Housing: Dubai Scraps the Minimum Property Value for Its 2-Year Investor Visa
In one of the most significant property policy shifts this year, the Dubai Land Department removed the long-standing AED 750,000 minimum property value requirement for sole owners applying for the two-year, property-linked residency visa. Since April 2026, a sole owner of any completed residential property in Dubai can apply for the two-year investor visa regardless of the property’s value, while co-owners each need a registered share of at least AED 400,000. Analysts say the change is already drawing first-time buyers and overseas investors toward more affordable communities, with properties below AED 750,000 accounting for roughly a quarter of all ready-home transactions in the first quarter of the year.
What it means for residents: If you’ve been priced out of a visa-linked home purchase, the bar just got significantly lower, worth a conversation with your agent before your next move.
Family & Travel: Summer Break Arrives, and Families Are Rethinking How They Travel
With Dubai’s private schools breaking for an eight-week summer starting the first week of July, families across the UAE are deep into peak holiday planning. Travel companies report that families are increasingly choosing shorter trips, nearby destinations, and flexible itineraries instead of expensive long-haul holidays this year, a shift echoed globally as travellers prioritise affordability and regional getaways. Airlines are adjusting too, Etihad has introduced extra baggage offers and expanded check-in options to ease congestion during the peak summer period.
What it means for residents: Whether you’re heading home for summer or relocating before the new school term starts on August 31, this is the busiest planning window of the year, book early and, if you’re moving house too, schedule it well ahead of the rush.
Business: Abu Dhabi’s Freelance and Business Licences Surge
Abu Dhabi’s business ecosystem posted standout growth in the first quarter of the year. New economic licences rose 21 per cent, while freelance licences surged an extraordinary 261 per cent compared with the same period last year, alongside a 12 per cent increase in active licences across the emirate. Commercial licences grew 20 per cent and professional licences jumped 193 per cent, reflecting a fast-growing pool of independent professionals and small business owners setting up across the capital.
What it means for residents: If you’ve been considering going independent or launching a business in Abu Dhabi, the momentum and the government support behind it, has rarely looked stronger.