Market Insights
Table of contentsKey takeaways
Apply for Golden Visa with downpayment
Enjoy benefits while property is under construction
No local tax on income or rental earnings
Get the UAE Golden Visa from real estate investing, after paying the downpayment on a AED 2 million property. Want to learn more? Book a free consultation.
Dubai offers something unique: Buying property offers an attractive residency pathway.
Invest AED 2 million ($545,000) or more in UAE real estate, and you qualify for a 10-year renewable Golden Visa, giving you and your family long-term residency, local banking access, and a base in one of the world's most connected economies.
Buy an off-plan property and you can get the Golden Visa once you’ve paid your downpayment.
With StakeOne, you have an all-in-one platform for buying, owning and selling a Dubai property:
- Handpicked: Tell us your strategy, we’ll handpick the right properties
- 0% commission: You keep more of your investment, we earn from the developers
- Full support: We handle the details at every step of the way - you invest, you profit
How StakeOne qualifies you for the Golden Visa
The UAE Golden Visa through real estate is straightforward:
10-year Golden Visa: Invest AED 2 million ($545,000) or more in property. Available to all nationalities. Renewable indefinitely.
5-year Retirement Visa: For investors over 55, the threshold drops to AED 1 million ($272,000).
On off-plan, once you've paid your downpayment and you can start your Golden Visa application. You receive the residency before the property is built.
These options deliver the same core benefits: long-term residency, the ability to sponsor your spouse and dependents, and full access to UAE banking, without any minimum stay requirements.
Why investors are choosing Dubai right now
The UAE has no local income tax, no capital gains tax, no property tax and no inheritance tax. The dirham is pegged to the US dollar, offering currency stability and the Golden Visa program has been expanded.
The numbers back up the momentum:
Dubai’s price per square foot rose 13% in 2025 alone. And an estimated 9,800 millionaires were expected to relocate to the UAE in 2025.
Read the full 2026 Dubai property market update
The StakeOne advantage: Full ownership, simplified
StakeOne is for investors who want complete ownership, without the friction of traditional channels.
What you get:
- Curated properties from developers with proven track records
- A digital-first experience, browse, select, and purchase from anywhere in the world
- End-to-end support from purchase through to post-handover management
- Full ownership rights with your name on the title deed
StakeOne handles the complexity, you focus on the investment.
Receive Oqood & apply for Golden Visa
If you're buying off-plan in Dubai, you'll encounter Oqood, and understanding it matters for your timeline.
What is Oqood?
Oqood (Arabic for "contracts") is Dubai's official registration system for off-plan properties. It's your proof of ownership during construction, before the final title deed is issued at handover.
The costs:
- 4% of the property value (this is your Dubai Land Department fee, paid upfront)
- Developer admin fees: typically AED 3,000–5,000
Here's what most people don't realize: The 4% you pay at Oqood registration is your DLD fee. You don't pay it again at handover, your Oqood simply converts to a title deed once construction completes.
Why this matters for the Golden Visa:
Once you've paid your downpayment and received your Oqood registration, Sales Purchase Agreement (SPA), and NOC from the developer, you can start your Golden Visa application. You don't need to wait for the property to be built.
For investors buying off-plan through StakeOne, this means you can secure your UAE residency while your property is still under construction, locking in both the investment and the residency pathway from day one.
What the Golden Visa actually unlocks
The visa itself is just the entry point. Here's what you're really gaining:
Once your Golden Visa is approved, you can open accounts with top UAE banks, hold multiple currencies, AED, USD, EUR, GBP, and access wealth management tools, investment products, and international transfers. All within a tax-free framework.
For investors looking to diversify where their assets are held, this is often as valuable as the residency itself.
Family sponsorship
Your spouse and dependents qualify for the same 10-year residency. One investment covers the entire family.
No minimum stay requirement
Unlike some other residency programs, the UAE Golden Visa has no minimum physical presence requirement. Own the property, keep the visa.
A strategic global base
The UAE sits at the crossroads of Europe, Asia, and Africa, within a few hour flight of two-thirds of the world's population. Whether for business, travel, or simply optionality, it's a base that creates flexibility.
Golden Visa testimonial
Ahammed, a US citizen and Stake investor, wasn't chasing residency. He came for the real estate fundamentals. The Golden Visa turned out to be a strategic bonus.
"Of course, the Golden Visa is the cherry on top," Ahammed says. "But it wasn't the whole cake."
For Ahammed, the investment made sense on its own merits: the combination of Dubai's rental yields, property appreciation potential, and the residency pathway made the decision clear. The visa made it even better.
The path from property to residency
Months 1–2: Tell us your strategy and we’ll handpick the right property. Make downpayment and start application.
Months 2–3: Golden Visa approved. Emirates ID issued.
Months 3–4: Open UAE bank accounts. International financial access unlocked.
Ongoing: Build long-term wealth through property appreciation and rental income + a 10-year residency securing your access.
Is this right for you?
StakeOne's Golden Visa pathway is designed for investors who:
- Are actively looking to change where they hold assets
- Want full ownership of premium Dubai real estate
- Value convenience and a streamlined, digital-first experience
- See residency as a strategic asset, not just a perk
- Are ready to invest AED 2 million+ for long-term wealth building
Next steps
- Explore available properties on StakeOne
- Connect with our team to understand your options
- Select your property and begin the process
- We handle the rest, from registration to Golden Visa application
Ready to learn more?
Terms & Conditions apply. This material is being issued by StakeOne Real Estate Brokerage LLC.
FAQs
Got questions? See below for answers.
Need more help? Visit getstake.com or Help Center: https://help.getstake.com/en/
If you invest AED 2 million or more in UAE real estate, you can qualify for a 10-year renewable UAE Golden Visa, which can cover you and your family. StakeOne supports you end-to-end through the property purchase and the Golden Visa pathway, subject to UAE eligibility rules and approvals.
Yes. Off-plan buyers can start the Golden Visa application after paying the downpayment, once key documents are in place (like your SPA and Oqood registration, plus required developer documentation). This means you may secure residency before the property is completed, depending on your case and authority requirements.
Common costs include:
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Dubai Land Department (DLD) fee: 4% of the property value (often paid upfront at Oqood registration)
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Developer admin fees (typically around AED 3,000–5,000, varies by developer/project)
StakeOne helps you understand the costs upfront and guides you through the process so there are fewer surprises. No hidden fees.
StakeOne is built for investors who want full property ownership in Dubai with a simpler, digital-first experience:
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Handpicked properties based on your strategy
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0% commission (StakeOne earns from developers, so you keep more of your investment)
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Full support from selection to purchase, registration, and next steps
You get a streamlined process without the usual back-and-forth.
The Golden Visa can enable:
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Family sponsorship
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UAE banking access
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No minimum stay requirement
It’s often used as both a residency solution and a strategic financial base, alongside the investment itself.
About the author
The Stake Team is a trusted group of real estate and investment experts committed to delivering in-depth, data-driven insights for property investors in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and beyond. Backed by years of industry experience, our team simplifies complex market trends, investment strategies, and more to help you make smarter decisions.
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