Hoga Toga

Selling a property linked to your residency in Dubai puts your immigration status at risk. The Dubai Land Department (DLD) records every ownership transfer in real time, and this information is directly linked to the UAE's immigration systems (ICP and GDRFA). Once the sale is registered, the system flags the loss of your qualifying asset and triggers a formal review of your visa eligibility. Investors holding a 2-year real estate investor visa in Dubai (Taskeen program) must own property valued at a minimum of AED 750,000. Golden Visa holders must maintain assets worth at least AED 2 million. Continuous ownership is a condition of validity, not just a one-time requirement at the time of application. What Happens to Your Visa When You Sell? When a property sale is registered at a DLD trustee office, the title transfer is recorded in the Real Estate Register. For Taskeen Holders, a 60-day grace period applies after cancellation. Golden Visa Holders usually receive a 180-day grace period. Practitioners cite a 30-day "reinvestment window" to transfer a Golden Visa to a new property before automatic cancellation occurs. The safest approach is to align the sale and the initial sale registration of the new asset on the same day. Consequences and Alternatives

Failing to reinvest leads to visa cancellation, invalidation of the Emirates ID, and the simultaneous cancellation of all dependent visas. Daily overstay fines of AED 50 apply once grace periods expire. To avoid this, investors can explore alternative pathways such as a Golden Visa via a fund deposit of AED 2 million in an approved investment fund or a 5-year Green Visa for skilled professionals. Transitioning to a company-sponsored employment permit under MOHRE or applying for a Retirement Visa for those aged 55 and above with sufficient assets are also viable options. Protection Strategies To protect your status, pre-qualify your replacement asset and notify your consultant to prepare Developer NOCs for service charge clearance. Aligning DLD registration timelines ensures there is no ownership gap. Always verify current requirements with the ICP in the specific emirate where your visa was issued, as rules in Abu Dhabi may differ slightly from Dubai.