Do You Become a Resident after Buying Property in Dubai?

The strong economical position of Dubai has grabbed the attention of many foreigners who want to buy
property there and avail limitless business opportunities. Many people believe that you can get a
residency visa if you buy property in Dubai while others negate it. Here in this article we will try to find
the answers of investors and remove their ambiguities.
According to property expert Saad Arif, you can easily buy property in Dubai and the laws of the city also
provide convenient conditions for it, but it doesn’t mean the government will gift you the residency visa
in return. There is another process you have to follow to get your residency visa. The worth of the
property should be one million to apply for a residency visa that expires after three years.

Once the visa expires, you have to apply for it again. In a recent announcement, the government is
planning to increase the validity time of residency visa for real estate investors, businessmen, and
retirees. After the implementation of this amendment, real estate investors and retirees will get a
5-year residency visa and the limit will be 10-year for business owners.

Dubai offers different types of properties and it’s not necessary that your entire 1m investment is in the
same type of property rather you can invest in different types of properties which are ready and have
title deed signed by the DLD. Without the completion of the commercial or residency property, you are
not eligible for applying for residency visa. That’s why you can’t get residency visa on off-plan until it
doesn’t fulfill the aforementioned conditions.

Can I get a visa if I have joint property ownership? Yes. The worth of jointly owned property with a
spouse should be 1m and you have to attach a marriage certificate with the application of residency
visa. Your share in the jointly owned property must be 1m if you are sharing ownership with another
person. Some people buy property on a company name and think that they can buy residency visa
through it which is not true at all. In such condition, you can buy property through that company and
have to attach company details and your position in it.

Those who buy property on the name of their spouse are not eligible for residency visa as the 
only person can get visa the property who is the owner of the property in the documents.
Similarly, one can’t apply for an investor visa on a gift or donation property. The same situation
is with land property which isn’t ready or has a title deed. On the other hand, you can get a
residency visa on buying a warehouse in a freehold property area.Similarly, the visa is granted
on buying an office in Dubai as the rules for commercial property have changed.

Villas and apartments can also help you to get residency visa if you ensure the government that
the property is habitable, freehold, and ready. The same condition goes for hotel room
owners. Following are the documents you have to submit for applying for the visa:

• Conduct Certificate from Dubai Police
• Passport Copy 
• Original and Attested Title Deed
• Current Visa Copy
• Attested Marriage Copy for Joint Ownership
• Emirates ID Card
• Cancellation Papers (If the Resident Visa has Cancelled Before

As per the Dubai Land Department, you can get residency visa on buying property on mortgage 

if you have paid 50% of the mortgage value of the property worth AED 1m. Once the 

complete amount is paid, the bank will issue the title deed. However, Dubai Land 

Department doesn’t accept the investor visa application if the property is in the bank's name.

Dubai Land Department considers the purchase amount of the property mentioned in the deed.

For example, if the purchased price of your property was 700, 000 AED about 5 years ago and

after the development in the area, the current value of the property has doubled. The value is

AED 7k for DLD as the same amount is mentioned on the title deed. Those who buy

leasehold property can’t apply for residency visa as the leasehold property indicated that you

aren’t the owner of the property.

You can buy property in Dubai and apply for the residency visa by yourself as well as ask a

real estate investor to apply on your behalf. Usually, it takes three weeks to get residency visa

while in the case of any delay or uncertain situation, it can take up to six-week time.