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Investor and Partner Visa in Dubai

If you own a share of a UAE company, you can sponsor yourself. Which visa you qualify for depends on the licence, the shareholding and, for the ten-year route, the size of the investment.

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Self-Sponsored No employer needed
Golden Visa Route Assessed alongside
Family Included Dependants sponsored after

What is an investor or partner visa in Dubai?

A residence visa sponsored by the company you own a share of, rather than by an employer. Shareholders on a mainland or free zone licence apply against their own establishment card. Larger investments can instead qualify for the ten-year Golden Visa, including the route for property worth at least AED 2 million.

Investor and Partner Visa in Dubai at a glance
SponsorYour own company, via its establishment card
Evidence of standingTrade licence plus memorandum of association or share certificate
Typical termTwo or three years, depending on licence type and free zone
Golden Visa alternativeTen years, for qualifying investors including AED 2m property
In-person stepsMedical fitness test and Emirates ID biometrics
What MSM handlesRoute assessment, establishment card, entry permit, medical, Emirates ID, stamping

Last updated 2 August 2026 · Reviewed by Mohammed Shareef A, Senior PRO Consultant, Dubai government liaison. Fees and timelines are set by the issuing authority and change without notice — confirm current figures before you budget.

Who qualifies for a partner visa?

A named shareholder on a valid UAE trade licence, whose shareholding is documented in the memorandum of association or an equivalent share certificate. GDRFA applies a minimum value to the shareholding, and the figure varies by emirate and by licence type.

We check the specific number against your licence rather than quoting one, because the wrong figure here sends people into a restructuring they did not need.

  • Named on the licence and in the memorandum of association
  • Minimum shareholding value applied by GDRFA, varying by emirate and licence
  • Establishment card must be valid with an available visa slot
  • Sole establishments and free zone companies follow their own equivalent routes
Business owner reviewing a trade licence and share certificate in a Dubai office

How does the Golden Visa compare?

Ten years instead of two or three, and it does not depend on keeping a trade licence alive. For real-estate investors the published condition is property worth at least AED 2 million, and the visa can be granted on property bought with a loan from approved local banks or off-plan from approved developers.

There are separate Golden Visa categories for entrepreneurs, specialised talent and outstanding students, each with their own evidence. Where a client is close to qualifying, it is usually worth waiting for the ten-year route rather than renewing a two-year one twice.

  • Ten-year renewable residence, self-sponsored
  • Real-estate route: property valued at AED 2 million or more
  • Entrepreneur and specialised-talent categories have separate criteria
  • Family and domestic staff can be sponsored under the holder's visa
Investor looking out over the Dubai skyline from a residential apartment

What is the difference between an investor visa and an employment visa?

Who sponsors you, and what happens if the relationship ends. An employment visa is tied to an employer and is cancelled when you leave. An investor or partner visa is tied to your own company and stays as long as the licence and your shareholding do.

That independence is the reason most founders want it. It is also the reason letting the trade licence lapse quietly is more serious than it looks: the visa sits on top of the licence.

  • No employer, no MoHRE work permit in the standard form
  • Residence depends on the licence remaining valid
  • You can sponsor your own family once resident
  • Cancelling the licence cancels the basis of the visa
Founder signing company documents at a desk in Dubai

Can you sponsor family on an investor visa?

Yes. Once your own residence visa is issued, you can sponsor a spouse and children, and in some cases parents, subject to the income and accommodation conditions GDRFA applies to sponsors.

Attested marriage and birth certificates are what usually hold these applications up, so start the attestation while your own visa is still in process.

  • Spouse and children sponsored against your residence visa
  • Parents sponsored subject to additional conditions
  • Marriage and birth certificates must be attested
  • Ejari and salary or income evidence are checked for the sponsor
Family reviewing dependant visa paperwork together at home in Dubai

How MSM processes an investor or partner visa

  1. Assess the routeWe compare the partner visa against the Golden Visa categories. If you are within reach of the ten-year route, we say so before you pay for a two-year one.
  2. Check the licenceTrade licence valid, shareholding documented, establishment card live with a free slot. Any of these missing stops the application.
  3. Establishment cardIssued or renewed where needed, because the visa attaches to the card, not the licence directly.
  4. Entry permit or status changeFiled with GDRFA. If you are already in the country, we assess whether status can be changed without an exit.
  5. Medical and Emirates IDMedical fitness test and biometrics, booked together to save a second trip.
  6. Stamping and familyResidence visa issued, then the dependant applications if you are bringing family.

Partner visa or Golden Visa: which route fits?

Indicative comparison. Confirm current criteria with ICP and GDRFA.
RouteBasisTerm
Partner or investor visaShareholding on a valid UAE trade licenceTwo or three years
Golden Visa — real estateProperty valued at AED 2 million or moreTen years
Golden Visa — entrepreneurApproved project or accredited business, per ICP criteriaTen years
Golden Visa — specialised talentScientists, doctors, specialists, with approvalsTen years
Green Visa — self-employedFreelance permit plus income or solvency evidenceFive years
The mistake we see most: Renewing a two-year partner visa while already eligible for the Golden Visa. Clients buy property, hold it for two years, and never revisit their residence route. If you own UAE property worth AED 2 million or more, check the ten-year route before you renew anything.
MSM tip: Keep the memorandum of association and share certificate current after any shareholder change. An outdated MoA is the most common reason a partner visa renewal is queried, and amending it mid-application costs weeks.

What documents do you need?

Documents for an investor or partner visa

Valid trade licence with your name as shareholder
Memorandum of association or share certificate
Establishment card and immigration card
Passport copy valid at least six months
Passport-size photograph to immigration specification
Current UAE visa page, where you are already in the country
Title deed and valuation, for the Golden Visa real-estate route
Ejari tenancy contract for your residence

For the Golden Visa property route, the title deed and the property valuation are the two documents the application turns on. Have both current before applying, because a valuation older than the authority accepts sends the file back.

Golden Visa

Ten-year residence for investors, specialists and exceptional talent.

Mainland Company Formation

The trade licence your partner visa is built on.

Family Visa

Sponsor your spouse, children and parents once resident.

Go deeper

Specific situations we handle under this service, each covered in full.

Company Share

Partner Visa

A Dubai partner visa sponsors you through your own company share.

Read next: UAE Golden Visa eligibility: every route and its proof · UAE residence visa types and who qualifies · Mainland vs free zone: a decision table

Sources

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum investment for a Dubai partner visa?
GDRFA applies a minimum value to your shareholding, and it varies by emirate and licence type. Rather than quote a figure that may not apply to you, we check it against your actual licence and memorandum of association before you restructure anything.
How much property do I need for a Golden Visa?
The published condition for the real-estate route is property worth at least AED 2 million. It can be held with a loan from approved local banks, or bought off-plan from approved developers, subject to the current criteria.
Can I get an investor visa without a UAE company?
The partner and investor visa is sponsored by a company you hold shares in, so it needs one. The alternatives that do not are the Golden Visa investor categories and, for the self-employed, the Green Visa.
How long is an investor visa valid?
Commonly two or three years depending on the licence and, for free zone companies, the authority. It renews as long as the licence remains valid and your shareholding is unchanged.
Can I sponsor my family on a partner visa?
Yes, once your own residence visa is issued and you meet the income and accommodation conditions GDRFA applies to sponsors. Attested marriage and birth certificates are required, so start those early.
What happens to my visa if I sell my shares?
The basis of the visa goes with the shareholding. A share transfer needs a licence amendment, and the residence visa is then cancelled or re-issued depending on the new position. Do not sell without planning the visa side first.

Own a UAE company, or UAE property?

Send us the licence or the title deed. We will tell you which residence route you qualify for, including the ten-year one.

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Check Your Investor Visa Route

Two or ten years is not a preference, it is an eligibility question. It takes one message and a licence copy to answer.

Hotline: +971 52 933 0454

Email: info@msmdoc.com

Office: Deira, Dubai — serving all seven emirates.

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