Golden Visa entrepreneur route, explained

The Golden Visa entrepreneur route gives a long-term renewable UAE residence to founders of a business that meets defined conditions, typically involving an approved project or a company of a certain value endorsed by an authorised body. It is aimed at genuine founders rather than investors or employees, and it covers the family.

Who is the entrepreneur route for?

It is designed for founders and owners of a start-up or established business in the UAE that meets the criteria set by the federal authorities, which can involve the project being approved or incubated by an authorised entity, or the business reaching a defined value or category. It differs from the investor and property routes, which turn on capital, and from the salary route, which turns on employment. The common thread is that you are building a genuine business in the country.

What are the conditions?

The specific conditions, including any minimum project value, the approval or endorsement required from an authorised body such as an incubator or a competent authority, and the documentation, are set by the authorities and confirmed at application, because the criteria are periodically updated. The route is not a shortcut around having a real, recognised business. We assess your company and project against the current criteria before applying so the endorsement is realistic rather than hoped for.

How does it compare with the investor route?

The investor route turns on capital, such as the AED 2 million property threshold or a qualifying investment, while the entrepreneur route turns on building an endorsed business. For a founder who is growing a company rather than deploying passive capital, the entrepreneur route can fit better, while a property owner may find the property route simpler. We match the route to how your wealth and your business actually sit.

Does it cover the family?

Yes. Like the other Golden Visa routes, an entrepreneur Golden Visa covers your spouse and children, and parents in defined cases, for the same long-term renewable period. That family coverage, independent of an employer, is one of the reasons founders value the route beyond the residence itself. We handle the dependants alongside the main application so the family is settled together.

What is the next step?

Tell us about your business and project and we will confirm whether the entrepreneur route fits and handle the endorsement and application. See the Golden Visa service and the UAE Government Golden Visa guide. We confirm each figure against the authority that sets it, such as the UAE Government visa and Emirates ID guide, rather than quoting a blog, so the plan holds.