Golden Visa for business owners and entrepreneurs
Business owners can get a UAE Golden Visa by setting up a company with at least AED 2 million capital, holding a partner share worth AED 2 million, or owning a company that pays at least AED 250,000 a year in federal taxes. Entrepreneurs qualify with a UAE SME earning at least AED 1 million a year, an approved venture idea, or past ventures sold for AED 7 million or more.
The business routes compared
| Route | Who it suits | Condition |
|---|---|---|
| Company capital | New investors | Establish a UAE company with capital of at least AED 2,000,000. |
| Partner share | Partners in an existing company | Financial share of at least AED 2,000,000. |
| Tax contribution | Owners of profitable companies | Company pays at least AED 250,000 a year in federal taxes (or your share equals that amount). |
| SME entrepreneur | Founders of operating SMEs | UAE-registered SME in an approved field with annual revenue of at least AED 1,000,000. |
| Approved idea | Early-stage founders | Approval from an accredited incubator, the Ministry of Economy or a relevant local authority. |
| Serial founder | Founders with exits | Previous ventures sold for a total of at least AED 7,000,000. |
Capital must be your own, not borrowed, with proof of source. Health insurance for you and your family is required.
What a company file has to prove
The route is a number plus proof that the number is yours. A trade licence, a website and a bank letter that does not mention capital are not the file.
- Company capital of at least AED 2 million has to be your own money, not a loan, with evidence of the source. ICP is explicit about that for invested capital.
- A partner share is the value of your share, not the company’s hoped-for valuation and not a co-owner’s half.
- The tax route is federal tax the company pays, at least AED 250,000 a year, or your share of that tax. It is not VAT you have charged customers, and it is not a forecast.
- An SME route needs a UAE SME in an approved field with annual revenue of at least AED 1 million. “Startup” is not the classification.
- An idea route needs approval from an accredited incubator, the Ministry of Economy or a relevant local authority. A pitch deck is not that approval.
- A founder exit route needs previous ventures sold for at least AED 7 million in total, evidenced, not a term sheet that did not complete.
- Health insurance for you and your family is required at application on this category.
Free zone and mainland companies are both “in the UAE”, but ICP’s wording is applied by the authority to the structure you actually have. Have a free zone holding company read before you file. THAJ will not promise that every free zone licence qualifies. Formation itself is business setup.
A company title is not a personal property visa
If the company owns an office worth AED 2 million, that is the company’s asset. It does not automatically make you a property investor. Personal property has to be in your name. The split is explained on commercial property. Using the same office as both “my property” and “the company’s capital” in one application is a good way to be refused. Pick the route that matches the register.
Staff you hire, including the people who might themselves qualify as engineers or IT specialists, are not covered by your investor visa. They need their own category or an ordinary employment visa. Your PRO file keeps the establishment card, visas and licence current after formation. It does not turn the licence into a Golden Visa.
A sensible order
Choose the route before you incorporate
Capital, tax, revenue, an approved idea, or an exit. The licence activity and the share capital should match that route, not fight it.
Form the company and put the money where the route can see it
Paid-up capital, a real share register, and source-of-funds papers. A loan into the company fails ICP’s own-funds test.
Only then open the Golden Visa file
With the licence, constitutional documents and the evidence the route names. The process is the same shape as every other category after that: decision, medical, biometrics, Emirates ID.
Keep the basis until renewal
A Golden Visa issued on capital or tax is renewable against the rules in force then. Closing the company and assuming the card lives on is not a plan. See renewal.
Golden Visa or a company investor visa?
A trade licence alone does not qualify you for a Golden Visa. Most new founders first hold a company-linked investor or partner visa, then move to Golden Residency once capital, tax or revenue thresholds are met. We handle both — from business setup to the Golden Visa file.
| Investor / partner visa | Golden Visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Basis | Ownership in a licensed company | Capital, tax, revenue or exit thresholds |
| Term | Shorter, set by the issuing authority | 10 years (ICP) |
| Tied to the company? | Yes | Self-sponsored |
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a Golden Visa by opening a company in Dubai?
Only if the company has capital of at least AED 2 million, pays at least AED 250,000 a year in federal taxes, or meets the entrepreneur criteria. A licence alone is not enough.
Can a free zone company owner get a Golden Visa?
ICP’s investor and entrepreneur criteria are written for companies in the UAE and turn on capital, partner share, tax or revenue thresholds. The authority confirms whether a specific free zone structure qualifies, so have it reviewed before applying.
Can I use a business loan for the AED 2 million?
No. ICP requires the invested capital to be fully owned by the investor and not derived from a loan, with evidence of source.
What counts as an SME?
ICP refers to ventures classified as small or medium-sized enterprises, operating in an approved field, with annual revenue of at least AED 1,000,000.
Official sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources on 26 October 2026. Rules and fees can change; the authority’s current page always prevails.
- Golden Residency Guide — Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs & Port Security (ICP)
- Golden visa — eligible categories — The UAE Government portal (u.ae)
- Corporate Tax in the UAE — UAE Ministry of Finance
Plan the company and the visa together
We structure the setup so the Golden Visa route is open when you need it.