Property Visa

Dubai Property Visa Rules Change: Portfolio Merging Between Co-Owners Ends

A major Dubai property visa rules change was announced on 14 July 2026: husbands, wives and other co-owners can no longer merge their property portfolios to qualify for the Golden Visa, retirement visa or 2-year investor visa. Each applicant must now meet the threshold individually.

By FamilyVisa.ae Updated July 2026 8 min read

Dubai property visa rules change 2026 — individual ownership thresholds for Golden Visa, retirement and investor visas

Quick answer

From 14 July 2026, spouses and co-owners can no longer combine property portfolios to qualify for Dubai property visas. Each applicant must individually hold AED 2 million for the 10-year Golden Visa, AED 1 million (age 55+) for the 5-year retirement visa, and AED 400,000 per owner for the 2-year investor visa when a property is jointly owned. Sole owners still face no minimum for the 2-year visa.

What's in this guide

1 What changed on 14 July 2026
2 Old rules vs new rules
3 New thresholds by visa type
4 A worked example
5 Who is affected?
6 What you can do now
7 How the 2-year visa evolved
8 FAQ

What changed on 14 July 2026?

Until this week, one of the most popular routes to a Dubai property visa for married couples was portfolio merging. A husband and wife who jointly owned property could add their shares together to reach the eligibility threshold — for example, two AED 1 million shares merged into AED 2 million for the 10-year Golden Visa, with one spouse applying as the main investor and sponsoring the other as a dependent.

Under the new rule announced on 14 July 2026, that route is closed. Merging is no longer allowed for any property-linked residence visa — the 10-year Golden Visa, the 5-year retirement visa and the 2-year property investor visa. Every applicant must now qualify on the strength of their own individually held portfolio.

Key points

No more combining of husband-and-wife (or any co-owner) portfolios to reach visa thresholds.
Golden Visa: your own share must be AED 2 million or more.
5-year retirement visa: age 55+ and your own share must be AED 1 million or more.
2-year investor visa: no minimum if the property is in one name only; AED 400,000 per applicant if there is more than one owner.
Family sponsorship is unchanged — a qualifying owner can still sponsor their spouse and children as dependents.

Note: this rule is brand new and implementation details (including how renewals of existing merged-portfolio visas will be handled) are still being clarified. Always confirm your specific case before applying.

Dubai property visa rules change: before vs now

The green column shows the rules in force from 14 July 2026.

Visa	Before	Now
10-year Golden Visa	Spouses could merge shares to reach AED 2 million combined	AED 2 million held individually by each applicant
5-year retirement visa (55+)	Combined husband-and-wife portfolio could reach AED 1 million	AED 1 million held individually, age 55 or above
2-year investor visa — sole owner	No minimum value (earlier guideline was AED 750,000)	No minimum — unchanged
2-year investor visa — joint owners	Shares could be combined; minimum AED 400,000 per owner	AED 400,000 share held individually — no merging
Spouse & children	Sponsored as dependents by the main applicant	Unchanged — dependents can still be sponsored

New thresholds by visa type

10-year Golden Visa — AED 2 million, individually

The 10-year Golden Visa still requires property worth AED 2 million or more — but your own registered share must now reach that figure on its own. You can still combine multiple properties registered in your own name; what you cannot do is add a co-owner's share to yours.

5-year retirement visa — AED 1 million at age 55+

Applicants aged 55 and above can obtain the 5-year retirement visa with property worth AED 1 million. Under the new rule, this amount must also be held individually — a retired couple can no longer pool two AED 500,000 shares.

2-year investor visa — no minimum for sole owners, AED 400,000 per joint owner

The 2-year property investor visa keeps its recent liberalisation: if the property is registered in one name only, there is no minimum value. If the title deed lists more than one owner, each owner applying for a visa must hold a share worth at least AED 400,000 in their own right — combining shares with a spouse to reach the number is no longer accepted.

Golden Visa (10 years)

AED 2 million+ in property held in your own name. Multiple own-name properties can be combined.

Retirement visa (5 years)

Age 55+ with AED 1 million+ in property held individually.

Investor visa (2 years) — sole owner

Property in one name only: no minimum value applies.

Investor visa (2 years) — joint owners

Each applicant needs a personal share of AED 400,000+.

A worked example: why a 50/50 couple may no longer qualify

Example: Ahmed and Sara jointly own a Dubai apartment worth AED 2.4 million, split 50/50. Before 14 July 2026 they could merge their shares (AED 1.2M + AED 1.2M = AED 2.4M) and secure a 10-year Golden Visa. Under the new rule each holds only AED 1.2 million individually — below the AED 2 million Golden Visa threshold. However, each share is above AED 400,000, so both still qualify for the 2-year investor visa. To regain the Golden Visa route, one of them would need to individually hold AED 2 million — by buying more property or restructuring ownership.

Who is affected by the new rule?

Married couples who planned to merge two smaller shares to reach AED 2 million for the Golden Visa.
Retirees relying on a combined husband-and-wife portfolio to reach AED 1 million for the 5-year visa.
Joint owners whose individual share is below AED 400,000 and who hoped to combine shares for the 2-year visa.
Family members and business partners co-owning property, where no single owner meets a threshold alone.

And who is not affected:

Sole owners. One name on the title deed and any property value still qualifies for the 2-year investor visa; AED 2 million+ still gets the Golden Visa.
Investors with multiple own-name properties. Combining values across properties you own alone remains allowed.
Dependents. A qualifying owner can still sponsor their spouse and children under a family visa.
Joint owners with strong shares. If each co-owner independently meets the threshold, each can apply in their own right.

What you can do now: 5 practical steps

Check your title deed. Confirm exactly how ownership is split and what your personal share is worth today.
Revalue your property. Market values have risen sharply — a property revaluation may lift your individual share above the threshold without buying anything new.
Consider restructuring ownership. Spouses can transfer or gift shares through the Dubai Land Department so one owner individually reaches AED 2 million. DLD trustee services can handle this.
Pick the right visa for your share. If your individual share is AED 400,000+, the 2-year investor visa keeps you resident while you build towards the Golden Visa.
Apply — and sponsor your family. Once you qualify individually, your spouse and children can be added as dependents exactly as before.

Calculate your total cost Add up the government fees for your visa type with our free Visa Calculator.

How did the 2-year investor visa get here?

The 2-year property visa has changed several times in quick succession. Here is the short history that explains today's rules:

1
AED 750,000 minimum
For years, the 2-year investor visa carried a recommended minimum property value of AED 750,000.
2
Minimum removed
Dubai scrapped the minimum entirely for sole owners — any property value could qualify — while setting a floor of AED 400,000 per person where a property had more than one owner.
3
14 July 2026: merging ends
Portfolio merging between co-owners is discontinued across all property visas. Each applicant now qualifies only on their individually held portfolio.

Frequently asked questions

Can my spouse and I still combine our properties for a Golden Visa?

No. As of 14 July 2026, merging husband-and-wife portfolios is no longer allowed. Each applicant must individually hold AED 2 million or more in property to qualify for the 10-year Golden Visa.

When did the new no-merging rule take effect?

The change was announced on 14 July 2026 and applies to the 10-year Golden Visa, the 5-year retirement visa and the 2-year property investor visa.

Can I still combine multiple properties that I own alone?

Yes. The ban applies to merging portfolios between different people. Combining the values of several properties registered solely in your own name is still allowed.

What is the minimum property value for the 2-year investor visa in Dubai?

If the property is in one name only, there is no minimum value. If the title deed has more than one owner, each applicant must individually hold a share worth at least AED 400,000.

What happened to the AED 750,000 investor visa requirement?

The AED 750,000 guideline was removed earlier. It was replaced by no minimum for sole owners and an AED 400,000 individual share requirement where a property has multiple owners.

What are the requirements for the 5-year retirement visa?

You must be 55 or older and individually own property worth AED 1 million or more. Combined spousal portfolios are no longer accepted.

Can one spouse still sponsor the other as a dependent?

Yes. Family sponsorship is unchanged. Once one owner qualifies individually, they can sponsor their spouse and children as dependents for the same duration as their own visa.

We jointly own AED 2 million of property 50/50 — do we qualify for the Golden Visa?

Not under the new rule, because each of you individually holds only AED 1 million. Each of you would, however, qualify for the 2-year investor visa since each share exceeds AED 400,000. Alternatively, you could restructure ownership so one spouse individually holds AED 2 million.

Can we transfer shares between spouses to meet the threshold?

Ownership can be restructured through a Dubai Land Department transfer, such as a gift transfer between first-degree relatives, so that one owner individually reaches the required value. Professional guidance is recommended before making changes.

Does the new rule affect visas that were already issued using merged portfolios?

Existing visas remain valid until expiry. How renewals of merged-portfolio visas will be treated is still being clarified, so holders should verify the position well before their renewal date.

Not sure if you still qualify?

Send us your title deed and we will check your individual eligibility under the new rules, then handle the entire application for you.

Message us on WhatsApp → Or estimate the fees with our Visa Calculator 800 DOCS LLC SOC · Third-party visa & PRO services, Dubai

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