Last updated
A golden visa in Dubai costs AED 1,100 in GDRFA permit fees plus AED 40 in small charges, and AED 500 more if you apply from inside the UAE. Add the medical test and a 10-year Emirates ID and the government part usually lands between AED 2,900 and AED 5,000, though some guides put entrepreneur and talent files as high as AED 6,500. The property route runs higher, AED 9,884.75 on the DLD schedule, and each dependant adds about AED 5,775.
The GDRFA part, line by line
| GDRFA item | Fee |
|---|---|
| Residence permit fee | AED 1,100 |
| Knowledge Dirham | AED 10 |
| Innovation Dirham | AED 10 |
| Delivery | AED 20 |
| Fee for applying inside the UAE | AED 500 |
| Total if you apply from inside the UAE | AED 1,640 |
Source: GDRFA golden residence service page (investors, entrepreneurs, scientists and skilled professionals), checked .
The same page says the issuance fee rises by AED 100 for each year beyond two years. It does not show how that is applied to a 10-year permit, and published cost guides do not add it. Ask at the Amer counter or check the GDRFA fee screen before you pay, so it does not surprise you.
Medical test
Everyone aged 18 and over needs a medical fitness test in Dubai before the residence is issued. The fees are set by the Dubai Government:
| Medical service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Normal, about 24 hours | AED 270 |
| VIP, 6 hours | AED 700 |
| VIP, 2 hours | AED 1,020 |
| Smart Salem, about 30 minutes | AED 700 |
Most golden visa cost guides assume AED 700, the fast option. If you are not in a hurry, the normal service cuts that line. Details are on the medical test for a visa in Dubai page.
Emirates ID for 10 years
ICP charges AED 100 for each year of residence plus a AED 100 smart application fee. For a 10-year golden residence that is about AED 1,100 before any typing charge. Published cost guides list about AED 1,153 for the card. You pay it once, not every two years like a normal resident. For the card itself, see Emirates ID renewal.
Typical totals people pay
These are ranges from published price lists and cost guides of Dubai PRO firms, visa consultants and free zones, checked . They are not official fees.
| Case | Usual government total |
|---|---|
| Salary, investment or entrepreneur route, one person | AED 2,900 to AED 5,000 |
| Property route through Dubai Land Department | AED 9,884.75 on DLD's schedule, see the property page |
| Each dependant (spouse, child, parent) | about AED 5,775 |
| One-off family file fee | about AED 319 |
| Agent or PRO service on top | about AED 2,000 to AED 7,000 or more |
A few examples from those sources show how the pieces add up:
- One free zone's own guide puts a single applicant at about AED 3,500: the AED 1,640 GDRFA part, AED 700 for the medical and AED 1,153 for the Emirates ID.
- One consultancy prices the solo route at about AED 2,870 in government fees.
- The same consultancy estimates an investor plus spouse at about AED 16,078, and about AED 27,827 with two children, government fees only.
- Typing and admin charges listed in the guides run from about AED 100 to AED 600 per application, depending on the provider.
- All-inclusive developer packages in Abu Dhabi were seen at about AED 5,290 to AED 6,280. They are not Dubai prices, but they show what a bundled quote looks like.
Health insurance is extra in almost every quote, and investors, entrepreneurs and specialised professionals must hold it for themselves and their family.
Cost by golden visa route
The route changes the bill more than anything else. These are government totals from published cost guides of Dubai PRO firms, consultancies and free zones, checked , before insurance and service fees:
| Route | Usual government cost |
|---|---|
| Skilled professional (salary) | about AED 4,600 |
| Entrepreneur or talent | about AED 3,500 to AED 5,500, one guide says AED 4,700 to AED 6,500 |
| Investment, applying inside the UAE | about AED 4,600 to AED 5,000 |
| Property through Dubai Land Department | about AED 9,685 to AED 10,250 |
The property route costs more because Dubai Land Department adds its own charges to the GDRFA part. The talent route can run higher because of the recommendation and approval steps.
When each payment falls
You do not pay everything on day one. If you start abroad, the ICP entry permit comes first. The GDRFA fee is paid when the residence application is submitted. The medical test is paid at the medical center, and the Emirates ID fee at application to ICP. Insurance is bought before the file goes in, because investors, entrepreneurs and specialised professionals must show it. Plan cash for each step, especially for a family, where every person repeats the cycle.
Costs that are easy to miss
- Degree attestation. The skilled route needs your degree attested if it is from the UAE, or an equivalency if it is from abroad. MOFA charges AED 150 for a personal document. See certificate attestation in Dubai.
- The entry permit from abroad. If you start outside the UAE, ICP issues a 6-month multiple-entry visa so you can finish the process. It has its own fee, which is not confirmed on a current ICP page, so check it there.
- Insurance for the whole family. Each person on the file needs cover.
- Fast-track choices. VIP medical and urgent Emirates ID cost more at each step.
Where the money goes for a family
Each dependant has their own permit, their own Emirates ID and, if 18 or over, their own medical test. That is why a family of four can cost several times the main applicant's file. Children under 18 skip the medical, so their line is smaller. Parents and sons or daughters of any age can be added: the full list of who qualifies is on the golden visa UAE page.
Can you do it alone and save the service fee?
Yes, if your route is simple. A salaried professional with clean documents can apply in the GDRFA app with UAE Pass, or at an Amer center, pay the fees shown on screen and book the medical and Emirates ID. You save the service fee. You do not save the government part. Where people lose money is a rejected file: a missing equivalency or an unattested degree means paying and waiting again.
Pricing your golden visa file
Tell us your route and who in the family needs a permit. Send the proof for that route, such as a salary certificate, title deed or nomination, with passports for everyone. The partner team lists every government fee for your case, including the medical, the 10-year Emirates ID and the in-country charge, the line most cost guides leave out. They then type and submit each application, book the medicals and biometrics, and follow the files with GDRFA until every permit is out. You get one total price before any work starts, with the government fees and the service charge on separate lines.
