now, pay the fee of AED 92 through the link shared by them.
- After the approval of your payment, Dubai Tourism will check your documents and contact you in case of any issues.
- Once Dubai Tourism verifies your documents and approves your application, the same will be forwarded to GDFRA to issue an Investor visa Dubai.
UAE Investor Visa Fee
Like documents, the fee for a UAE investor visa also differs in different cases. For example, an investor visa to Dubai through buying a property costs AED 13,000. Similarly, if you want to invest in a company, you will get it for AED 1035. However, the Golden Visa for Dubai will cost you AED 650 for five years and AED 1250 for ten years of validity. The break-up of the costs is as under:
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can I Work in Dubai on an Investor Visa?
Yes, an investor can work in Dubai on a Dubai Investor Visa.
Can I Sponsor my Family on an Investor Visa?
Yes, any individual living and working in Dubai on an investment visa can sponsor his family members for residency in Dubai. You can say that an investor visa Dubai reunites families.
Is there a minimum investment requirement for a UAE Investor Visa?
Yes, a business visa Dubai is granted only to those individuals who fulfill minimum investment requirement conditions. Usually, it is granted to those who invest an amount of AED 1-2 million in any business.
Can I Apply for a Citizenship in Dubai as an Investor?
No, the UAE does not offer citizenship to foreign investors. However, investors can apply for a long-term property residency visa.
Can I Renew or Cancel my Partnership Visa?
Yes, you can easily renew or cancel your investor visa whenever you like. However, you need to inform the Dubai Labour Ministry.
Are there any restrictions on the Business Types I Can Invest In?
No, there are no restrictions on your investment. You can investment in any business of your choice. But remember that investment in some businesses may require prior approval from the concerned authorities.