Investor and partner residence visas in the UAE: the basics

General information, not legal or immigration advice. Visa rules, thresholds and documents change; always check ICP, GDRFA Dubai or your emirate's authority before applying. Startup Roof does not process visas.

If you own or co-own a UAE company, you'll probably need a residence visa linked to that business. There are several routes, and their names (partner visa, investor visa, Green visa, Golden visa) are often used loosely. This guide explains the main options for business owners, based on the official sources, and how to work out which one fits.

For entrepreneurs applying on the strength of an innovative project rather than capital invested, see our separate guide to the Golden Visa for entrepreneurs.

Who issues residence visas

Residence visas are issued by the Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) and, for Dubai, the General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs (GDRFA Dubai) (ICP; GDRFA Dubai). Your licensing authority (a free zone or your emirate's economic department) is usually involved too, because the visa depends on your company and its licence.

Route 1: residence through your own company

Most founders start here. Once your company is licensed, shareholders or partners can generally apply for residence through it, subject to the licensing authority's rules and the company's visa allocation. In free zones, the number of visas often depends on your office or desk type; on the mainland it depends on the authority's rules and your establishment's registration.

Practical points:

• Plan your visa needs before choosing a setup. How many visas will founders and early hires need in the next two years? See choosing a free zone.
• Documents. Expect to provide your passport, photo, licence and company documents showing you as a shareholder or partner, plus medical fitness and Emirates ID steps after entry.
• Keep the company in good standing. Residence linked to your company depends on the licence staying valid.

Route 2: the Green visa for investors and partners

The Green visa (Green Residence) is a 5-year residence visa. ICP describes it as renewable, with no sponsor needed in the UAE, the ability to sponsor a spouse and children under the approved requirements, and grace periods when it expires. Eligible categories include skilled workers, freelancers and self-employed people, and investors and business partners, who must provide proof of investment or contribution to a business venture in the UAE and hold the necessary licences and approvals (ICP: Green Residence guide).

When the Executive Regulations introduced it in 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs described the Green residence for investors or partners as a 5-year residence for people establishing or participating in commercial activities, replacing the earlier 2-year residence. Requirements include approval of the investment and proof of investment; where an investor has more than one licence, the total invested capital is counted; and approval from the competent local authorities is mandatory (MoFA: Executive Regulations, April 2022).

What GDRFA Dubai lists for its Green visa (investor/partner) service (GDRFA Dubai: Green visa issuance (investor/partner)):

• An entry visa that lets the holder stay 60 days from entry while residence is processed
• Requirements: a personal photo, a passport copy valid for at least six months, the partnership or investment contract, and the trade licence
• Conditions include specific company legal forms and a minimum paid share for the investor or partner, set out on the service page, which must be maintained to keep and renew the residence

Read the conditions on the GDRFA page carefully. They specify the legal forms and the minimum investment, and these differ from the route through a typical small company.

Route 3: the Golden visa for investors

ICP's Golden Residency guide (updated 10 Sep 2026) lists 10 years of residence for investors in public investments and for real estate investors, without a sponsor (ICP: Golden Residency). Note that u.ae's summary table still shows 5 years for real estate investors; ICP is the issuing authority, so check its page. ICP lists these ways an investor can qualify:

Public investments (any one of):

• a financial deposit of at least AED 2,000,000 with an investment fund or a national bank operating in the UAE
• establishing a company in the UAE with capital of at least AED 2,000,000
• being a partner in an existing or new company with a financial share of at least AED 2,000,000
• owning a company that pays at least AED 250,000 a year in federal taxes, or being a partner whose share corresponds to at least AED 250,000 a year of the tax paid

Real estate: one or more properties in the UAE (including approved off-plan purchases) with a total value of at least AED 2,000,000. ICP says property may be financed through a loan from an approved local bank.

ICP also states that the invested capital must be fully owned by the investor and not derived from a loan, that you must document the source and ownership of the capital, and that the investor and family must hold valid health insurance when applying.

GDRFA Dubai's golden residence (investors) service lists documents such as a certified financial report from an accredited UAE audit firm proving the value of the investor's share, a valid trade licence with the partners' appendix, a company bank statement, and tax registration with tax receipts for the last year (GDRFA Dubai: Golden residence (investors)).

The figures above are ICP's as of 16 Oct 2026. They can change, so check the page before you apply.

Which route fits?

Your situation	Route to check first
New small company, founders need residence now	Residence through your own company (Route 1)
Investor or partner meeting the Green visa conditions	Green visa, investor/partner (Route 2)
Capital of at least AED 2,000,000 invested, or AED 250,000+ a year in tax, per ICP	Golden visa, investor (Route 3)
Innovative project with incubator or authority endorsement	Golden visa, entrepreneur (our guide)

Many founders start with Route 1 and move to a longer-term visa as the company grows.

How to prepare

1. Map your needs: who needs residence, when, and for how long; whether family will be sponsored.
2. Check your company structure. The legal form and how shares are recorded can matter for Green and Golden routes. See UAE trade licence types.
3. Keep financial records clean. Audited or certified accounts, bank statements and tax registrations support longer-term applications. See our corporate tax and VAT guides.
4. Document the source of funds for any capital you invest; banks will ask too (business bank account guide).
5. Confirm requirements and fees with ICP, GDRFA or your licensing authority before you start.
6. Be wary of guarantees. Only the issuing authority approves visas.

Frequently asked questions

Is a "partner visa" the same as an "investor visa"? People use the terms loosely. Officially, check the specific service name (for example GDRFA's "Green visa issuance (investor/partner)") and its conditions.

Can I sponsor my family? ICP lists family sponsorship as a benefit of both Green and Golden Residence, under the approved requirements. For other routes, check the authority's rules on income and housing.

Does a free zone company qualify? Some routes accept free zone companies (GDRFA's golden residence documents mention free zone certificates of capital). Check the conditions of each service.

Where Startup Roof fits

Visas are one of many setup steps founders handle in their first year. Startup Roof is a UAE-first founder ecosystem with source-checked guides, founder tools and a network of people who've been through these steps. Explore startuproof.com and the setup guide at startuproof.com/guides/setup-and-banking.

Build. Scale. Grow.

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Sources (checked 16 Oct 2026)

• ICP: Green Residence guide (updated 12 Sep 2026)
• u.ae: Golden visa
• ICP: Golden Residency guide
• GDRFA Dubai: Green visa issuance (investor/partner); Golden residence permit (investors)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Executive Regulations on entry and residence (19 Apr 2022)