Moving to Dubai starts with a residence visa for the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and that visa then decides your Emirates ID, your home and how long you can stay abroad.
The essentials at a glance
- The employer applies for the UAE work visa, which runs for two years and is renewable (u.ae).
- The Golden Visa through property worth AED 2 million or more runs for ten years and is renewable (Dubai Land Department, GDRFA, ICP).
- The Emirates ID is mandatory for all residents and is cancelled automatically with the residence visa (u.ae).
- A standard residence visa lapses after more than 180 consecutive days abroad, and Golden and Green Visa holders are exempt (u.ae).
Updated: October 2026
The UAE is a federation of seven emirates, and residence permits come from the federal ICP (Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security) and, in Dubai, the GDRFA (General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs).
Contents
Which residence routes are open when moving to Dubai?
When moving to Dubai, you choose between five main residence routes: the employer-sponsored work visa, the GDRFA Dubai remote work visa, the ICP Green Visa for the self-employed, the Dubai Land Department investor visa and the Golden Visa.
If you keep working for a company outside the UAE, the remote work visa (GDRFA: “Virtual Work”) fits, with health insurance and a visa fee of AED 200 plus 5% VAT. The ICP Green Visa also requires at least a bachelor’s degree or specialised diploma, and the permit comes from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation (MoHRE).
| Visa | Term | Basic condition | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work visa | 2 years, renewable | employer applies | u.ae |
| Remote work visa | 1 year, renewable | at least USD 3,500 a month, employer outside the UAE | GDRFA Dubai |
| Green Visa (self-employed) | 5 years, renewable | MoHRE permit, at least AED 360,000 income over the previous two years or proof of financial solvency | ICP |
| Property investor visa | 2 years | sole ownership with no minimum value, or a co-owned share of at least AED 400,000 | Dubai Land Department |
| Golden Visa (property) | 10 years, renewable | property wholly owned, worth at least AED 2 million at purchase | DLD, GDRFA, ICP |
For the Golden Visa, the Dubai Land Department requires the property to be wholly owned by you and worth at least AED 2 million at purchase, and GDRFA and ICP confirm the ten-year term. The fees total AED 9,884.75, see Dubai Golden Visa cost and the Golden Visa property route.
What should you know about the Emirates ID and the 180-day rule?
According to the government portal u.ae, the Emirates ID is mandatory for every UAE resident and is cancelled with the residence visa, which itself lapses after more than 180 consecutive days outside the UAE.
You carry the card at all times, and families need one per person. The exception to the 180-day rule is in the general provisions on u.ae: Golden and Green Visa holders can enter at any time as long as their residency is valid. On other visas, count the days, especially if long summers in Europe are part of your plan after moving to Dubai.
What happens to the Emirates ID when the visa ends?
It lapses. According to u.ae, the Emirates ID is cancelled automatically once the residence visa is cancelled. Plan any change of employer or visa with that in mind.
Is there a return permit after more than 180 days away?
Not for Dubai. ICP’s return permit for residents abroad for more than 180 days explicitly excludes residents of the Emirate of Dubai.
Renting or buying: where will you live after moving to Dubai?
After moving to Dubai you can rent or buy, and buying has one particular feature: the Dubai Land Department grants owners a two-year investor visa, with no minimum property value for sole ownership.
Renting is a good first step to get to know neighbourhoods, school runs and the commute. We can pull comparable rents for a specific address.
For co-ownership, the Dubai Land Department requires your share to be worth at least AED 400,000. The applicant fee is AED 10,212.50, processing takes 7 to 10 working days, and you must attend in person. From AED 2 million in sole ownership, the Golden Visa opens up.
Can your family come with you on the investor visa?
Yes. According to the Dubai Land Department, a spouse and children receive residency for two years through the investor visa, and parents for one year. Other visas have their own family rules, which we check for your case.
For the purchase itself, see buying an apartment in Dubai and our property buying service.
What tax questions come with moving to Dubai?
The United Arab Emirates does not levy income tax on individuals, according to the government portal u.ae, but when moving to Dubai your home country’s rules decide whether it keeps taxing you after you leave.
According to the German Federal Ministry of Finance, Germany and the UAE have had no double tax treaty since 1 January 2022. Section 2 of the German Foreign Tax Act (Außensteuergesetz) sets out extended limited tax liability. It can apply to German nationals who were fully tax liable there for at least five of the ten years before that liability ended, move to a low-tax jurisdiction and keep substantial economic interests in Germany.
It runs until ten years after the end of the year in which full tax liability ended, and applies only where the affected income exceeds EUR 16,500 in the assessment period. This section is not tax or legal advice. Before moving to Dubai, talk your case through with a tax adviser. Our guide to Dubai property tax covers the UAE side.
Is Ras Al Khaimah an alternative to Dubai as a place to live?
Ras Al Khaimah, the northernmost of the seven UAE emirates, is an alternative to Dubai as a place to live, and RAK Tourism puts it 85 km and around 45 minutes from Dubai International Airport.
If you are moving to Dubai but do not need to be in the city every working day, Ras Al Khaimah is worth a look.
ICP’s Golden Visa through property covers properties “in the UAE” without naming an emirate, so the route is open in Ras Al Khaimah too, via ICP.
More in our guide to Ras Al Khaimah investment.
Moving to Dubai or Ras Al Khaimah and wondering which residence route and which kind of home fit your family? Send us a message about your situation, and we will tell you plainly where we can help and where your tax adviser comes in.
