United Arab Emirates and Dubai Investor Visa

Investing in the United Arab Emirates is easy and investments are encouraged by legal regulators and financial environments. The United Arab Emirates earned approximately 10 billion US dollars from foreign investors in 2018. Zero tax system, 100% company rights, low customs tariff, and residence visa are among the reasons why foreign investors prefer the UAE for investment.

Foreign investors can obtain a residence permit under the investor visa by investing in the United Arab Emirates and meeting the necessary criteria, and the family members of the investors also have the right to live in the UAE. Since Dubai is the emirate that foreign investors prefer to invest the most in the UAE, the residence visa is known as the Dubai investor visa.

Why is UAE Preferred for Investment?

The reason why foreign investors prefer the UAE is that it is an economically free country, legal regulations and financial environments are encouraging for foreign investors, it is easy to invest, and foreign investors and their family members can obtain a residence permit.

What are the Ways to Invest in the United Arab Emirates?

Investments made in the United Arab Emirates are listed below.

UAE savings account investments
UAE retirement investments
UAE real estate investments
UAE commercial investments
UAE stocks and securities investments

What are the rights gained by people who invest in the United Arab Emirates?

The rights gained by people investing in the United Arab Emirates are listed below.

People who establish a company in the UAE own the company outright.
Individuals wishing to establish a company in the UAE have the flexibility to establish a company in the region of their choice.
In the UAE, foreign investors can invest in all economic activities such as trade, industry, agriculture, services, education, health and construction.
Various legal forms of ownership are allowed for foreign investors in the UAE, including public company, private company, limited company and partnership company.
Foreign investors wishing to establish a company in the UAE are not required to have a local national representative.
Foreign investors establishing a company in the UAE have the right to control their shares in the company and it is not required that the majority of the board of directors be UAE nationals or that the chairman of the board be UAE nationals.
There is no minimum capital requirement in the UAE, making it easier to set up companies and providing flexibility for new investment projects.
In the UAE, there is no income tax on investors except oil companies and foreign bank branches, and investors have the right to transfer their profits in full.
Investors in the UAE are granted long-term residence visas ranging from 5 to 10 years.
The UAE attracts skilled workers to the country with its flexible labor policies.
There are low customs tariffs in the UAE.
In the UAE, an incentive package is offered to support investments in industrial and technology companies, and these incentives include competitive financing opportunities for priority industrial and high-tech sectors, competitive tariffs for energy sectors, customs exemptions on investments, and exemptions on production inputs such as machinery and raw materials for the industrial sector.

What is the Dubai Investor Visa?

Dubai investor visa is obtained by foreign nationals who want to establish their own business or invest in an existing company in Dubai. People who have Dubai investor visa have the right to reside in UAE and enter and exit the country freely for the duration of the visa.

Who is Eligible for a UAE Investor Visa?

Those who can obtain an investor visa in the United Arab Emirates are listed below.

Foreign investors buying homes in the United Arab Emirates
Foreign investors establishing a business in the United Arab Emirates
Retired foreign investors in the United Arab Emirates

How to Get a Dubai Investor Visa by Buying a House?

Obtaining a Dubai investor visa through home purchase is possible for homes worth at least 1 million UAE dirhams or more, however the investment must be made in residential property and not commercial property. The duration of the Dubai investor visa obtained by investing in housing varies between 3 and 5 years. Those who purchase homes worth 1 million UAE dirhams or more have a 3-year visa, while those who own properties worth at least 5 million UAE dirhams have a 5-year visa.

How to Get a Dubai Entrepreneur Visa Through Business Start-up?

In order to obtain a Dubai entrepreneur visa through business establishment, an investment or company must be established in Dubai or various free zones. The full ownership rights of the company established by foreign investors in the UAE belong to the foreign investors.

The Dubai entrepreneur visa is granted to investors who have a minimum of 72,000 UAE Dirhams worth of shares in an existing company or who have capital to establish a company in Dubai . Foreign investors who wish to set up a business in one of Dubai’s free zones are exempt from tax, have full ownership and do not require local representatives or partners. The Dubai entrepreneur visa application process may vary depending on the free zone where the company is located and the nature of the business.

In the United Arab Emirates, a 5 or 10-year residence permit can be obtained through business establishments, depending on the size of the investment. A 10-year residence permit is granted to individuals who establish a company or become partners in a company worth at least 10 million UAE dirhams in the UAE, while a 5-year visa is granted to investors in a property with a gross value of at least 5 million UAE dirhams or to entrepreneurs in a project with a capital of at least 500,000 UAE dirhams.

How to Get Dubai Golden Visa Through Retirement?

The Dubai golden visa through retirement is given to investors who are over 55 years of age.

Dubai retirement visa is granted to those who have a 5-year long-term visa, invest in a property worth 2 million UAE dirhams or have savings worth 1 million UAE dirhams or have a monthly income of at least 20,000 UAE dirhams .

How to Apply for Dubai Golden Visa?

To apply for a Dubai golden visa, one must apply for entry permission at the immigration department or Tasheel center, take a medical fitness test, apply for an Emirati ID at the Amer center, and submit the application to the Federal Population and Citizenship Authority.

Those who have not applied for an Emirates ID before must provide biometric data. To apply for a Dubai golden visa, health insurance must be obtained and one of the Amer centres must be visited to convert the visa status to an investor residence visa.

A sponsor in Dubai is not required for the Dubai golden visa, and for UAE visa types , foreign investors can sponsor themselves and apply for the visa themselves.

What are the Application Documents for Dubai Investment Visa?

The application documents required for the Dubai investment visa are listed below.

Copy of passport
ID photos
Bank statement for the last 6 months
Copy of trade license
Copy of partnership agreement, if any
Identities of other partners, if any
Copy of articles of association for LLC
Proof of accreditation by the relevant UAE authority for specialized skills
Patent proof for investors

The documents required for the Dubai investment visa vary depending on the applicant's situation.

How Much Does a Dubai Investor Visa Cost?

The Dubai investor visa entry permit fee is Dh1,175 for UAE residents and Dh525 for non-UAE residents. Change of status is available to UAE residents and costs Dh675. Tax stamping costs approximately Dh870, obtaining a UAE ID costs Dh405 and medical tests cost Dh322.5. There is an additional fee for the immigration establishment card required for the Dubai investor visa.

What Rights Does the Dubai Golden Visa Provide to the Holder?

The rights that the Dubai Golden Visa grants to its holder are listed below.

Persons residing in the UAE and holding a Dubai investor visa for the duration of their visa have the right to enter and exit the country as they wish.
People with a Dubai investor visa can apply for an Emirati ID card, open a bank account, get a UAE driver's license, sign up for phone and home packages, and benefit from many other essential services.
Dubai investor visa holders are eligible to sponsor their spouses, children and parents to enter the UAE.

Can Family Members Come to Dubai with an Investor Visa?

With an investor visa, family members such as spouse and children can come to Dubai.

Can I Become a Business Partner with a Dubai Investor Visa?

It is possible to become a business partner with a Dubai investor visa, but an investment of 10 million UAE dirhams is required to become a business partner.

Can I Get Citizenship from the United Arab Emirates with an Investor Visa?

Citizenship from the United Arab Emirates can be obtained with an investor visa.

Investors who own real estate in the UAE, doctors, scientists and engineers with more than 10 years of experience in their fields, inventors with at least one patented invention approved by the UAE government and artists who have won at least one international award can obtain Dubai citizenship through an investor visa. Based on the documents filed, UAE citizenship by investment is granted immediately by the Dubai Crown Prince Courts, the Ruler of Dubai or the Executive Council of Dubai.

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