30 July 2026 · Property
Golden Visa via Property (AED 2M Rule)
You qualify for the Golden Visa with UAE real estate valued at AED 2 million or more, evidenced by a Dubai Land Department valuation rather than the original purchase price. A February 2026 federal rule change removed the old requirement to have paid 50% (or at least AED 1 million) up-front, so mortgaged and off-plan properties now qualify once the certified valuation reaches AED 2 million and the bank or developer issues a no-objection certificate. Multiple properties can be combined to reach the threshold, and the route carries a renewable 10-year residence term. What matters is the certified value on record, not your equity or how much of the purchase price has actually been paid.
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AED 2 million property
The test is the certified value of the property, not the contract price or the amount you have personally paid. A Dubai Land Department valuation establishes the figure the ICP or GDRFA will actually rely on, which is why an investor who bought below AED 2 million but whose property has since appreciated can sometimes still qualify — and equally why an off-plan buyer needs the developer valuation rather than the sale agreement headline number.
- Property valued at AED 2 million or more.
- Evidenced by a current DLD valuation certificate, not the purchase price.
- Combine multiple properties if no single asset clears AED 2 million.
- 10-year renewable visa on the property route.
- Commercial and residential property can both qualify.
- Appreciation since purchase can help a property clear the threshold.
Mortgaged and off-plan now count
Before 2026, financed buyers effectively needed to have paid at least 50% of the price (or a minimum of AED 1 million) before a mortgaged property counted toward the Golden Visa — a rule that shut out most buyers using standard UAE mortgage terms of 60-80% loan-to-value. The February 2026 change removed that requirement outright: what now matters is the certified valuation, with a bank no-objection certificate confirming the lender has no issue with the visa application. Off-plan buyers benefit the same way, using a developer NOC in place of a bank one.
- Old 50%/AED 1 million paid-upfront rule removed.
- Mortgaged property qualifies once the certified valuation clears AED 2 million.
- Off-plan property qualifies the same way, with a developer NOC.
- Bank NOC required for financed property; developer NOC for off-plan.
- Standard 60-80% loan-to-value mortgages no longer a barrier.
- Applies to both new purchases and existing mortgaged holdings.
A mortgaged apartment, step by step
An investor buys a Dubai apartment for AED 2.4 million with a 60% mortgage, meaning only AED 960,000 of the price has actually been paid in cash. Under the pre-2026 rule this would have fallen short of the 50%/AED 1 million paid-upfront test. Under the current rule it does not matter — the certified DLD valuation of AED 2.4 million clears the AED 2 million threshold on its own. The investor obtains the valuation certificate, secures a no-objection certificate from the mortgage bank, and applies through GDRFA in Dubai with that evidence, without needing to pay down the loan any further.
- Certified valuation is what is tested, not equity paid in.
- A bank NOC replaces the old paid-upfront requirement.
- No need to accelerate mortgage repayment to qualify.
- Same logic applies to off-plan property with a developer NOC.
Common property-route mistakes
The most frequent error is relying on the purchase price or an informal estimate instead of a current DLD valuation certificate — the authority tests the certified figure, and a stale or unofficial number can stall an application. The second is forgetting the NOC: a mortgaged or off-plan property without a bank or developer no-objection certificate does not satisfy the route even if the value is well above AED 2 million. The third is letting the property's status change after issuance — selling, refinancing in a way that drops the certified value, or a developer default on an off-plan unit can put renewal at risk.
- Use a current DLD valuation, not the purchase price.
- Do not skip the bank or developer NOC on financed property.
- Keep the qualifying value intact through to renewal.
- Off-plan delays or developer issues can affect renewal evidence.
Related guides
Frequently Asked Questions
Specific questions Dubai property investors ask before applying through the real-estate route.
Can I get a Golden Visa with a mortgaged property?
Yes. After the February 2026 change, mortgaged property qualifies once the certified DLD valuation reaches AED 2 million and the mortgage bank issues a no-objection certificate — you no longer need to have paid 50% or AED 1 million up-front.
Does off-plan property count?
Yes, on the same basis as mortgaged property: once the certified valuation reaches AED 2 million, with a no-objection certificate from the developer rather than a bank.
Can I combine properties?
Yes. If no single property clears AED 2 million on its own, multiple properties can be combined to meet the threshold, each evidenced by its own current valuation.
Is it the purchase price or the current value that counts?
The current certified value, established by a Dubai Land Department valuation. The original purchase price is not the test, which can work for or against you depending on how the market has moved since you bought.
What happens if my property value drops below AED 2 million later?
It can put renewal at risk, since the same certified-value test applies again at renewal. It is worth monitoring the qualifying property valuation, especially if it sits close to the threshold.
Do I need a real-estate broker or can Exiloz handle this directly?
Exiloz coordinates the valuation, the bank or developer NOC, and the full application directly — you do not need a separate broker for the Golden Visa process itself, though your original purchase may have involved one.
Can Exiloz handle the property application?
Yes. We arrange the DLD valuation, secure the required NOC, and submit the full property-route application through GDRFA or the ICP on your behalf.
Does the AED 2 million threshold apply per property or across my whole portfolio?
It can be met by a single property or by combining several — the test is the total certified value reaching AED 2 million, not a per-unit minimum. This makes the route accessible to investors who hold two or three smaller properties rather than one large asset, as long as each carries a current DLD valuation.
Qualify through property
Exiloz arranges the DLD valuation, secures the bank or developer NOC, and manages the entire property-route Golden Visa application.