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UAE Golden Residency

Golden Residency

Property investment of AED 400,000 or AED 2 million for a two-year or ten-year residence visa.

UAE Golden Residency

Program at a Glance

Renewal Schedule

Renewable while the qualifying property is retained

Estimated Costs

Golden Residency costs:

1. Purchase property worth AED 400,000 or AED 2 million.

2. Land registration fee of 4% of the purchase price.

3. Application fees for a family of three: AED 20,000.

Rental returns: 6–9% annually. For a property worth RMB 1 million, the illustrated annual rent is RMB 72,000–108,000, compared with 1.5–2% in China. Holding costs are low and primarily involve property management charges.

A global investment centre: Entrepreneurs and celebrities including Jack Ma, Richard Liu, Wang Shi, Changpeng Zhao, Hu Bin, Jackie Chan, Fan Bingbing, Huang Xiaoming, Zhao Wei, Zhang Ting and David Beckham have invested in Dubai property.

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Country Overview

  • National advantages: A strategic tourism hub connecting Europe, the Americas and Asia, with short flights to Europe and South Asia. Persian Gulf energy resources and maritime links underpin energy trading and petrochemicals. Its intercontinental location attracts capital, offshore finance, wealth management and cross-border settlement services.

  • Capital: Abu Dhabi

  • Area: 83,600 square kilometres

  • Population: Approximately 10.24 million, with expatriates accounting for 88%.

  • Official language: Arabic; English is widely used.

  • Currency: UAE dirham (AED), pegged at approximately AED 3.67 to USD 1.

  • GDP (2025): Approximately USD 569.1 billion; GDP per capita of USD 51,000, a high-income economy.

UAE Investor Residency: A Flexible, Cost-Effective International Option

  • The United Arab Emirates lies in the eastern Arabian Peninsula and comprises seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Fujairah and Ras Al Khaimah. At the crossroads of Asia, Africa and Europe, its sea, land and air connections support trade, logistics, finance and tourism.

  • UAE investor residency supports international financial asset planning in the following ways:

  • One of the Middle East’s wealthiest economies, the UAE has an independent financial system and a developed banking sector. Dubai has become a leading Asian financial centre alongside Hong Kong and Singapore. HSBC, Standard Chartered and Citi operate locally, as do Chinese banks including ICBC, China Construction Bank and Bank of China. Emirates NBD and First Abu Dhabi Bank rank among the world’s top 100 banks.

  • UAE residents can use their Emirates ID to open local personal resident accounts. The program describes these resident accounts as outside the non-resident account information exchanged under CRS, keeping the account information within the UAE rather than transferring it to third countries.

  • The UAE levies no personal income tax on salaries, dividends or interest. Residency offers access to a developed financial sector, privacy features and a favourable environment for personal tax planning.

Golden Residency Options

  • Option 1: Invest AED 2 million in property (approximately RMB 3.9 million) for a ten-year Golden Visa, renewable while the property is retained.

  • Option 2: Invest AED 400,000 in property (approximately RMB 780,000) for a two-year residence visa, renewable while the property is retained.

Eligibility

  • Application process (2–3 months):

  • 1. Purchase freehold property totalling AED 400,000 or AED 2 million, across one or more properties, and obtain the title deed.

  • 2. Prepare documents and submit the official application.

  • 3. Visit Dubai for medical screening, biometrics and personal bank account opening (5–7 working days).

Program Benefits

  • Open UAE resident financial accounts, described by the program as outside CRS exchange.

  • Open overseas brokerage accounts where international residency is required for mainland clients.

  • Register an Amazon store as a UAE seller, with local business information handling.

  • Open cryptocurrency trading accounts and complete KYC for digital asset holdings.

  • Apply for a UAE police clearance certificate for other immigration applications.

  • Receive and send international business payments without personal income tax; corporate tax exemptions may be applied for.

  • Obtain an Emirates ID and access local resident services.

  • Complement a second passport with a new local banking and credit profile.

  • Apply for visas to major destinations from the UAE.

  • Children may attend local international schools and work toward overseas Chinese student eligibility.

Success Cases

Client Cases