UAE Golden Residency Entrepreneur Route: AED 500,000 Project and 5-Year Residence

Verification date for all amounts and requirements below: 2026-08-31.

The UAE Golden Residency entrepreneur route is the five-year category for an innovative or technology-based project. The Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP) specifies this duration in its Golden Residency Guide and residency-duration graphic. The entrepreneur checklist requires an auditor’s letter confirming project value of no less than AED 500,000, an endorsement letter, a valid passport copy, and proof of residence in the UAE.

What qualifies as an innovative or technology-oriented project?

The category-level requirement is an innovative or technology-based project. The detailed endorsement letter must come from the relevant authority in the Emirate or an accredited business incubator and confirm that the project is innovative, technology-based, or future-oriented.

The project and endorsement evidence therefore serve different purposes: the project must fit the entrepreneur category, while the authority or incubator letter independently supports the nature of the project.

What must the AED 500,000 evidence show?

The required document is a letter from an auditor confirming that the project value is no less than AED 500,000. The official wording treats this as project-value evidence; it is not presented as the authority or incubator endorsement.

When assembling the evidence, check that the auditor’s letter and the endorsement letter address their respective requirements rather than treating one as a substitute for the other.

What documents should be assembled?

The following is an evidence-assembly checklist, not an ICP filing sequence:

Checklist area	Document or evidence	What it must establish
Project eligibility	Project-fit evidence	The proposed project is innovative or technology-based. This is an eligibility condition rather than a separate document listed by ICP.
Project value	Auditor’s letter	Project value of no less than AED 500,000.
Authority or incubator support	Letter from the relevant Emirate authority or an accredited business incubator	Confirmation that the project is innovative, technology-based, or future-oriented.
Identity	Copy of a valid passport	The applicant’s valid passport details.
UAE residence	Property ownership proof or tenancy contract	Proof of residence in the UAE.

What does the five-year residency permit allow?

ICP describes Golden Residency as a long-term residence framework with automatic renewal and without the need for a sponsor. It also allows residence permits for spouses and children and permits residents to live, work, study, and invest in the UAE.

These statements describe the general Golden Residency framework. They do not remove the need for an individual eligibility assessment or guarantee that an application will be approved.

What should be checked before applying?

Confirm the current requirements directly with ICP and the relevant Emirate authority before submitting an application. In particular, check that:

• The project still meets the innovative or technology-based requirement.
• The proposed authority or accredited business incubator can provide the required endorsement letter.
• The auditor’s letter confirms the stated minimum project value.
• The passport copy and UAE residence evidence match the application details.
• Any current government fees and processing times are obtained from ICP; the cited materials do not state an entrepreneur processing time.

This is general information only. Applicants should confirm their own circumstances with the relevant UAE immigration authority.

Sources

• Federal Authority for Identity, Citizenship, Customs and Port Security (ICP): Golden Residency Guide
• ICP Golden Residency duration graphic

Frequently asked questions

How long does UAE Golden Residency last for entrepreneurs?

ICP lists a residency duration of five years for the entrepreneur category.

What project value must be evidenced?

The applicant needs an auditor’s letter confirming project value of no less than AED 500,000.

Which authority or incubator may provide the endorsement letter?

The letter must come from the relevant authority in the Emirate or an accredited business incubator. It must confirm that the project is innovative, technology-based, or future-oriented.

What identity and residence documents are listed?

The checklist requires a copy of a valid passport and proof of residence in the UAE through property ownership documentation or a tenancy contract.

Is AED 500,000 a fee, and is a processing time stated?

The cited entrepreneur requirement identifies AED 500,000 as the minimum project value, not as an application fee. The cited materials do not state a processing time for this category; check ICP for current fees and timing.