Home / Compare programmes / Portugal Golden Visa vs UAE Golden Visa
Head to head · 2026 Q3 EditionPortugal Golden Visa and UAE Golden Visa, compared metric by metric on the Mirabello verified programme dataset, with the source and verification date on every row.
MCP
For families focused on the residence-to-citizenship route, Portugal Golden Visa currently has the stronger position on this metric (verified 2026-06-28). For applicants prioritising published processing speed, UAE Golden Visa scores higher on published processing timelines. Both remain operational programmes with distinct published trade-offs, compared row by row below.
Rules-based comparison of published criteria, general information only, not legal, tax, immigration or investment advice; there is no universal winner.
Discuss these two with Vito MagagninoKey outcomes
In practice, Portugal Golden Visa tends to be examined first by families focused on the residence-to-citizenship route, while UAE Golden Visa draws applicants prioritising published processing speed. The rows below show where each leads on the published data.
| 🇵🇹Portugal Golden Visa | 🇦🇪UAE Golden Visa | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum qualifying route | €250,000Leads on this metric src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | AED 2,000,000 src: u.ae · verified 2026-07-01 |
| Typical processing | 12-18 months src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | 2-3 monthsLeads on this metric src: u.ae · verified 2026-04-29 |
| Outcome document | Residence permit | Residence permit |
| Visa-free mobility | 184 visa-free src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | 187 visa-freeLeads on this metric value on the programme page |
| Family inclusion | spouse/partner; dependent children under 18 (18-26 if unmarried dependent students); dependent parents (over 65 no proof; under 65 must prove dependency) value on the programme page | spouse (10-yr); sons up to 25; unmarried daughters any age; parents value on the programme page |
| Mirabello Index signal | 77 / 100 · rank 18 of 69Leads on this metric | 66.7 / 100 · rank 44 of 69 |
Family cost comparison
Set your family below and both columns recompute the government-side figure from the published fee schedules: the qualifying investment plus every mandatory official fee, itemised line by line. Rules-based and illustrative; a specialist confirms the exact total for your file.
Government-side costs only, recomputed from the published fee schedules embedded below; illustrative, not a quote and not advice. Excludes Mirabello professional fees and transaction costs.
Fee schedule: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-09
Fee schedule: u.ae · verified 2026-07-09
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Qualifying Investment Fund (CMVM-regulated, non-real-estate), minimum investment | EUR 500,000 |
| ARI application analysis fee (per application) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Residence-permit issuance (per person), Main applicant | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| ARI renewal (recurring, per person), Main applicant | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Residence-permit issuance (per person), Spouse | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| ARI renewal (recurring, per person), Spouse | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Residence-permit issuance (per person), Child (age 10) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| ARI renewal (recurring, per person), Child (age 10) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Residence-permit issuance (per person), Child (age 10) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| ARI renewal (recurring, per person), Child (age 10) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Government-side total (verified lines) | EUR 500,000 |
| Line item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Real estate investor (AED 2M property), minimum investment | AED 2,000,000 |
| ICP application fee, Main applicant | AED 100 |
| Residence-permit issuance (10-yr), Main applicant | AED 1,000 |
| Smart-services e-fee, Main applicant | AED 100 |
| Emirates ID card (10-yr), Main applicant | AED 1,100 |
| In-country status adjustment, Main applicant | AED 500 |
| ICP application fee, Spouse | AED 100 |
| Residence-permit issuance (10-yr), Spouse | AED 1,000 |
| Smart-services e-fee, Spouse | AED 100 |
| Emirates ID card (10-yr), Spouse | AED 1,100 |
| In-country status adjustment, Spouse | AED 500 |
| ICP application fee, Child (age 10) | AED 100 |
| Residence-permit issuance (10-yr), Child (age 10) | AED 1,000 |
| Smart-services e-fee, Child (age 10) | AED 100 |
| Emirates ID card (10-yr), Child (age 10) | AED 1,100 |
| In-country status adjustment, Child (age 10) | AED 500 |
| ICP application fee, Child (age 10) | AED 100 |
| Residence-permit issuance (10-yr), Child (age 10) | AED 1,000 |
| Smart-services e-fee, Child (age 10) | AED 100 |
| Emirates ID card (10-yr), Child (age 10) | AED 1,100 |
| In-country status adjustment, Child (age 10) | AED 500 |
| Medical fitness test, Main applicant | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Entry permit / establishment, Main applicant | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Medical fitness test, Spouse | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Entry permit / establishment, Spouse | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Medical fitness test, Child (age 10) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Entry permit / establishment, Child (age 10) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Medical fitness test, Child (age 10) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Entry permit / establishment, Child (age 10) | awaiting official confirmation; verify against the linked official source |
| Government-side total (verified lines) | AED 2,011,200 |
Every comparable metric
Each row carries its own source and verification date, so any figure can be checked against the official source it came from. Ties carry no marker; a marker reads "leads on this metric", nothing more, because a metric lead is not a recommendation.
| Metric | 🇵🇹Portugal Golden Visa | 🇦🇪UAE Golden Visa |
|---|---|---|
| Programme type # | Residency by investment | Residency by investment |
| Outcome document # | Residence permit | Residence permit |
| Minimum investment # | €250,000 Investment fund / cultural / scientificLeads on this metric src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | AED 2,000,000 Real-estate investment src: u.ae · verified 2026-07-01 |
| Investment routes # | 5 published routes src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | 4 published routes src: u.ae · verified 2026-07-01 |
| Typical processing time # | 12-18 months src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | 2-3 monthsLeads on this metric src: u.ae · verified 2026-04-29 |
| Visa-free mobility # | 184 visa-free src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | 187 visa-freeLeads on this metric value on the programme page |
| Minimum stay requirement # | 7 days in year 1 src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | None src: u.ae · verified 2026-04-29 |
| Family inclusion # | spouse/partner; dependent children under 18 (18-26 if unmarried dependent students); dependent parents (over 65 no proof; under 65 must prove dependency) value on the programme page | spouse (10-yr); sons up to 25; unmarried daughters any age; parents value on the programme page |
| Path to citizenship # | ENACTED LAW (Lei Orgânica 1/2026, Diário da República, in force 19 May 2026): 7 years of legal residence for EU and CPLP (Lusophone) nationals; 10 years for all other... src: diariodarepublica.pt · verified 2026-06-28 | No formal path. UAE citizenship is extremely rare and granted at the discretion of the UAE leadership. Some long-term residents have been offered citizenship under the... src: u.ae · verified 2026-04-29 |
| Government fees # | Fully itemised in the calculator above src: aima.gov.pt · verified 2026-07-05 | Fully itemised in the calculator above src: u.ae · verified 2026-04-29 |
| Mirabello Index composite # | 77 / 100 · rank 18 of 69Leads on this metric from the published Index, 2026 Q3 Edition | 66.7 / 100 · rank 44 of 69 from the published Index, 2026 Q3 Edition |
Read the full Portugal Golden Visa guide · Read the full UAE Golden Visa guide
Process, side by side
Stages and durations are indicative, from published guidance and Mirabello casework; individual files vary.
Risk and change
Any property with a total value of AED 2,000,000 or more qualifies, regardless of payment stage (from February 2026); Dubai co-owners qualify from a registered share of AED 400,000
source: UAE Government portal (official)Methodology and integrity
Each programme is scored 0-100 on seven dimensions, combined into a weighted composite. Where a dimension has no verified data it is excluded and the remaining weights are re-normalized (see data_completeness). The full weights, dimension definitions and official-source hierarchy are published on the Index methodology page. This comparison is rules-based: it reports where each programme leads on published criteria, and it does not recommend one programme over the other, because there is no universal winner.
Generated from the Mirabello verified programme dataset, 2026 Q3 Edition.
Questions
On published processing times, UAE Golden Visa currently lists the shorter indicative timeline (12-18 months for Portugal Golden Visa vs 2-3 months for UAE Golden Visa). Individual files vary with due diligence and documentation; verify against the linked official source.
On the default routes, the illustrative government-side total for a family of four (two adults, two children under 16) is approximately EUR 500,000 for Portugal Golden Visa and AED 2,011,200 for UAE Golden Visa, computed from the published fee schedules. Illustrative, not a quote; use the calculator above for your exact family shape.
Portugal Golden Visa leads to a residence permit: ENACTED LAW (Lei Orgânica 1/2026, Diário da República, in force 19 May 2026): 7 years of legal residence for EU and CPLP (Lusophone) nationals; 10 years for all other... UAE Golden Visa leads to a residence permit: No formal path. UAE citizenship is extremely rare and granted at the discretion of the UAE leadership. Some long-term residents have been offered citizenship under the...
Portugal Golden Visa reports 184 visa-free destinations and UAE Golden Visa reports 187, per the current dataset. Destination counts move with bilateral agreements; verify against the linked official source before travel planning.
Yes. Governments amend investment thresholds, fees and rules; verified changes affecting either programme are recorded in the public Mirabello observatory change log, and every figure on this page carries a verification date. This page is a rules-based comparison of published criteria, general information only, and there is no universal winner.
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Book a free consultation WhatsApp usMirabello Consultancy provides information and advisory services on investment-migration programmes. Figures on this page are indicative, verified against official sources and provenance-tracked; they are informational only, not an eligibility determination and not legal, tax, immigration or investment advice. Programme terms change; confirm the detail with a specialist and seek independent advice where appropriate.