Do I need a visa to enter the UAE?

It depends on your passport. UK, US, Canada, EU, Australia and many others enter visa-free on arrival; Indian, Pakistani and many other nationals need a pre-arranged visa or qualify for visa-on-arrival with a valid residence permit from certain countries.

How much does a residence visa cost?

An employment visa is roughly AED 3,000–8,000, paid by the employer. Golden Visa government fees are around AED 2,800–4,500, plus the medical test and Emirates ID.

Can I work on a tourist entry?

No. A visit or on-arrival entry does not give the right to work; working without a permit is an offence for both worker and employer.

What is the Golden Visa threshold?

AED 2,000,000 in certified property value (10 years through the Dubai Land Department route) or AED 2,000,000 in a UAE fund or company capital, among other categories.

How long can I stay outside the UAE?

A standard residence visa is at risk after six months abroad; Golden Visa holders have no minimum continuous-stay requirement.

Does the Golden Visa lead to citizenship?

No. It is residence for 5 or 10 years, not a passport; citizenship is not granted for an investment.

What is the difference between the Green and Golden Visa?

The Green Visa runs 5 years (freelancers, self-employed, skilled professionals); the Golden Visa runs 5 or 10 years (investment, property from AED 2m, talent, entrepreneur, executive). Both are self-sponsored.

Can I get UAE citizenship simply by living there?

There is no ordinary naturalisation by length of stay. Citizenship is granted by descent, by marriage and in exceptional cases.

What does the Golden Visa give?

Long-term residency (usually 10 years, renewable), but not citizenship or a passport.

Does the UAE recognise dual citizenship?

As a rule, no; exceptions are rare and decided case by case.

UAE entry and visa rules by nationality (2026)

The first question most readers ask is simply whether they need a visa and for how long they can stay. The answer depends on your passport. If you plan to settle, the entry rule matters less than the residence route you qualify for.

The tables below cover both: entry rules by nationality for 2026, then the residence routes with their terms and indicative costs. Verify every row against ICP or GDRFA before you rely on it, because the lists were amended even within 2026.

Residence visa routes: term and indicative cost (2026)

Route	Term	Indicative cost (AED)	Who sponsors
Employment visa	2 years	3,000–8,000 (employer pays)	Employer
Freelance permit + visa	2 years	7,500–20,000	Free zone / self
Business owner (partner)	2–3 years	4,000–8,000 + licence	Own company
Green Visa	5 years	3,500–6,000	Self
Golden Visa	5 or 10 years	2,800–4,500 (gov. fees)	Self
Retirement Visa (55+)	5 years	3,500–5,000	Self
Family / dependent	Matches sponsor	3,000–5,500 per person	Resident sponsor

A visit or on-arrival entry is not a residence permit and gives no right to work. Government fees exclude health insurance, the medical test and typing-centre charges.

Entry by nationality (summary, 2026)

GCC nationals (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman, Qatar): visa-free, national ID or passport.
UK, US, Canada, EU, Australia, Japan, South Korea and many others: visa-free on arrival, typically 30 or 90 days.
India, Pakistan and many other nationalities: a pre-arranged visa, or visa-on-arrival when holding a valid visa or residence permit of certain countries (the on-arrival list was expanded on 25.06.2026).
Overstaying carries a daily fine set by ICP; the amount changes, so check before your permission expires.

By situation

Alone on a job offer: employment visa, employer pays, two years, renewable with the same employer.
With family: you sponsor them once your own residence is stamped; the sponsor income test is AED 4,000 a month, or AED 3,000 plus employer-provided housing.
For one year: most permits run two years, so a one-year need is covered by the standard employment or freelance route.
For years: the Green Visa (5 years) and Golden Visa (10 years) remove the employer tie and the six-month continuous-stay requirement.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a visa to enter the UAE?: It depends on your passport. UK, US, Canada, EU, Australia and many others enter visa-free on arrival; Indian, Pakistani and many other nationals need a pre-arranged visa or qualify for visa-on-arrival with a valid residence permit from certain countries.
How much does a residence visa cost?: An employment visa is roughly AED 3,000–8,000, paid by the employer. Golden Visa government fees are around AED 2,800–4,500, plus the medical test and Emirates ID.
Can I work on a tourist entry?: No. A visit or on-arrival entry does not give the right to work; working without a permit is an offence for both worker and employer.
What is the Golden Visa threshold?: AED 2,000,000 in certified property value (10 years through the Dubai Land Department route) or AED 2,000,000 in a UAE fund or company capital, among other categories.
How long can I stay outside the UAE?: A standard residence visa is at risk after six months abroad; Golden Visa holders have no minimum continuous-stay requirement.
Does the Golden Visa lead to citizenship?: No. It is residence for 5 or 10 years, not a passport; citizenship is not granted for an investment.
What is the difference between the Green and Golden Visa?: The Green Visa runs 5 years (freelancers, self-employed, skilled professionals); the Golden Visa runs 5 or 10 years (investment, property from AED 2m, talent, entrepreneur, executive). Both are self-sponsored.
Can I get UAE citizenship simply by living there?: There is no ordinary naturalisation by length of stay. Citizenship is granted by descent, by marriage and in exceptional cases.
What does the Golden Visa give?: Long-term residency (usually 10 years, renewable), but not citizenship or a passport.
Does the UAE recognise dual citizenship?: As a rule, no; exceptions are rare and decided case by case.

Residence is not citizenship

—

;

Green Visa and Golden Visa compared

Point	Green Visa	Golden Visa
Term	5 years	5 or 10 years
Sponsor	self-sponsored, no employer	self-sponsored, no employer
Minimum stay in the country	no fixed minimum	no fixed minimum
Main routes	freelancers, self-employed, skilled professionals	investment, property from AED 2m, talent, entrepreneur, executive
Family	dependants can be sponsored	dependants sponsored without the income threshold

Categories, thresholds and fees change regularly; ICP, GDRFA and u.ae are authoritative.

What the Emirates ID unlocks

a bank account, a long-term tenancy with Ejari, utilities (DEWA) and home internet;
a local SIM as a resident and conversion of your driving licence;
most government services and insurance.
Card cost (ICP, 10.10.2026): 2 years AED 240 · 5 years AED 550 · 10 years AED 1,070; issued 10–15 working days after the medical test and biometrics.

Nationality lists, durations, costs and thresholds change frequently. This is not legal advice. Only ICP, GDRFA and the official portal u.ae are authoritative.

UAE citizenship is not the same as a residence visa or a Golden Visa. There is no ordinary naturalisation route by length of stay as in Europe: the Nationality Law (Federal Law No. 17 of 1972) grants citizenship by descent, by marriage and in exceptional cases by decree. For most newcomers the practical substitute is long-term residency — the 10-year Golden Visa and other extended statuses.

How citizenship works

By descent: a child of a UAE national (through the father).
By marriage: a foreign woman married to a UAE national may apply after a set period; a foreign husband does not acquire citizenship by marriage.
Exceptional naturalisation: by decree, for merit, talent or investment — decided case by case, with no public queue or fixed timeline.
Dual citizenship: not recognised as a rule; exceptions are rare.

Routes and what they give

Route	Who qualifies	Term or condition	Checked
By descent	child of a UAE national	from birth	11.10.2026
By marriage	foreign woman married to a national	after a set period, by decision	11.10.2026
Exceptional naturalisation	investors, professionals, talents — by nomination	by decree, case by case	11.10.2026
Golden Visa (not citizenship)	investor, specialist, talent	10 years, renewable	11.10.2026
Investment for the Golden Visa	investor in a fund or property	from AED 2,000,000	11.10.2026

Honestly about timelines

There is no single published residence period after which citizenship is granted — unlike 5–8 years in some countries. Do not plan a move 'for a UAE passport': plan it around long-term residency.

The figures and data of this section were checked against 15 official sources (list below); verification date — 11.10.2026. Disputed amounts are marked 'requires verification'.

Verified specialists

We have collected companies that work with our readers: we check their documents in official registers and state the date of the check. You send the request through the form — we pass it to no more than five suitable companies, so that you are not called by everyone at once.

Neo LegalImmigration lawyersEN, AR, HI, UR, ZH

Legal services for visas, residence permits, and documents in the UAE.

Office: office establishment in DIFC

Company website: neolegal.ae

Licence not checkedThere is no public register for this category — we verify the company's licence together with the company and will state the date of the check · open sources checked on 09.10.2026