United Arab Emirates Retirement visa

Five-year residence for retirees who meet a service or age test and either a property and savings test or an annual income test. The two official pages state these tests differently, and both versions are listed in the requirements. ^{1 2 3 4}

What you must show

• Assets of at least AED 1,000,000 (≈ $272,000) · Property worth at least AED 1,000,000 (≈ $272,000). The u.ae page asks for the property together with the savings; the ICP service page asks for the property or a deposit of the same value. ^{1 2}
• Savings of at least AED 1,000,000 (≈ $272,000) · Financial savings or a deposit of at least AED 1,000,000 (≈ $272,000). The u.ae page asks for the savings in addition to the property; the ICP service page accepts a deposit instead of the property, placed with a UAE financial institution within 60 days of the residence being issued unless it is invested in the UAE. ^{1 2}
• Income of at least AED 240,000 a year (≈ $65,400) · Instead of property and savings: annual income. The ICP service page states at least AED 240,000 (≈ $65,400) or the foreign-currency equivalent, with a bank statement for the last 6 months. The u.ae page states at least AED 180,000 (≈ $49,000) from inside or outside the UAE, and AED 240,000 (≈ $65,400) for applications from Dubai. ^{1 2}

Requirements

• The u.ae page asks for at least 15 years of work, inside or outside the UAE, and an age of at least 55 at retirement. ¹
• The ICP service page asks for at least 15 years of service before retirement, inside or outside the UAE, or an age of 55. ²
• Financial test, option A on the u.ae page: property worth at least AED 1,000,000 (≈ $272,000) and financial savings of at least AED 1,000,000 (≈ $272,000) on top of the property. ¹
• Option A on the ICP service page: property worth at least AED 1,000,000 (≈ $272,000) or a financial deposit of the same value. ²
• ICP says the deposit is placed with a UAE financial institution within 60 days of the residence being issued, unless it is invested in the UAE. ²
• Option B on the ICP service page: annual income of at least AED 240,000 (≈ $65,400) or the foreign-currency equivalent. ²
• Option B on the u.ae page: annual income of at least AED 180,000 (≈ $49,000) or the foreign-currency equivalent, from inside or outside the UAE, and at least AED 240,000 (≈ $65,400) for applications from Dubai. ¹
• For the income option ICP asks for a bank statement covering the last 6 months, submitted with the application. ²

Stay

• Long-term visa of 5 years.
• Visa validity: 60 months. Validity is the window to use the visa, not the length you may stay.

Family

Expatriate residents can sponsor a spouse, unmarried daughters, sons under 25 and children with special needs; Green Residence holders can also sponsor first-degree relatives. Your spouse or partner needs their own work permit to work in the United Arab Emirates.

Fine print

Two official pages state different conditions for this visa. The ICP residence-issuing service page, read on 12 October 2026, says 15 years of service or age 55, property worth AED 1,000,000 (≈ $272,000) or a deposit of the same value, or annual income of AED 240,000 (≈ $65,400). The u.ae retirement visa page says 15 years of work and age 55, property and savings of AED 1,000,000 (≈ $272,000) each, or annual income of AED 180,000 (≈ $49,000) (AED 240,000 (≈ $65,400) for Dubai). The u.ae page did not load on 12 October 2026, so its wording is as read on 11 October 2026. The amounts shown at the top of this route are the stricter of the two.

Checked 2026-10-12 · partly verified

Official sources

1. Residence visa for the retired · UAE Government Portal (u.ae) · checked 2026-10-11
2. Issuing Residency Permit (terms, fees and documents for each applicant category) · Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) · checked 2026-10-12
3. Residence visa for families of employees (includes UAE citizen's spouse, parent and child) · UAE Government Portal (u.ae) · checked 2026-10-11
4. Work permits · The UAE Government Portal (u.ae) · checked 2026-10-10
5. General provisions for the residence visa · UAE Government Portal (u.ae) · checked 2026-10-11