United Arab Emirates · Retirement
UAE Retirement Residence Visa (5-Year)
Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021 on entry and residence of foreigners and its executive regulations (Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022), implemented per-emirate by GDRFA Dubai, ADRO/ICP Abu Dhabi and others. Open and actively issued as of 2026. Thresholds and income figures vary by emirate.
It lets a retiree aged 55+ self-sponsor five years of tax-free UAE residence, using assets they already hold. There is no employer to satisfy, no local guarantor required, and no income tax on pension, rental or investment income.
Qualifying routes
You need to own one or more properties with a purchase or market value of at least AED 1m. If the property is mortgaged, at least AED 1m must already be paid off. Off-plan property may not qualify.
A bank deposit of at least AED 1m is required. If the funds are held abroad, they must be transferred into a UAE financial institution within 60 days of visa issuance, and they are typically locked for the term.
You will need proof of stable annual income, roughly AED 20,000 a month. Dubai's GDRFA and Abu Dhabi cite AED 240,000/yr, while the federal u.ae portal cites AED 180,000/yr. Confirm the exact figure with the emirate where you are applying.
The facts
- Minimum
- 1M AED
- Total landed cost
- Government and processing fees run roughly AED 4,000-8,000 per applicant, covering visa issuance, the medical test, the Emirates ID and health insurance. That is separate from the AED 1m qualifying asset, which you keep rather than spend.
- Route type
- Pension requirement
- Timeline
- 1–2 months (Once your documents and qualifying asset or income are in order, the application, medical fitness test, Emirates ID and stamping usually wrap up within a few weeks.)
- Physical presence
- There is no minimum stay required to qualify. But because this is a standard residence permit, it can lapse if you stay outside the UAE for more than 6 continuous months. There is no personal income tax on pensions, rent or capital gains.
- Family
- SpouseChildren
- Permanent residency
- There is no permanent residency status in the UAE. The visa renews in 5-year cycles, but only if the financial condition still holds at each renewal. Retirees seeking a 10-year term may instead qualify for the Golden Visa.
- Citizenship
- There is effectively no path. UAE citizenship is granted only by ruler or Cabinet decree, in exceptional cases. Residence does not create a naturalisation track.
- Language test
- Not applicable. There is no citizenship pathway.
- Dual citizenship
- Not permitted. You would have to renounce.
- Requirements
- Age 55 or older at the time of retirement, with at least 15 years of work experience inside or outside the UAEMeet one financial route: property worth ≥ AED 1m, a deposit or savings of ≥ AED 1m, or a fixed annual income of ~AED 180k–240k, depending on the emirateYou will need a valid passport, a pass on the UAE medical fitness test, valid UAE health insurance, and registration for an Emirates ID.
- Renewal is not automatic. Financial eligibility is reassessed every 5 years, so a fall in property value, a drained deposit or a dropped pension can end the residency.
- Thresholds and rules differ by emirate. The federal portal states property and savings of AED 1m each, plus an AED 180k income route. Dubai and Abu Dhabi publish an AED 240k income route instead, and treat property, deposit and investment as alternatives. Verify the exact terms with the specific emirate authority before committing.
- There is no route to permanent residency or citizenship. Leaving the UAE for more than ~6 continuous months can void the permit. A deposit held abroad must be moved into a UAE bank within 60 days, and it is generally locked for the term.