UAE Golden Visa 2026: How to Apply, Fees & Documents

Once you know which Golden Visa category fits you (see our Golden Visa eligibility guide for the criteria), this guide walks through the application itself: where to apply, what a nomination actually means, the documents and fees, and how long it takes. It’s built from ICP’s own service pages and GDRFA Dubai’s application steps.

Where do I apply?

• Outside Dubai (federal ICP route): apply through ICP Smart Services (smartservices.icp.gov.ae) or the UAEICP app, signing in with UAE Pass. This covers Abu Dhabi, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm Al Quwain, Ras Al Khaimah and Fujairah.
• Dubai: apply through GDRFA Dubai’s smart services portal (also UAE Pass login) or in person at an Amer service centre. Real estate investor applications specifically go through accredited centres nominated by the Dubai Land Department (Al Tarash, Gulf Vision, Golden Cube, Al Yalayis, AGS H).

Nomination is not the same as approval

This trips up a lot of applicants. For categories that need a nominating body: entrepreneurs (Dubai Future Foundation), scientists (UAE Scientists Council), creatives (Ministry of Culture and Youth), and similar talent routes, and getting nominated is only the first stage. GDRFA Dubai’s own guidance states plainly that nomination by the relevant authority does not constitute final approval for the Golden Residence Permit; final approval is a separate evaluation by GDRFA Dubai (or ICP, outside Dubai) after your full file and documents are reviewed. Budget time for both stages, not just the nomination.

Step by step

1. Confirm your category and gather category-specific evidence (see our eligibility guide for what each route needs).
2. If your category needs one, secure your nomination or endorsement letter first, as this is a prerequisite for entrepreneur and most talent applications.
3. Log in to ICP Smart Services or GDRFA Dubai’s portal with UAE Pass, select the Golden Residence nomination or issuance service, and fill in your details.
4. Attach your documents (see the table below) and pay the applicable fee electronically, or submit in person at an Amer centre / ICP happiness centre.
5. Wait for the authority’s evaluation. If approved, complete the medical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics (15+ requires fingerprints in person).
6. Final visa issuance and Emirates ID delivery.

Documents you’ll typically need

What does it cost?

GDRFA Dubai’s published fee for issuing the residence permit itself, across several categories, breaks down as:

This is the residence-permit issuance fee only, and it rises by AED 100 a year for residencies issued over two years at a time. It does not include the separate nomination-service fee where a category requires one, medical testing, Emirates ID issuance, or any fees charged by an incubator, land department centre or typing centre along the way. Confirm the full total for your specific category on ICP Smart Services or with GDRFA Dubai before you budget for it, as published figures elsewhere online (including a commonly quoted AED 10,400 all-in estimate) are not sourced to either authority’s own fee schedule.

How long does it take?

Neither ICP nor GDRFA Dubai publish a fixed processing time, and it genuinely varies by category: a property investor file with clean Dubai Land Department records typically moves faster than a talent or entrepreneur file waiting on an external nomination. Don’t rely on a specific “2 to 4 weeks” figure you might see elsewhere, as it isn’t stated on either authority’s own service pages, and building school or job plans around an unconfirmed timeline is risky. Build in buffer time, especially for nomination-based routes.

Family sponsorship and staying outside the UAE

Golden Visa holders can sponsor a spouse and children, and the visa doesn’t carry the usual six-month cap on time spent outside the UAE that applies to standard residence visas. Sponsorship conditions can still differ by category and by which authority issued your visa, so confirm specifics with ICP or GDRFA Dubai when you apply for a dependant, rather than assuming every category works the same way.

If your first application doesn’t succeed, our Golden Visa rejection reasons guide covers the most common fixable mistakes, and our Golden Visa myths guide clears up claims that trip up first-time applicants. Not sure which category you fall under? Run the free ICP Golden Visa eligibility check first.