Retirement visa, 5 years

How it works

Passport
original
e-Certificate of Title / title deed
in some casescopyOnly if: Property route.
Bank letter for a mortgaged property (AED 1 million paid)
in some casesoriginalOnly if: If the property is mortgaged.
Financial deposit certificate and transfer acknowledgment
in some casesoriginalOnly if: GDRFA savings route.
6-month bank statements and official letter on the source of income
in some casesoriginallegal Arabic translationOnly if: GDRFA income route.
Personal photo
copy
Certified marriage contract
in some casesoriginalattestedlegal Arabic translationOnly if: If spouses share one property, or to sponsor the spouse.
Certified birth certificates of the children
in some casesoriginalattestedlegal Arabic translationOnly if: To sponsor children.
Health insurance for each sponsored family member
in some casescopyOnly if: When adding family.
Certified dependency certificate from the consulate + 3 months of bank statements (parents)
in some casesoriginalOnly if: Only to sponsor parents.
Father's notarised NOC (if the mother sponsors); proof of marital status from Dubai Courts for daughters over 18; study certificate for sons over 18; IBAN
in some casesoriginalattestedOnly if: Family sponsorship cases.

DLD: age 55+; property purchase value at least AED 1 million (one or more properties); mortgaged property accepted if AED 1 million is paid, with a bank letter (DLD wording mentions the amount cannot be released within 3 years); spouses may share one property with a certified marriage contract.
GDRFA: age 55+ and at least 15 years of service before retirement (inside or outside the UAE), plus one financial condition: property of at least AED 1 million (purchase or market value, valued by the emirate's authority) together with a deposit of AED 1 million moved to a UAE bank within 60 days, or a fixed annual income of at least AED 240,000 with 6 months of bank statements. A mortgaged title deed counts if at least AED 1 million has been paid off when applying. For Dubai the income figure is AED 240,000 a year (GDRFA and u.ae; u.ae gives AED 180,000 as the general federal figure).
DLD family: spouse and children; sons over 18 need a study certificate and daughters over 18 a proof of marital status from Dubai Courts; parents need a consulate dependency certificate and 3 months of bank statements.

Processing time: DLD: 7-10 business days; GDRFA lists 48 hours for the permit itself.
Validity of the result: 5 years, renewable on the same conditions; GDRFA lists a 60-day grace period after expiry or cancellation.
Where it is applied for: DLD (page updated 30 Sep 2026): Al Manara Center (Cube), Golden Cube at Dubai World Trade Centre, and the DLD-authorised agents EGSH Real Estate Registration Agent, Alyalayis Real Estate Registration Trustee Services and Gulf Vision Real Estate Registration Agent. GDRFA: smart services (website/app), customer happiness centres and Amer centres. Both are to merge into one GDRFA channel after the April 2026 MoU (no date published).

Tips that save you a trip

Pension letters from abroad should be official and translated into Arabic; bring 6 months of statements showing the payments.
Spouses who jointly own one property can both benefit (DLD).

Common reasons for rejection or delay

Do I need to have worked in the UAE?

No. GDRFA asks for 15 years of service inside or outside the UAE; the DLD property route does not list a service condition.

Checked by the MARIO E.G.S.H team on 2026-10-08. Rules can change at any time; our consultant confirms the details for your case.

Official sources

How old are you?
The retirement residence is for applicants aged 55 or over.
DLD route: what is the purchase value of your Dubai property, in AED?
The DLD retiree route needs property worth at least AED 1 million. GDRFA's savings or income routes may still be possible.

Legal basis

Federal Decree-Law No. 29 of 2021; Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022.

Updates your registered data in the Dubai Land Department's records, at the centre or online.

Obtains a to-whom-it-may-concern letter about your property from the Dubai Land Department.

Obtains an official certificate of your property's registered details from the Dubai Land Department.

Obtains the land map (affection plan) showing your plot details from the Dubai Land Department.