By Bill Anderson, FCCA, Chief Executive Officer, Assetica — 2026-06-20
Two different routes, two different valuations, two different valuers. A clear guide to whether you need a business valuation or a property valuation for your UAE Golden Visa, and who is allowed to prepare each.
If you qualify through real estate, you need a property valuation. It values the land or building you own, must show at least AED 2 million, and is prepared by a valuer approved by the Dubai Land Department (DLD) and RERA, typically as a Taqeemi-style certificate. A business valuer cannot prepare this, and a business valuation is not accepted for the property route.
If you qualify through your company, you need an independent business valuation. It values your equity in the business, must confirm your shareholding is worth at least AED 2 million net of debt, and must be prepared by an independent accredited firm and accepted by the GDRFA or ICP. It assesses earnings, assets and market value using recognised methodologies, not the price of a building.
The threshold figure is the same (AED 2 million), which is why applicants conflate the two. But the asset valued, the qualified valuer, and the accepting authority all differ. Submitting the wrong report causes rejection, and some business owners wrongly buy property they did not need. When the business is the route, the report must isolate the applicant's specific shareholding.
Can a property valuation be used for the business Golden Visa route?
No. The business route requires an independent business valuation of your company equity, accepted by the GDRFA or ICP. A property valuation values real estate and is only valid for the property route.
Who prepares each valuation?
Property valuations are prepared by DLD/RERA-approved property valuers. Business valuations are prepared by independent accredited valuation firms working to recognised standards and accepted by the GDRFA or ICP.
Both thresholds are AED 2 million, so are they interchangeable?
No. The threshold figure is the same, but they value entirely different assets (real estate versus business equity) and are accepted by different authorities. The reports are not interchangeable.