UAE Golden Visa for Indians: Cost, Routes and Timeline in 2026

How much does the UAE Golden Visa cost for an Indian citizen?

There is no nationality pricing: the thresholds are the same for an Indian buyer as for anyone else. What changes the rupee figure is the exchange rate, so budget in dirhams and convert late.

Which Golden Visa route fits Indian applicants?

Property is the route most people mean, but it is not the only one, and for many Indians already living in the UAE it is not the cheapest. The criteria below are those on the official u.ae Golden Visa page; our UAE Golden Visa program page sets out each route in more detail.

Property investors

Property worth at least AED 2 million, in one unit or several. Since a federal circular removed the old requirement to have paid 50% upfront, mortgaged property qualifies when the certified valuation reaches AED 2 million and the bank or developer issues a no-objection certificate.

Salaried professionals

A valid UAE employment contract, a monthly salary of at least AED 30,000, a bachelor's degree or equivalent, and an occupation in the first or second skill level of the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation classification. No investment is needed, which makes this the first route to check for Indian professionals already working in the UAE.

Public investment

A deposit of AED 2 million in an investment fund accredited in the UAE, or a company whose capital meets the same level, for investors who prefer not to hold property.

Business owners and entrepreneurs

Founders and owners of a qualifying UAE business can apply under the entrepreneur category, usually with an endorsement from the emirate authority or an accredited incubator. The tests vary by sub-category and have changed more than once, so eligibility is checked against the business's own licence and accounts rather than a single number.

Does the UAE Golden Visa affect Indian citizenship or OCI?

No. India's Citizenship Act, 1955 does not allow dual citizenship, and an Indian who takes a foreign nationality must surrender the Indian passport. A UAE residence permit is not a nationality, so none of that applies: you remain an Indian citizen and keep your Indian passport. The OCI card does not enter the picture either, since it is for foreign citizens of Indian origin.

Two things do deserve separate advice. First, UAE residency does not by itself end Indian tax residency, which India decides under its own day-count and other tests, so speak to a chartered accountant before assuming a change. Second, this is exactly where the UAE differs from a Caribbean passport, which would cost you Indian citizenship; our golden visa vs citizenship by investment guide sets that difference out in full.

Funding the purchase from India under LRS

The Reserve Bank of India's Liberalised Remittance Scheme lets each resident individual send up to USD 250,000 abroad per financial year, a limit the RBI can revise, so confirm the current figure with your bank's forex desk. An AED 2 million property is roughly twice one person's annual limit, which is why Indian buyers usually combine several of these:

• Spreading payments across financial years, which off-plan payment plans often allow.
• Family members remitting under their own limits where they are co-owners, subject to the RBI's rules.
• A UAE mortgage, since mortgaged property qualifies once the valuation and bank no-objection certificate are in place.
• Funds already held abroad, such as UAE salary savings or NRI balances, which do not use the resident LRS limit in the same way.

Tax collected at source applies to many LRS remittances above a threshold set in India's annual budget; ask your bank or chartered accountant for the current rate before you wire. Keep every remittance record: the developer, the UAE bank and your own Indian tax filings will all rely on the same paper trail.

Documents Indian applicants usually need

The land department and the ICP or GDRFA confirm the current list. For an Indian property investor and family, expect:

• An Indian passport valid for at least six months, and recent photographs
• Title deed or deeds, or the developer's documents for off-plan property, showing at least AED 2 million
• A valuation certificate where required, and a no-objection certificate from the bank or developer for mortgaged property
• Bank remittance records showing how the funds left India
• A UAE medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics
• Health insurance valid in the emirate of residence
• Marriage certificate and children's birth certificates, attested in India and legalised for UAE use, to add family members

How long does it take?

There is no long government queue on the property route and no official end-to-end figure. The steps that set the pace are the property transfer or valuation, the bank or developer no-objection certificate if there is a mortgage, and booking the medical test and Emirates ID biometrics, all of which vary by emirate and by season. For Indian buyers the longest lead time is usually none of these: it is funding across financial years under LRS, which is why that conversation should start before you choose a property, not after.

When the UAE is the wrong choice

The Golden Visa gives a secure base, not a new passport. If what you need is visa-free travel on a stronger passport, no UAE route offers that, and the only passport routes on this site would cost you Indian citizenship. If you want a European base with an eventual EU passport, the Portugal Golden Visa or Greece's property route fits better, with longer timelines. And if your budget sits well below AED 2 million, check the salary route before stretching for property.