UAE Retirement Residence Visa

This is residence on proof of means. The income and the assets remain yours: nothing is paid to the state as an investment.

Who qualifies for the UAE retirement visa?

The conditions below are those published on the UAE Government portal, "Residence visa for the retired" (page updated 28 July 2026, read 8 October 2026).

• Age: at least 55 at retirement.
• Work history: at least 15 years of work, inside or outside the UAE.
• Means: one of the two tests below.

The income test: AED 180,000 a year

An annual income of at least AED 180,000, or its equivalent in foreign currency, from inside or outside the UAE. When the visa is applied for from Dubai, the figure is AED 240,000 a year. The income can be a pension or other regular income.

The assets test: AED 1 million property and AED 1 million savings

Instead of the income test, you can qualify with property of at least AED 1 million and financial savings of at least AED 1 million. The UAE Government portal lists both together, so read this as property and savings, not one or the other. If you plan to qualify through property alone, look at the property route of the UAE Golden Visa instead, which is a different visa with its own rules.

How long does the visa last, and does it become permanent?

The visa runs for 5 years and is renewable while you continue to meet the conditions. The UAE has no permanent residence category for this route, and there is no statutory route to UAE citizenship through residence. Plan it as long-term, renewable residence, not as a step to a passport.

Do you have to live in the UAE?

No minimum-stay rule appears on the UAE Government portal page for retirees (read 8 October 2026). That is not proof that none exists, so we confirm the current rule for your emirate before you plan long absences.

How is retirement income taxed in the UAE?

The UAE levies no personal income tax, so foreign pensions and foreign income are not taxed, and there is no individual tax registration or reporting. A 9% corporate tax applies only to business activity above AED 1 million of turnover; employment wages, personal investment income and personal real-estate income are excluded. There is no wealth tax or inheritance tax.

Tax follows tax residence, not the visa: your home country may still tax you if you remain resident there. This is general information, not tax advice.

Family members

The portal does not set an additional income amount per dependant for the retirement visa. How a spouse and children are sponsored on this visa, and any extra financial evidence the authority asks for, are confirmed for each case.

How it compares

The retirement visa suits people over 55 with a steady income or settled assets who want a Gulf base without investing. The UAE Golden Visa gives 10-year residence through investment and is not age-limited. Elsewhere in the region, our guide to the Oman retirement visa covers the closest neighbour. For routes in Latin America and Asia, see the Panama Pensionado, the Philippines Special Resident Retiree's Visa and our full retirement and passive-income residency guide. Mirabello Consultancy has an office in Dubai.

What is not yet officially confirmed

• Any minimum-stay rule for holding the visa.
• The financial evidence required for each dependant.
• Processing time and current government fees, which we confirm for your emirate.

Ask Mira, by Mirabello

For a first answer at any hour, ask Mira, by Mirabello, the AI advisor of Mirabello Immigration Intelligence. Mira reads the same verified programme data as this page and can compare this route with the other options in our retirement and passive-income residency guide. A specialist then checks the details that decide your case.

How Mirabello Consultancy helps

From our Dubai office, Mirabello Consultancy confirms which test you meet, prepares the evidence of income, property and savings, files with the competent authority and plans the renewal. To check your eligibility, book a free, confidential consultation.