Not sure which UAE visa you qualify for? Use this guide to determine your eligibility for UAE residence visas in 2025.
Step 1: What is Your Primary Goal?
Answer these questions to find your visa route: Are you employed by a UAE company? → Employment Visa. Do you own a UAE company? → Investor/Shareholder Visa. Are you buying UAE property worth AED 2M+? → Golden Visa (property route). Are you earning AED 15,000+/month with a degree? → Green Visa (skilled employee). Are you a freelancer with AED 360,000+/year income? → Green Visa (freelancer). Are you a student enrolled in UAE university? → Student Visa. Are you a family member of a UAE resident? → Dependent/Family Visa. Are you retiring with sufficient savings? → Retirement Visa.
UAE Visa Eligibility by Profile
Solo entrepreneur, new UAE company: Investor Visa (2 years). Eligible from day 1 of company formation. Cost: AED 4,000-6,000. Employed professional, UAE employer: Employment Visa (2 years). Employer sponsors you. Cost covered by employer. High earner, AED 15,000+/month, degree holder: Green Visa (5 years). Self-sponsored. Cost: AED 2,500-3,500. Property investor, AED 2M+ property: Golden Visa (10 years). Self-sponsored. Cost: AED 2,800-4,200. Retiree (55+), pension or savings: Retirement Visa (5 years, renewable). Requires: AED 1M property OR AED 1M savings OR AED 20,000/month income. Digital nomad/remote worker: Remote Work Visa (1 year). Requires USD 5,000/month income from foreign employer.
UAE Visa Duration Comparison
1 year: Remote Work Visa (renewable). 2 years: Employment Visa, Investor Visa (renewable). 3 years: Some student visas. 5 years: Green Visa, Retirement Visa (renewable). 10 years: Golden Visa (renewable). Permanent residency: not generally available to expats (extremely rare citizenship grants).