United Arab Emirates · Startup Visa
UAE Founder Visas: Golden and Green Routes
The UAE has no visa called a startup visa. Founders usually rely on the Golden Visa entrepreneur category, which needs revenue, an exit record or backing from an accredited body, or on the five-year Green Visa for the self-employed.
- Startup route
- Golden Visa (Entrepreneurs); no startup visa by name
- Minimum capital
- No set capital; incubator approval or AED 1M revenue
- Permanent residence
- No PR status; long-term visas renew instead
- Citizenship
- By nomination only; no residence-based path
Golden Visa (Entrepreneurs)
The Golden Residency gives entrepreneurs long-term residence without a local sponsor. ICP's current guide lists three ways to qualify: owning or co-owning a UAE-registered small or medium enterprise in an approved field with annual revenue of at least AED 1 million; holding approval for a venture idea from an accredited business incubator, the Ministry of Economy, ICP or a relevant local authority; or having founded ventures that were sold for a combined AED 7 million or more. The founder and family also need valid health insurance when they apply. ICP's guide sets a 10-year term for entrepreneurs, while the federal u.ae portal still lists five years, so the issuing authority confirms the duration.
- Validity
- 10 years in ICP's guide; u.ae still lists 5 years
- Sponsor
- None needed
- Time abroad
- Not bound by the usual six-month absence limit
- Family
- Spouse, children of any age and parents
- Government fee
- Dubai: AED 1,100 permit fee plus small add-on charges
- Processing time
- Dubai GDRFA: about 5 days once nominated
- Leads to
- Renewable residence; no permanent status exists
Requirements
- A UAE-registered small or medium enterprise in an approved field, owned alone or with partners, earning at least AED 1 million a year.
- Or approval of the venture idea by an accredited business incubator, the Ministry of Economy, ICP or a relevant local authority.
- Or a record as founder of one or more ventures already sold for a total of at least AED 7 million.
- Comprehensive, valid health insurance for the entrepreneur and family members at the time of application.
- In Dubai, a nomination letter from the Dubai Future Foundation; nomination alone is not final approval.
- Applicants abroad entering on ICP's entrepreneur visa provide an accredited auditor's letter valuing the project at AED 500,000 or more.
How to apply
- Check eligibility with ICP's online Golden Residency tool or the residency authority of the chosen emirate.
- Obtain the approval or nomination letter from the incubator, ministry or local authority that backs the venture.
- If outside the UAE, apply for the six-month multiple-entry visa that ICP grants for completing Golden Residency procedures.
- Submit the residence application through ICP or, in Dubai, through GDRFA digital channels or an Amer center, and pay the fees.
Green Visa (Freelancers and Self-employed)
The Green Residence is a five-year renewable residence that lets holders live and work in the UAE without a sponsor. For freelancers and the self-employed, ICP asks for a freelance or self-employment permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, at least a bachelor's degree or specialized diploma, annual freelance income of at least AED 360,000 over the previous two years, and proof of stable income or solvency for the whole stay. A separate Green category covers investors and business partners. Holders can sponsor a spouse and children under the approved rules, and grace periods apply when the residence expires, which gives a sole founder a lighter alternative to the Golden route.
- Validity
- 5 years, renewable
- Income test
- At least AED 360,000 a year over the previous 2 years
- Education
- Bachelor's degree, specialized diploma or equivalent
- Permit needed
- MoHRE freelance or self-employment permit
- Family
- Spouse and children, under the approved requirements
Requirements
- A freelance work permit or self-employment permit issued by the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
- A bachelor's degree, specialized diploma or equivalent qualification.
- Freelance income of at least AED 360,000 a year during the previous two years.
- Proof of stable annual income or financial solvency throughout the residence.
How to apply
- Obtain the freelance or self-employment permit from the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation.
- Gather degree certificates and two years of income evidence.
- Apply for Green Residence through ICP or the emirate's residency authority.
Choosing between the Golden and Green routes
The entrepreneur Golden Visa suits founders who already have traction or institutional backing. A company with AED 1 million in annual revenue, a past exit worth AED 7 million, or an approval letter from an accredited incubator or the Ministry of Economy each meets the test, and no fixed capital deposit is set for this category. In Dubai the file runs through the Dubai Future Foundation, which nominates candidates before GDRFA decides. Nomination does not equal approval, and holders must remain able to support themselves and their family without government help.
The Green Visa fits a solo founder who bills clients directly rather than running a funded company. Its tests are personal: a ministry-issued freelance or self-employment permit, a degree or specialized diploma, and AED 360,000 a year in freelance income across two years. It runs five years instead of ten and is renewed on the same personal criteria. Founders who later raise money or build a team can move to the Golden category once its criteria are met.
Questions and answers
Does the UAE have a startup visa?
No program in the UAE is called a startup visa. The closest equivalents are the Golden Visa entrepreneur category, issued through ICP and, in Dubai, GDRFA, and the Green Visa for freelancers and the self-employed. Both give long-term residence without a local sponsor, and Dubai's entrepreneur track looks for projects of a technological or future-oriented nature.
Do entrepreneurs have to invest money for the UAE Golden Visa?
The entrepreneur category does not set a capital deposit. Founders qualify through annual revenue of at least AED 1 million, approval from an accredited incubator or authority, or past exits worth AED 7 million. The separate investor category is the one built on AED 2 million in property, deposits or company capital.
Can a Golden Visa holder live outside the UAE for long periods?
Yes. Golden Visa holders can stay outside the UAE for longer than the six months that normally keeps a residence visa valid. Dubai's GDRFA states that Golden Residence holders are exempt from the 180-day rule, and the permit lapses only if it expires while the holder is abroad.
How long is the UAE entrepreneur Golden Visa valid?
Official sources differ. ICP's Golden Residency guide and Dubai's GDRFA service page give entrepreneurs ten years, extendable when the conditions are still met. The federal u.ae portal lists five years for this category. The residency authority of the issuing emirate confirms the term at the time of application.
Official sources
- Golden visa - The Official Portal of the UAE Governmentu.ae
- Golden Residency Guide - ICPicp.gov.ae
- Issuing a golden residence permit (entrepreneurs) - GDRFA Dubaiwww.gdrfad.gov.ae
- Issuance of a Residence Visa for an Entrepreneur - ICPicp.gov.ae
- Green Residence Guide - ICPicp.gov.ae
Reviewed October 2026. Immigration rules change often. Confirm the current requirements with the official authority or a licensed adviser before applying.
Your path in United Arab Emirates.
Startup visa
No startup visa; Golden Visa entrepreneur category or Green Visa instead
02Temporary residence
5- or 10-year renewable residence, sponsor-free, with family included
03Permanent residence
No PR concept; renewing a long-term visa is the closest equivalent
04Citizenship
Nomination by federal entities only; nominees may keep their nationality