UAE Golden Visa Application Fee: 2026 Breakdown, Family Costs, and Renewal

Exact UAE golden visa application fee breakdown for 2026

You need exact figures before filing your immigration papers in Dubai. As of October 2026, the standard uae golden visa application fee for a new primary applicant is 9,978. This rate applies whether you qualify through property, executive salary, commercial business, or specialized talent.

We see applicants lose money because generic websites confuse typing fees with mandatory government disbursements. You can check our breakdown of government fees to see how these map to official GDRFA and ICP receipts.

Main applicant fee breakdown

The 9,978 government fee is not a single lump sum paid to one counter. Immigration portals debit the amount across separate milestones as your file moves forward:

• Initial nomination and administrative checks through the relevant authority (Dubai Land Department or GDRFA)
• Entry permit or file opening issuance to initiate residency processing inside the UAE
• Medical fitness examination through the Dubai Health Authority (DHA)
• Ten-year Emirates ID card processing and card manufacturing via ICP
• Residency visa stamping and digital certificate issuance on federal systems

If you qualify through property, the DLD administrative handling fee sits inside this 9,978 total. If you qualify as an executive or scientist, the administrative charge covers your MOHRE clearance and GDRFA file opening.

Entry permit and change of status charges

Your current immigration status determines the order of the first steps. If you are already living in the UAE on an employment visa, partner visa, or tourist entry, your file needs an internal status change. This moves your legal file to your self-sponsored ten-year residency without you having to board a flight.

The status change fee is included within our 9,978 government allocation for main applicants. If your current visa is already cancelled or expired, settle any overstay fines before filing. Fines accrue at 50 per day under current federal rules. An unsettled fine stops your file from passing the pre-approval gate.

Dependant application fees: spouse, children, and parents

A major benefit of holding a ten-year UAE Golden Visa is sponsoring family members for that same ten-year period. Your dependants receive residence permits linked to your primary file. If the primary sponsor passes away during the ten years, family members can legally stay on their visas until the card expires.

Costs vary depending on whether the dependant is an adult or a minor child.

Adult dependants and parents

The government fee for an adult dependant aged 18 and older is 4,215 per person. This applies to your spouse, adult children, and parents. Sponsoring parents on a standard two-year employment visa usually involves salary minimums and mandatory security deposits. Under the ten-year Golden Visa, you sponsor your parents directly at 4,215 each.

The 4,215 charge covers:

• GDRFA entry permit and dependant file opening
• Change of status inside the UAE
• DHA adult medical fitness assessment
• ICP ten-year Emirates ID card fee
• Residency issuance and digital visa stamping

Adult dependants must complete their blood work and chest X-rays in person at an approved medical centre. Unmarried daughters have no age restriction for sponsorship. Sponsoring sons is permitted up to age 25 under standard rules, with Golden Visa regulations offering extended coverage.

Children under 18 years

The government fee for sponsoring a child under 18 years of age is 3,895. The lower cost compared to adult dependants reflects the absence of the adult medical exam. Children do not take communicable disease tests or chest X-rays for residency.

The 3,895 fee covers the child's entry clearance, change of status, ten-year Emirates ID, and visa issuance. Biometrics for younger children are taken directly from their passport photos. Once a child turns 15, an in-person visit to an ICP biometric centre is mandatory.

Visa Type and Applicant Role	Included Government Services	Official Government Fee (AED)
New 10-Year Golden Visa (Main Applicant)	Authority admin, visa issuance, DHA medical, 10-year Emirates ID	9,978
Adult Dependant (18+ years / Spouse)	Issuance, change of status, DHA medical, 10-year Emirates ID	4,215
Child Dependant (Under 18 years)	Issuance, change of status, 10-year Emirates ID (no medical)	3,895
Parent Dependant (Under Golden Visa sponsor)	Issuance, change of status, DHA medical, 10-year Emirates ID	4,215
10-Year Golden Visa Renewal	Renewal approval, DHA medical, new 10-year Emirates ID	9,034
Golden Visa Cancellation	Administrative file closure, clearance certificate	590

Golden Visa renewal and cancellation fees

Your visa stays valid for ten years from the date of issuance. When that term finishes, you do not start over from scratch as long as your qualifying condition is still in place.

10-year renewal cost

The government fee to renew a ten-year Golden Visa is 9,034. It is slightly cheaper than initial issuance because your baseline security file and authority registrations already exist.

You must take the DHA medical screening again. You will visit a testing centre for blood collection and chest imaging, clear the medical certificate, and submit an application for a fresh ten-year Emirates ID. Real estate investors must show their title deed remains active, and executives must present a current employment contract with qualifying salary slips.

Visa cancellation fee

If you leave the UAE permanently or transfer to another visa type, you must cancel your residency. The government fee to cancel a Golden Visa is 590.

You cannot cancel a primary sponsor visa while dependants remain active on your sponsorship. Dependants must have their visas cancelled first, at 506 each, or moved to a different sponsor. Once those files are clear, the main applicant file is closed, starting a 30-day grace period to exit or switch permits.

Where applicants lose money during the Golden Visa process

Immigration fees paid to GDRFA, ICP, or DLD are non-refundable once typing begins. If an officer turns down your file because of missing criteria, the government keeps the review fees. In our Business Bay office, we see two common errors cost people their money.

Mismatch between salary slips and bank deposits

Executive applicants applying under the qualifying monthly salary route often file before checking their bank statements against their contract. GDRFA officers examine your last six months of personal bank statements, your company salary certificate, and your MOHRE employment contract.

If your contract states a qualifying salary, but deductions or loan repayments leave your bank statement showing a lower net credit, your application will get rejected. The officer looks for a clean monthly credit meeting the required salary threshold. If your statements and contract do not match, sort out the payroll discrepancy with your employer before paying the government cashier.

Unattested educational credentials and property valuations

Executive applicants need a recognized university degree of at least a Bachelor level. Submitting a degree without the complete Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) attestation chain causes an immediate rejection. Your degree must be authenticated in the country of study, verified by the UAE Embassy there, and stamped by MOFA in the UAE.

Property buyers sometimes submit a Sales and Purchase Agreement (SPA) instead of a completed DLD title deed. If the property is mortgaged, the bank must provide an NOC confirming the paid amount meets the equity threshold. Review our Golden Visa application process guide to confirm your documents are complete before you hand over application fees.

Processing timelines and service packages

Government portals run daily, but processing queues fluctuate based on background reviews and medical appointment availability. We manage three support packages from our Business Bay office:

• Normal Package (3 to 7 working days): 1,500 service charge. We review your documents, handle all portal typing, book your DHA medical slot, and submit the ICP card registration.
• URGENT Package (2 to 3 working days): 3,000 service charge. Best for residents and investors on a tight schedule. Includes urgent medical coordination and door-to-door document pick-up and drop-off across Dubai.
• 24-Hour VIP Fast Track: 5,000 service charge. Complete handling within 24 business hours. This covers priority nomination clearance, expedited VIP medical testing with minimal waiting, rapid biometric booking, and private transport for your visits.

Government disbursements (9,978 for the main applicant and 4,215 for an adult dependant) are paid in addition to our agency service charges.

Document clearing order

Here is the order we follow when submitting a Golden Visa file:

1. Document audit: We examine your title deed, bank statements, contracts, or degrees before paying counter fees.
2. Nomination submission: Your file goes to the DLD or GDRFA portal for preliminary approval.
3. Entry permit or file opening: The initial immigration entry clearance is issued.
4. Change of status: If you are in the UAE, your existing record transfers to the new file.
5. Medical exam: You attend a DHA centre for your blood test and chest X-ray.
6. Emirates ID biometrics: We submit the ICP application. If your fingerprints are not on file, you visit an ICP centre.
7. Visa issuance and card delivery: GDRFA issues the electronic residence visa, and the physical Emirates ID arrives by courier.

If you want us to review your paperwork before committing to government disbursements, contact our team in Business Bay.

Frequently asked questions

What is the official UAE Golden Visa application fee for a primary applicant?

As of October 2026, the official government fee for a new main applicant is 9,978. This covers the nomination review, entry permit, DHA medical screening, 10-year Emirates ID, and electronic residency visa.

How much does it cost to add family members to a Golden Visa?

Adding an adult dependant or parent costs 4,215 in government fees. Adding a child under 18 costs 3,895 because children do not require the adult medical fitness examination.

Are UAE Golden Visa application fees refundable if rejected?

No. Government disbursements paid to GDRFA, ICP, and DLD are non-refundable once administrative typing and security reviews have commenced.