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Five-Year Retiree Residence

United Arab EmiratesLiving from your own income

Explore the five recorded questions, answers and sources for this pathway.

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Is this aimed at retirees, pensioners, financially independent people, passive-income holders or another profile?

This residence is for retired foreigners. Under Article 52 of Cabinet Resolution No. 65 of 2022, the foreigner's service period before retirement must be not less than 15 years, whether in the UAE or abroad, or the retired foreigner must have reached 55 years of age. The UAE government portal instead states that the retiree must have worked for not less than 15 years inside or outside the UAE and be at least 55 years old at the time of retirement. The two official sources therefore differ on whether both conditions are required.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The official source does not state the complete answer to this question for this route.

Which types of income/assets are accepted according to the official source?

The executive regulation accepts: real estate in the UAE (purchase or market value, assessed by the competent authority of the emirate); a financial deposit in the UAE or abroad, which must be transferred and deposited in a UAE financial institution within 60 days of the permit's issue unless the deposit value is invested in the UAE; or a fixed annual income from the UAE or abroad, evidenced by a bank statement for the last 6 months. A mortgaged property is accepted if the amount paid to release the mortgage is at least AED 1,000,000.

See recorded sources
  • https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1601
    a. To be the owner of one or more Real Estate in the State, and the value of his Real Estate or the total value of his Real Estate is not less than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams, whether this value is the purchasing or market value. This shall be on condition that the assessment is carried out by the Competent Authority in the Concerned Emirate, or He has a financial deposit of no less than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams in the State or abroad.
  • https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1601
    This shall be on condition that it is transferred and deposited in any financial institution in the State within (60) sixty days from the date of issuance of the Retired Foreigner Residence Permit, with the exception of this if he invests in the value of the deposit in the State.
  • https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1601
    b. The fixed annual income of the Retired Foreigner shall not be less than (AED 240,000) two hundred and forty thousand dirhams or its equivalent in foreign currencies. The source of income is from in the State or abroad, on condition that a bank statement is submitted for the last (6) six months from the date of submitting the application for obtaining the Retired Foreigner Residence Permit.
  • https://uaelegislation.gov.ae/en/legislations/1601
    3. Subject to the provision of Clause (2/A) of this Article, if the Real Estate is mortgaged, the mortgaged title deed shall be accepted. This shall be on condition that the value paid for the release of the mortgage from the total value of the mortgage shall not be less than (AED 1,000,000) one million dirhams at the time of submitting the application for obtaining the Retired Foreigner Residence Permit.

What income, savings or financial-resources threshold applies and how does family affect it where officially specified?

ICP's service page sets the thresholds: property worth at least AED 1 million or a financial deposit of the same value (deposited in a UAE financial institution within 60 days of residence issuance, except if invested in the UAE), or annual income of at least AED 240,000 or equivalent in foreign currency with a bank statement for the last 6 months. The official source does not state how family members affect the threshold.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • No family-adjusted threshold (for sponsored dependants) is stated in the captured sources.

Can the holder work locally, run a business or perform other economic activity? What is the family position?

Residence alone does not authorise employment: Article 6 requires a licence from the competent authority before a foreigner may work, whether paid or unpaid. The official source does not state the specific work-permit procedure or exemptions for this residence category, or the family position.

See recorded sources
Limits of the record
  • The category-specific work-permit procedure and any applicable exemptions require separate evidence.
  • Article 6, First, paragraph 2
    ## Article (6) ## Obligations of the Foreigner and the Recruitment Agency ## First: The Foreigner Obligations 1. The Foreigner shall register his data and place of residence when submitting the Entry Visa or upon entering the State if he is one of the categories exempted from the Prior Visa. The Foreigner shall also notify the ICA in the event of any change in such data or in the event of a dispute between the Foreigner and the Contracting Entity; 2. The Foreigner may not work with or without pay unless the Foreigner obtains a license to do so from the Competent Authority; 3. If the Foreigner loses or damages his passport or identity card, the Foreigner shall report this to the nearest police station within (3) three days of the loss or damage; 4. If the Foreigner has a new-born in the State, the Foreigner shall extract documents to prove his identity in accordance with the legislation in force in the State of his nationality and amend the status of the new-born or the new-born leaves the State within (4) four months from the date of birth; 5. The Foreigner shall leave the State after the expiry of the period the Foreigner is authorized to stay in the State; 6. The Foreigner shall, at any time he is requested to do so, show his identity card or proof of identity. The Chairman shall determine the data to be completed in accordance with the provisions of Clause (1) of this Article and the procedures related to the incident of loss or damage to the passport or identity card mentioned in Clause (3) of this Article. ## Second: The Recruitment Agency Obligations 1. Natural and legal persons in the State may not to employ the Foreigner, even on a trial basis, without obtaining a license to do so from the Competent Authorities; and 2. The Recruitment Agency, whether a The Guarantor or a Contracting Entity with the Foreigner, shall employ that the Foreigner whenever the Foreigner is authorized to work. The Foreigner shall notify the Competent Authorities of the incident of his nonappearance from work or his absence within (48) forty-eight hours of the incident of absence or ---

How long is the status granted, what is required for renewal, what physical-presence obligations matter, and what longer-term residence direction exists?

The permit is issued for five years without a sponsor or host and is renewable under the same conditions as when first granted (Article 51; GDRFA Dubai). GDRFA Dubai states a 60-day grace period to remain in the country after the permit expires or is cancelled. No physical-presence obligation specific to this permit and no longer-term residence direction are published for it.

See recorded sources

These are the answers currently recorded in the catalogue. A missing or partial answer is not an eligibility decision.

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