Most of the market now clears the bar
The UAE's 10-year Golden Visa, available to property investors at the AED 2 million threshold, has become a standing feature of off-plan buying decisions. So it is worth asking how much of the current market actually qualifies on price. The answer: 1,379 of the 2,241 live unit options in the InvestOffplan catalog — around 62 percent — list a launch price of AED 2 million or above.
That share reflects how far the market's centre has shifted. With Dubai's median launch at roughly AED 2.67 million and Abu Dhabi's at about AED 3.85 million, the median off-plan purchase in the two major markets now clears the visa threshold without stretching.
What the threshold does and doesn't require
The headline rule is well established: property investment of at least AED 2 million can support a 10-year Golden Visa application, and off-plan purchases from approved developers can qualify. The value is assessed on the property purchase, and the property must be retained to maintain eligibility on that basis.
Buyers should verify the project-specific position before treating any unit as visa-eligible. Requirements and documentary standards are applied by the relevant authorities at application time, and details — such as how jointly owned property, mortgaged property or multiple combined properties are treated — should be confirmed with the Dubai Land Department, the relevant emirate's authority, or a qualified adviser for your specific circumstances.
For off-plan specifically, one timing nuance is worth understanding early: eligibility assessment and the documentation involved can differ between an under-construction property registered through Oqood and a completed property with a title deed. If the visa timeline matters to your plans, map the application sequence against your project's handover date before you sign, not after.
- 1,379 of 2,241 live options (~62%) list at AED 2M or above
- Dubai median launch: ~AED 2.67M — above the threshold
- Abu Dhabi median launch: ~AED 3.85M — comfortably above
- Off-plan can qualify; confirm project and developer status before relying on it
Don't let the visa drive the underwriting
The practical risk at this threshold is anchoring. Units priced just above AED 2 million attract buyers shopping for the visa rather than the asset, and developers understand that demand. The discipline is unchanged: compare the unit's AED per square foot against its district, check the payment plan shape against your cash flow, and confirm the handover-year supply picture. A property that qualifies for a visa but underperforms as an asset is a poor trade — with 1,379 qualifying options live, there is no shortage of choice above the line.
Used correctly, the threshold is simply a filter on top of sound underwriting. Set your search at AED 2 million and above, compare the qualifying options on the same fundamentals you would apply anywhere — district, price per square foot, plan shape, handover quarter — and let the visa be the tiebreaker between assets you would have been happy to own anyway.