What a Dubai residence visa actually costs in 2026
Most agencies quote visas as a single mystery number. Here is the same breakdown we put in real client proposals, line by line, so you know exactly what you're paying for and what a vague quote is hiding.
The line items of one Dubai visa
| Line item | What it is | Typical cost* |
|---|---|---|
| Visa allocation | Adding one visa slot to your company's quota | AED 1,850 |
| Immigration card | Company's establishment card, mandatory before any visa (one-time per company) | AED 2,000 |
| Visa processing, employee | Entry permit, stamping, and processing for an employee | AED 3,500 |
| Visa processing, investor | Same, for an investor/partner visa | AED 4,000 |
| Change of status | Required only if the applicant is already inside the UAE | AED 1,500 |
| Medical & biometrics | Medical fitness test and biometric capture | ≈ AED 700 |
| Emirates ID | The resident identity card | Additional, itemized in your proposal |
*Typical Dubai free zone rates as of July 2026 for standard cases. Express processing, specific free zones, and special categories vary. We confirm exact figures in writing before anything is signed, that's the whole point of working with us.
Worked example: one investor relocating to Dubai
Founder currently outside the UAE, taking one investor visa under a new Dubai free zone company:
- Visa allocation: AED 1,850
- Immigration card: AED 2,000
- Investor visa processing: AED 4,000
- Medical & biometrics: ≈ AED 700
Visa-related total: ≈ AED 8,550 on top of the license. If the founder were already inside the UAE on a tourist visa, add AED 1,500 for change of status. You can model your own combination, including employees, in our cost estimator.
Where vague quotes hide the money
- The immigration card. Mandatory before any visa exists, and routinely missing from "visa package" teasers.
- Change of status. If you're inside the UAE, this is not optional. Quotes that don't ask where you are physically located are incomplete by design.
- Investor vs employee processing. Different fees. A quote that doesn't distinguish is averaging, and you'll pay the difference later.
- Emirates ID and medical. Smaller amounts, but per person, and they add up on multi-visa setups.
How long does it take?
With documents ready, visa processing typically runs in parallel with your license. A complete setup, license, residence visa, and banking support, typically takes 1–2 weeks end-to-end for standard cases. Complex activities and additional compliance checks can extend this, and we tell you upfront when they will.
A visa quote with fewer than five line items isn't simpler. It's just hiding four of them.